my next big jump in wood working is here, I am going to start turning. Everyone says it’s really fun, and I hope to too. I have NEVER turned before and was hoping you could give me tips, basic ones are very welcome. one specifically is the different types of turning tools and what they are used for. also how do you sharpen a roughing gouge? do the tools get a micro-bevel? throw out some tips I would appreciate that.
I heart Festool
Replies
bump
http://grantlogan.net
.......nature abhors a vacuum cleaner.....
I am kind of in the same boat. I bought a lathe last year and actually did not turn my piece (just turning something from square to round)last weekend.
I suggest that you find a local chapter of the American Association of Woodturners and go to a meeting. There are also other forums on the web that have more turners and can answer more questions. If you want to know of one that I visit, PM me.
bump
The next level is here.... Turning.
http://youtube.com/results?search_query=wood+turning&search=Search
The trouble with her is that she lacks the power of conversation but not the power of speech. [George Bernard Shaw]
Andy,I,m not far ahead of you. Yes, it is fun.After a lifetime of thinking flat and straight and square, turning opens up a whole new way of looking at, and appreciating what can be done with timber.Just like with most hand tools, you will get to know when a tool is being used properly. It will surely let you know when it is not.Just don't expect to turn out show pieces in the first three months.There is some good print and video material to learn from.Lapun.
Just a few things to start with.
Tip #1: NEVER wear gloves. Also, no loose clothes (shirt tails, sleeves, etc.) anywhere near a humming lathe.
Tip #2: Get a comfortable full face shield and wear it.
Tip #3: Respect this machine. Just because there are no spinning blades, it CAN be dangerous. I have a good friend who almost lost both arms on a lathe, and he had ~15 yrs experience on the machine. A ill-directed skew or gouge can go airborne in the blink of an eye.
Tip #4: A band saw is real handy to take the corners off of large blanks. If you don't have one, a bandsaw would be a very good machine to own.
Big gouge for roughing , like 1" wide or more. No need to micro bevel..At least I don't on any of my lathe tools. They get resharpened so often, I rarely even use a stone, just hot off the sanding disc/grinder
Skew chisel one wide, one less wide. I like to ROUND the shaft on the short point side of the blade, it won't snag or dig into the tool rest when you have it oriented that way.
Small gouge..long "finger nail" grind..don't make it a half moon look, I like a tapered point, shallow grind.
Parting tool , diamond cross section, make it with a hollow grind, a deep hollow, and keep it sharp.
I don't care for scrapers much, being as I am not a pro turner, but getting used to some will expand what you can do..bowls require different ( and some the same) tools than spindles.
Mount a sanding disc outboard on the lathe, and touch up tools often, freehand.
Always keep the rest at center or above and as close to the stock as possible, and the bigger the stock, the slower the speed.
There's a brief start.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
You gonna play that thing?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32Ln-SpJsy0
Andy-
there's 2 basic types of turning. faceplate turning, and between center turning.
Faceplate turning is basically bowl turning. It used to be that bowl blanks were attached to a face plate forturning; now there's other options.
Between center turning is spindle turning. The wood is held between the headstock and tailstock on centers, usually a spur center at the headstock, and a revolving center at the tailstock.
There can be some overlap between the 2 types of turning as you progress.
Also, the 2 types of turning require different tools. Bowl gouges are for faceplate turning. Roughing gouges and skew chisels are for spindle turning. NEVER use a roughing gouge on a bowl. Its dangerous, because the corners of the gouge can catch the wood.
The only tool I hone is the skew. The rest I use straight from the grinder.
Like someone else said, find a local AAW chapter ( http://www.woodturner.org) . Also, if you have a Woodcraft store near you, they have classes on woodturning.
I'm on my way out the door. I'll look thru my library later to recommend some books on woodturning.
Have fun!
Turning the first spindle can be fun. But to me, turning the other three, or four, or ten...and making them exactly the same is either mind-numbing or a machining exercise rather than woodworking. Then again, some people find really dull stuff like this to be meditative- all that practice doing things exactly the same way each time gets you working at the spinal cord level like a musician- no conscious thinking required. To each their own, I guess.
Faceplate turning is another matter entirely. You let the material and how you're feeling dictate the final form, and the next one can be totally different if you want. Once you get the basic mechanics of it sorted out, it can be incredibly satisfying and enjoyable. UNTIL you get the basic mechanics of it sorted out, it can be an exercise in cursing and frustration. Get some basic instruction on how to use the tools properly- it's tough to learn good technique from a book or a video. You'll save yourself a lot of the frustration (that I went through) and get to the sweet part faster!
I'm more of a spindle turner than a bowl turner. I can do both reasonably well, but I find people are more willing to pay me for reproducing a baluster or chair spindle than for a bowl. I don't mind doing multiples if it means I'm getting paid for them.
Plus, out of the 60-70 people in my AAW chapter, I'm one of maybe 2 or 3 decent spindle turners. Sometimes its nice being in the minority. LOL.
I've taught a number of people how to use a skew. Bowl turners seem to think its only for opening cans <G>
andyfew.
Have you purchased your lathe yet? Your gouges? Finally how do you intend to sharpen them?
That to me is the whole secret to turning. Sharp tools! They get dull rather quickly, especially when working at high speed.
Sharp gouges.. I can tell great guys who do a lot of lathe work they have their sharpening equipment right next to the lathe.
I bought a Tormex sharpener (after trying/buying all sorts of other techniques and equipment)
Now Grizzly has a clone of the Tormex sharpener that saves hundreds of dollars. (and from reports is just as good)
I did a lot of looking before I bought my lathe and surprisingly I wound up with a Sears!
I wanted value! and so I needed something that would turn out spindals and still do faceplate work. Ease of speed change was critical plus have I mentioned I'm cheap? Really cheap? Sears sells several lathes. Don't bother with that cheap tube lathe. You really need a cast Iron bed long enough to not need extensions..
Now Grizzly's G0462 is a close approximation but when you pay for the shipping it winds up slightly higher than the one Sears has. I got it during one of their 15% off sales, took the floor model which saved me an additional 10% and applied for a credit card (never used) which saved me an additonal 15% That paid for the sales tax and still wound up $42 dollars cheaper than Grizzly with shipping.
I bought Robert Sorbey tools. They aren't the most expensive, just nice. They fit my grip well, look decent, and they seem to hold their edge pretty well.
Andy, I got a lathe a few years ago, and all the books, videos, tee vee shows, whatever didn't help me much... I was launching stuff all over the shop.A co-worker came by and showed me some techniques, but the best was a community college class I found. Lot's of folks turning at the same time, talking about and working out their projects... you get try different tools, lathes, chucks, etc. so you get to see what you really need, or want... cause you can spend a ton of money on turning stuff<G>actual hands on experience is just much more helpful for me. Now you see this one-eyed midget
Shouting the word "NOW"
And you say, "For what reason?"
And he says, "How?"
And you say, "What does this mean?"
And he screams back, "You're a cow
Give me some milk
Or else go home"
The lathe I'm going to get has a 6 or 7" sander on the headstock
The next level is here.... Turning.
Andy- while I strongly recommend some hands-on training, here's a couple of books that will also help.
Fundamentals of Woodturning, by Mike Darlow. Darlow is an excellent teacher, but this book can get bogged down with too much detail. But it is very thorough.
Illustrated Guide to Turning, by Richard Raffin. Raffin is one of the biggest names in turning, and his book covers everything from basic to advanced. Its also published by Taunton, if that makes a difference.
Like some others have said, save your $ and get high speed steel tools. They cost more, but the edge lasts so much longer than carbon steel tools. Its actually getting a little hard to find carbon steel turning tools from good tool sellers anymore.
And speaking of tool sellers, the two I buy most of my turning supplies from are Packard Woodworks, in North Carolina. http://www.packardwoodworks.com and Crafts Supply USA, in Provo, Ut. http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com . Also check out Penn State Industries http://www.pennstateind.com/wtd . They might not have quite the same quality tools as the other two, but they are a very good value for what you pay.
I know it's easy to get carried away when you're starting a new hobby. But take your time, and decide slowly which tools and accessories you'll be needing. The chucks, turning chisels, and other accessories could quickly add up to more than the cost of your lathe.
Have fun!
yeah the tools I'm looking at are actually HSS
The next level is here.... Turning.
I bought a lathe and want to get into it too.
last time i ever did it was 1970 in high school. everybody in my family got nice salad bowls
"Lathes and Turning Techniques" (Fine Woodworking) is a pretty good book. Before you buy that, "Learn to Turn" by Barry Gross is very basic, but definitely worth the money for a beginner. One of the many mistakes it can help you to avoid will pay for the book, guaranteed, IMO. It also explains a very important technique about how to start a gouge into a piece of wood. Unfortunately, it does not explain what "bevel" means.
I was advised by the guy I bought my used lathe from that I should insist on only HSS tools. The alternative is to spend your time constantly sharpening your tools instead of turning. He also advised my to get a starter set from PSI. You can do that for about $60, and maybe even find it on Amazon and get free shipping.
After turning some rough stuff, I decided that on my next trip to Woodcraft, I was going to get a very long, very large gouge for tackling those rough corners. I plan to spend about $100+ for that single gouge. The starter set gouges are so short that they are difficult to handle. Having the tool rest within 1/8" of the work is essential. You don't want the gouge taking a trip through your workshop and possibly gouging you in the process.
I think that bowl turning, as unnecessary as it seems with all the bowls available to us, is a great part of turning. Get a barracuda chuck for bowl turning.
Wear a short-sleeved shirt.
Do not wear anything like a tie (I know you will not be turning in a smoking jacket:)).
Do not wrap sandpaper around your hand.
Have a good light right over the lathe.
Finally, get the Wolverine sharpening system for your gouges. Woodcraft sells a slow speed grinder that they may reduce the price for if you buy the Wolverine system. The grinder and grinding system are a good match. As you get into the more expensive gouges, you will find that one gouge can cost as much as the grinding system. When you grind away at your gouges while you should be turning, you are grinding away money. Also, if you don't get it right, the gouges will get short very fast. They will also tend to catch if they are not sharpened properly.
Although you want to get started with the fun world of turning right away, building a proper base for the grinder and sharpening system is essential, which you can also learn the hard and expensive way.
The books I have mentioned will answer your other questions.
sasquatch
I bought the wolverine sharpening system first from wood craft. (with their low speed grinder).. What I found was a massive disappointment with the quality of the sharpening. Dull gouges tend to launch projectiles all over the shop whereas sharp, really sharp gouges not only don't do that they also finish the piece without any sanding needed.
When I went back to the store to complain they insisted that I take their course to learn how to "properly" sharpen and then when the course wound up scheduled on a day I was compelled to be out of town they wouldn't reschedule me for another course without me repaying the course fee..
Complaints all the way up thru the corporate owner of woodcraft went unanswered. On the way out of the local franchise one of the customers stopped me and suggested I look into the Tormex system. I'm glad I did. What I found is a much less complicated, far superior system that removes a lot less each time you sharpen. In addition it's natually intuitive and extremely consistant unlike the system woodshafters sells.
I bought the Tormex system and sold my old slow speed grinder and wolverine system. With the advent of Grizzly's Tormex clone I would strongly recommend that as an alternative.
Instead of sanding each piece I step over to the sharpener and retouch the edge of the gouge. It only takes a moment with the Tormex. I'm then able to achieve a smooth finished surface that is superior to the surface achieved by sanding.
Just like a sanded surface is inferior to a hand scraped surface in furniture making a turned surface where no sander is used is superior. Like Hand scraping the whole trick is in the sharpening of the scrapper. You simply cannot achieve that with the system woodshafters (oops, wood-crafters) sells.
One item I'm extremely glad I bought was a spiraling cutting system. In addition I have a router set up that allows me to quickly do things on the lathe that are way beyond what anything a beginning lathe operator can achieve. Spirals, checkered designs, ropes, texturing,, flutting, etc. are easily in my ability. (and I really have little time behind my lathe)..
frenchy, I have not had the system long enough to have any bad experiences. I think the price is reasonable on the Wolverine system. I also have a Delta wet grinder, which puts a pretty good edge on, but requires more skill and time.
How much is that Grizzly system you were mentioning? Can you give me a model no. so I can check it out to make sure it is the one you mentioned? I considered that Tormek, but was not willing to pay that high price. I think I will turn for a year or two and upgrade my lathe if I still have the bug. Maybe then I will look into more expensive gouges, more expensive grinders, and maybe even a spiral cutting system. How much did you have to pay for that? I imagine it was also not cheap!
Sasquatch,
First go to http://www.grizzly.com and check them out. They will send you a free catalog if you simply ask for it..
The Tormex clone is model # T10010 $169.95 and the sprial system is model H9100 $199.95 My duplicator is made by Vega and was more expensive than my lathe. The router attachment is a simple sears piece that works. I haven't tried others so I can't compare them..
Their prices on Robert Sorbey chisels is much cheaper than those I bought locally as well.
I built my whole home using Grizzly shop equipment and I can tell you it's been great! I broke one of three belts on my planer and the local NAPA store had a replacement for about $5.00 (so much for matched sets..) that's been the only failure in the nearly 7 years I've been working on this place.. that's over 40,000 bd.ft. of hardwood thru the 20" planner, the 8 inch jointer, the 3 Hp shaper, my dust collection system, and the shop aircleaner plus my 12 inch table saw. Only my bandsaw isn't Grizzly. (and it would have been if I had known about them prior to buying it)
Frenchy,
Thanks, I'll put the T10010 on my wish list. The other similar wet grinder that they offer is a clone of my Delta.
START SMALL! Learn to center drill square or round blanks.
Start making tool handles for starters.
You can use coarse files at first and finish with sand paper. Thin work can be turned with higher speeds than thicker blanks.
NEVER stand directly facing the spinning work.
Save old rolling pins (Birdseye maple)and rungs from old chairs and baby cribs . Use finer and finer sand paper and finish with wax or shellac while still turning in the lathe (using a felt pad and /or just a handful of shavings)
Later.. graduate to a parting tool. It's simply a thin flat blade to cut off extra ends or just to delinieate locations where you'll do further turning.
Next, practice using a small gouge
It must be held atop the tool rest and positioned to ride the work on it's flat edge riding the wood at first. Then, slowly rotate the concave sharp edge a little into the work. It'll shave off wood like a pencil sharpener.
Here's where and when you get hooked on turning. Let your imagination dictate your next move. GOOD LUCK Steinmetz