New to Turning

[Donn Morris]

Hi all! My wonderful bride gave me a midi lathe and some Robert Sorby turning tools for Christmas. A truly wonderful woman. I have always wanted to learn turning so I am excited to pick up the tools and go to work. However, just grabbing a tool and pressing it to a piece of spinning wood could result in any number of outcomes, most of which I would like to avoid.

So, I was thinking about maybe getting Norm's video "Lathe 101". I was wondering if you had any other suggestions as to good resources for a beginning turner to use to learn by.

Thanks!

[charlie knighton]

books are one way, check out if local woodworking stores have classes, local colleges, or local woodturning clubs in your area

learn basic safety rules and remember dust is harmful to you and your family

enjoy and be safe:D

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Donn.....Welcome to the Creek and the Vortex!


I'd recommend looking at the AAW website....find a local turning club and join. Turners by nature are a generous crowd and I'm sure several of the club members would be happy to spend some time with you!

2nd......A book "Woodturning - A Foundation Course" by Keith Rowley. It's written for the beginner...well illustrated and tells and shows "hows and whys"...

3rd....Any of the Richard Raffan books and DVDs are good

Congrats on the tools and more importantly the LOYL!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Welcome to SMC Donn. Ken gave you some good advice. The only thing I would add is Bill Grumbines DVD "Turned Bowls Made Easy." I don't have a turning club near me. Closest is 4 hours. So I relied on books and DVD's to learn. I probably have 12 turning books and 12 or 13 DVD's on turning. Some I have watched 3 or 4 times or more.

[David Wilhelm]

Welcome Donn. You may want to rethink this......... she may be wanting you out of the house LOL. but hey while you are at it get you a slow grinder and a grinding jig in the deal as well. If your tools are sharp find you a green limb off a cherry or some type of fruit or flowering tree not too big sy 2-3 inches across and mount it between centers. and turn you and little mush room. mix you up some mineral/ veg oil 50/50 and drop it in then take it out and let her drip dry. it's simple doesn't need to be real smooth and the drying process may crack it but most of the time it will just warp it up and make it cool looking . It will give you something simple to turn and it will give you and feel for your tools. there are several clips online you can also watch if you search for them. ONE more thing. you could take a class but if you wait too long it may be hard to brake a bad habbit you've picked up on your own. I've got a bout 50 bad habbits LOL

[Dave Stoler]

"Ride the bevel!!" It,s the one most valuable lesson i,ve learned in my extremely short turning experience. The "Del Stubbs " video introduced it to me.
It,s the technique of touching the the "bevel" of ,mostly gouges, your tools to the piece the slowly rotateing the cutting edge in then procedeing with the cut while the bevel "rides" the piece.
Poor explanation maybe,but try to understand the technique,it will save many "catch,s.

[Ben Gastfriend]

I'd say the most important things to success turning are:

1) Techniques- Definitley get the Rowley book and some of the Raffan ones.
2) Sharp tools- get a grinder and the correct jigs for your turning tools.
3) Patience- well, that one explains itself.

Good luck, and we look forward to seeing PICTURES of your work. We really like PICTURES!!

[robert hainstock]

Remember, cut, not tear. :)
Bob

[Jim Becker]

Welcome to the vortex! (And the 'Creek!)

While I'm definitely a fan, Norm isn't known all that much as a turner. There are any number of videos from folks who are "turners" that might server your instructional needs better. For bowls and vessels, I'd suggest Bill Grumbine's first DVD...it's excellent and fun to watch.

And do join your local turning club/AAW chapter. Turning is something that "seeing" and mentoring really benefits from.

[Steve Mawson]

I like Richard Raffan books. Actually got a set for Christmas. Most of the way through the first one. Been turning a long time but trying to get better.

[Dean Matthews]

I actually have the Norm Lathe 101 video from off of my TiVo. He does a really good job of showing basic stuff and explaining what parts of the lathe are what.

My $0.02.... Take a class somewhere. Klingspore's and Woodcraft give them all the time. I took the one at Klingspore's and it cost something like $60 and I had a bowl at the end of the day. Well worth the time and the instructor was fantastic. Nothing beats someone showing you how to do it in the flesh in my opinion.

Other than that... There was a show on DIY for a while that was really good for watching as well. Woodturning Basics or something like that. They have a lot of the videos on DIY's website.

[Donn Morris]

Thanks for the tips. I'll go get a few books and grinder. I am looking forward to this!

[Glenn Hodges]

Donn, this question pops up quite often, and I suggest you join a turning club. I suggest this to people considering buying a lathe because club members will invite you into their shop to turn on their lathe before you make that decision. You have elected not to show where you live so none of us can invite you over to help you turn as I am doing for a fellow Creeker I met on the net, but that is your decision.

[Tom Steyer]

Donn,

Get your feet wet quickly with a class. A friend of mine has taken classes at both the Woodcraft and the Rockler stores in south Denver. I have been to those stores, and they have nice class room shops. For a grinder it is hard to beat the Woodcraft slow speed one that they offer with aluminum oxide wheels - not the greatest, but very good for the price - they are often on sale for $80-$90, if you can catch that. Don't forget eye protection, and give a thought to a basic dust mask too - both are available pretty cheaply.

[Dennis Peacock]

Welcome to SMC AND the Vortex of turning Donn!!!!! Glad to have ya around. Lot's of good folks here and after a short bit, you can call all of them "friend". :D

[Pat Doble]

Welcome aboard Donn. I'll just reinforce what's already been said. If you can find a club or take a class it will move you lightyears forward pretty quick. I'll also second the Rowley and Raffan books and Bill's DVD. The Rowley book does a great job of going through the universal 'rules' of safe turning.

Having a good grinder and jig will allow you to gain consistency and spend more time turning.

Good luck and we look forward to seeing some 'work'.

[Nick Clayton]

Hi Donn,

Watchout, my wife gave me a lathe last Easter and now asks constantly for turned items;) Now that she has seen how much money is spent on tools and accesories she might have thought otherwise!

Here is a link for you to find local woodturning clubs in your area http://www.woodturner.org/community/chapters/members.pl?submit=Chapter+List. I have found going to meetings and taking classes to see things first hand to be the most beneficial. I like Richard Raffan's books, but found his videos paced too quickly. Bill Grumbine's videos are more friendly for me.

If you don't have one yet, get a faceshield!!!!!

[Michael Robinson]

Hi all! My wonderful bride gave me a midi lathe and some Robert Sorby turning tools for Christmas. A truly wonderful woman. I have always wanted to learn turning so I am excited to pick up the tools and go to work. However, just grabbing a tool and pressing it to a piece of spinning wood could result in any number of outcomes, most of which I would like to avoid.

So, I was thinking about maybe getting Norm's video "Lathe 101". I was wondering if you had any other suggestions as to good resources for a beginning turner to use to learn by.

Thanks!

Face protection, face protection, face protection!!!!

Don't ask me how I know about this.

You will love this tool.

Cheers,

MikeR

[John Abt]

Donn,

Congratulations and welcome. I am a big fan of Norm Abrams (his show got me started in woodworking years ago), his Lathe 101 is informative, but also misses some important points.

I fully agree with the recommendation for the Bill Grumbine videos, I have both and was also lucky enough to take a class with him when he came to my local club.

Taking a live class is definitly the best way to go. A good instructor will be able to observe you while you turn and help you make corrections to your technique. If I had done this first, I wouldn't have launched so many bowls.

The only other advise I will give is "have patience". It takes time to develop skill on the lathe. I hope to become skilled myself one day. Grab free wood from arborists and neighbors, raid the firewood stack, but don't buy expensive lumber until you develop the confidence to turn it.

Enjoy.

John

[Al Wasser]

Be sure to check out your local library. They should have some books, and may also have a video or two. And the cost is right. I watched Norm turn a bowl the other night (nothing else worth watching). It was not a work of art to say the least.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Welcome to the Creek Donn! Congrats on your new lathe! Have fun with it - looking forward to seeing some of your turnings!

[Donn Morris]

Welcome to the Creek Donn! Congrats on your new lathe! Have fun with it - looking forward to seeing some of your turnings!
You and me both!

[Donn Morris]

Be sure to check out your local library. They should have some books, and may also have a video or two. And the cost is right. I watched Norm turn a bowl the other night (nothing else worth watching). It was not a work of art to say the least.
That is part of the reason I asked. I love to watch Norm but he is very new to turning and from what I have seen, his technique is not very polished. I figure it is easier to learn to do it right than to try to un-learn a bunch of bad habits.

[Donn Morris]

Face protection, face protection, face protection!!!!

Don't ask me how I know about this.

You will love this tool.

Cheers,

MikeR
Got one.. I also got a small Delta variable speed grinder.