First Turnings

[Jake Helmboldt]

I finally got around to setting up my lathe over Thanksgiving and after practicing on a couple pieces of scrap I realized one of them looked like a bottle stopper, so I refined it a bit, drilled it, and voila, it worked. So I figured I'd make some Christmas presents.

So far I've turned five stoppers. I've also managed to turn another five or so pieces of kindling.:rolleyes: I have a love hate relationship with the skew. :mad::) When I've got it dialed in, it cuts oh so sweet. When I don't...well you know the story. Oh well, no worries, all the wood is salvaged; the cherry from the neighbor's tree that came down last year in a windstorm (and was sawn into a variety of lumber by another neighbor), and the mahogany (?) is from the pallet that my ipe decking was delivered on.

I'm hoping Santa brings a detail gouge. Turning those little beads with a 1/2" spindle gouge is a tight fit. Thanks to many of you the Creek has been a great source for info, especially on finishing. I used Deft and not having used lacquer before I wouldn't have had a clue what to do. The one on the far left is actually BLO and beeswax. I'm curious to see how it patinas without a hard finish.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays folks. This spinny stuff is more fun than a barrel of monkeys. And a lot more instantly gratifying than a flatwork project that takes weeks or months.

JH

[Alan Trout]

Jake very nice for your first turnings. I can tell you take pride in your work. It is funny I was talking tonight with some friends about the instant gratification that turning provides. I still like flat work, but the turning is more of and free form artistic outlet for me.

Good Work,

Alan

[Steve Schlumpf]

Very nice stoppers Jake! Turning is addicting! Once you get used to the idea that curves are what you want - not 90* corners - things just sort of take off! Its called the vortex for a reason - the more you turn - the more you are trapped in it!

Nice looking work! Have fun with it!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Jake your first turnings are beauties. The more you turn the easier it will get. Keep'em coming.

[Dewey Torres]

I hope my first turn out that good.

[Jake Helmboldt]

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement everyone. Indeed, there is something really gratifying about just letting the process play out as you go instead of working from a set of drawings, dimensions, etc.

Dewey, have fun once you jump in. As a newbie I'll offer this advice; don't let your guard down! Today I was in a groove three times. The bottle stopper was about 75% done when I caught a spalted spot and cracked the whole thing. :mad:

Then it was on to making a couple tops for my two girls for Christmas. Again, at about 75% I got a catch and took a big chunk out. DOH! Another fire-starter. Top #2 was salvaged, albeit smaller after another catch. You get into a groove and become complacent and POW, you've got kindling.

Enjoy!