I might be in trouble

[Dave Parkis]

Well, I bought a lathe. Got a decent deal ($850) on a Nova 2024 DVR with the outboard attachment and base. It's missing the center for the headstock and the knock out bar, though. Now I need to buy a whole bunch of stuff, right?

[John K Jordan]

Well, I bought a lathe. Got a decent deal ($850) on a Nova 2024 DVR with the outboard attachment and base. It's missing the center for the headstock and the knock out bar, though. Now I need to buy a whole bunch of stuff, right?

Yes, report back later when you're up and going strong. Maybe $10,000 dollars later.

That should be a great lathe to start and to continue with. Many, including me, bought a very limited lathe then had to get a better one before long!

If you put your location in your profile someone near you might have some pieces you can borrow or have. For example, I have a handful of drive centers I'll probably never need and a big box of old tools I've acquired just to loan or give to students/beginners. A turner near you might also be willing to help learn the basics if you need it.

Some basics:
- the drive center
- a live center for the tailstock.
- you can make a knockout bar from a rod and a wooden handle
- a bench grinder to sharpen tools
- some tools, basic set:
--- parting tool
--- spindle roughing gouge
--- skew chisel
--- spindle gouge
--- bowl gouge
--- round nose scraper
- some way to hold work, faceplate and/or chuck (or three)
- calipers to measure diameters
- good light
- dust mask
- safety glasses & face shield
- a piece of wood

There are also many other things that make life easier, depending on what kind of things you end up turning.

I'd also recommend getting a good book or two. I learned to turn from "Turning Wood" by Richard Raffan and "Fundamentals of Woodturing" by Mike Darlow.

If you are new to turning, a class is a great way to start. A local turning club is also a big help; many have mentors willing to help and teach.
If new to turning, I strongly recommend becoming proficient with spindle turning including using the skew. (The first tool I put in a beginner's hand is a skew.) It's been shown that spindle turning will teach you fine tool control that will let you turn anything, including bowls and platters. Some who start by learning to turn bowls from green wood (very easy and fun) never do learn to turn spindles.

JKJ

[Don Orr]

Might as well sell off the rest of your tools Dave. You'll need the money for turning stuff, and you won't have time or desire to use them any way. Welcome to the abyss! And you thought hand tools were addictive-hah.

[Richard Madden]

Don't know where you live Dave, but I'd trade you a Nova 1624 complete with drive center, knock out bar, chuck, and bed extension. Heck, I'll even throw in some tools.

[robert baccus]

Keep your table saw for stacking bowls on.

[John K Jordan]

Keep your table saw for stacking bowls on.

I use my TS (PM66 with sliding attachment) to support the photo cube to photograph woodturnings.

photo_cube_small_IMG_5181.jpg

The bandsaw is for cutting green wood into turning blanks to dry.
The drum sander is for flattening dry bowl and platter blanks.

[Alex Zeller]

A good table saw is useful for making segmented bowls.