New Turner

[Shawn Kapusta]

Hey all I like to introduce myself, found this site on the web while looking up resources for my soon to be new hobby. I been scoping out this particular part of the forum. I live in ks as part of the army, and currently under going a process to medically discharge from injuries suffered on my 2 deployments to iraq. I'm looking for some healthy advice on startup as part of my research i did find some topics here that I jotted notes from. I did some turning in Hs about 6 yrs ago and loved it and it never left my mind I did 3 bats of various sizes and 8 bowls with very basic tool set that for the life of me I can't remember haha.

My current project scope is pens, bowls, bats, spindle projects and turned projects for tables and stuff. I of course plan to take it slow and re learn what I don't remember.

How many chisels am I needing to get for said projected works?

Should I look to save for a heavy standing lathe or would a mini lathe work?
What brands of lathe should I look for used?

I bought 2 books and 1 magazine thus far on turning and turning projects is recommendations on other reading?

I did find a couple of clubs in the Kc area and when I move there I will check them out as alot of you have recommended.

Is there anything else I should be made aware of in regards to start up tools, etc?

thanks all

Shootin and Scootin
SK

[Roger Chandler]

Your choice of lathe all depends on your budget........if a smaller lathe is your choice, then go with the Delta 46-460 midi.......it is expandable with a bed extension and has all the bells and whistles, and has a good reputation among the turning community.

If you can afford larger, and have the space, then a PM3520b is great, a Jet 1642 evs is also good, and there are clones of the Jet that are available for less.

I have a Grizzly 18/47 and it has been superb so far [going on 18 months]

A good starter set would be the Benjamins Best set that includes a bowl gouge from Penn State Industries.........it will be fairly good quality for the money, and will allow you to learn sharpening without wasting big bucks grinding off more expensive tools at the start of the learning process............you will also need grinder and perhaps a wolverine jig to go under it.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Shawn - Welcome to the Creek and Thank You for your service to our country!

What equipment you need is usually dependent on what it is you want to turn. Spindle turning has a different set of tools as compared to facegrain - or bowl turning. Big lathes are great - if you have the room - but the smaller Delta that Roger suggested is a great lathe to get back into turning with and it won't break the bank! The Harbor Freight set of 8 spindle turning tools are a good deal to start with. I picked some up when I started a number of years ago and still use them!

Do some research and ask lots of questions! We love to pull folks into the vortex!

[Jeff Moffett]

The Kansas City Woodturners Club is an excellent resource with some very gifted turners (and a whole bunch of others who look like Santa Claus ). They have an extensive library of turning books and DVDs that are worth the price of admission all by themselves. As a member, you'll also have access to their lathes (about 10 or 12, I think) several times a month for open turning sessions. If you're planning to relocate to KC, you'll get lots of good advice in that club.

[Jake Helmboldt]

Welcome Shawn, and best wishes on healing up. I hope the Army gives you the support you need and deserve for your service.

As for your questions, there will be no shortage of opinions, so I'll offer mine. Obviously budget comes into play, so I'll assume you aren't flush with cash given your situation. A mini/midi with a bed extension would be affordable and flexible to fit your needs. The new Delta gets rave reviews. A Nova 1642 might also be a good option, especially if you found one used with a bed extension. That is a crap shoot, but it is probably the best entry-level full size lathe. A decent chuck and a set of tools could get you in the game for under a grand with essentially everything you need, and then some, to get started with the projects you mentioned. Of course there are plenty of opportunities to spend more money.

Many will say not to buy a set of tools, but I think it is a good way to get started, especially if you plan to do both spindle and face work. Roger mentioned Ben's Best. I got a starter set from them and still use all of them (along with many other individual chisels that I have added over time). They are decent tools (high speed steel), but not great. But a good value for the price. They have a variety of sets, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs. Given your intended projects you'd want: a spindle roughing gouge, a spindle gouge, a bowl gouge, a scraper, a skew, and a parting tool.

Oh, and a bench grinder or bench mounted belt/disc sander for sharpening. You can make your own sharpening jig or buy one. More money, but no need to spend time making it. Your call.

Good luck, and Creekers, especially the turners, are always generous with support and knowledge to share (see, before I could finish typing Steve and Jeff chimed in).

[John Keeton]

Shawn, welcome to the creek, and my added thanks for your service. Hope the discharge process goes well for you. Lot of good advice so far, but I would add that you might benefit from joining the club and going to a few meetings first to get some ideas and perhaps a chance to use a few lathes. Most club members would be glad to help you and that would give you hands on feel of some choices

[Scott Hackler]

Welcome to the madness, Shawn! First and foremost, thank you for serving your (our) country. Now, I would definitely recommend checking out and joining a club. There are usually a bunch of seasoned turners willing to mentor a newbie. Also, there is a Woodcraft store in Lenexa and from time to time they have classes/demos on the lathe.

As far as the lathe itself...... Money will generally dictate how a person gets into this realm. I can tell you that the money spent on a lathe will be nothing compared to the money you will likely end up spending on all the other stuff. A midi lathe, like the Delta is a nice lathe and will allow you to save a bit of money. You will be limited to the size of blank you can turn and these lathes aren't real heavy so an out of balanced block of wood can be frustrating. I started out (and still have) a Nova 1624. I do have to change the belts for a speed change but I can do it now in about 10 seconds. it isn't as massive as a 3250b Powermatic but it didn't cost anywhere near that kinda money. I was a little worried about if I would carry on with this "hobby" or if it would be just another tool in the shop. It is not the most used tool and I am just now(2 years or so) thinking about an upgrade next year.

Enjoy, take it slow, gets some help and know your limitations. Then push the envelope!

Ask questions here when you get stumped. This place is a treasure trove of VERY good turners and you can learn a lot from their advice.

[Shawn Kapusta]

Boy you guys work fast, I was heading towards a midi/ mini lathe for the simple fact I want to preserve space and still perform the projects I intend. I will definatly check the club out and learn.

I like the prices on the penn state site. Thanks for all the help guys

Shootin and Scootin
Sk

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Shawn,

Let me add my welcome and thanks for your service.

John spoke the very advice I would give. Relocate to KC and join one of the clubs. Turners by nature are very generous as a group and individually. Members there will be happy to help you learn and very possibly use one of their lathes before you have to make the investment.

You can ask my buddy John.....the lathe is the cheapest part of turning as it's the accessories that will keep eating at your billfold.

By seeing and using other folks lathes, you can minimize the number of times you will want to upgrade your lathe.

Good luck! And again.....Welcome to the Creek!

[Jim Burr]

Welcome Shaun and thanks for all you've done for our country...hope you recover well. No one mentioned Jets yet. 12-14 and 16 sizes are some of the best made and the price is very reasonable. Start with a previous mentioned set of tools but start looking to the future...lots of Thompson users here. Make sure and post pics as you get stuff...no pics, it didn't happen!!

[Tony Wheeler]

welcome back and thanks for your service to our country we also have a club in
Wichita that you are more than welcome to come visit or if your down towards wichita I would be more than happy to show you around my shop there is also a Club in Topeka that would be closer than Wichita or KC ther contact is Bob Richa randcriche@sbcglobal.net or PM me a I have a phone number for him or I would give you mine.

[Michael James]

Welcome Shawn! We like to call it a hobby but it's an addiction plain and simple. Put lipstick on it, put it in a skirt, whatever....it's one looooooooooooong deep hole.
You're gonna love it, and if you really are into shootin and scootin the adrenaline factor is built right in.... but put safety 1st to minimize serious wounding.
Live hook up is your best bet if possible, videos and forums are good, but be wary of "extreme" turning stunts on youtube, and have fun!
Thanks for puttin it on the line for us, and glad you made it back.
mj

[David E Keller]

Welcome, Shawn! I don't know that I can add much that hasn't already been said. I'd say if you can swing a full sized lathe, you likely won't regret it. I'd highly recommend the wolverine sharpening setup from Oneway... You can make something similar on your own if you're so inclined, but it's some of the best money I've spent on turning stuff(and I've spent a bunch!). If you find your way to a turning club, you may be able to pick up some tools from some of the members there on the cheap... You might even find a used lathe if one of the members is considering an upgrade. I hope you stick around here, and I look forward to seeing some of your turnings once you're set up.

[James Combs]

Welcome Shawn from a 25 year Navy Vet. Thanks for taking a turn at carrying the torch in service to our great country. As for tools and equipment you won't find any bad or any better recommendations then from this group of vortex lovers. I am relatively new to the vortex myself so I tend to listen to the recommendations rather then make them so again welcome aboard.

[Rick Markham]

You can always go my route.... never turned a day in my life, never watched anyone turn... just jumped off both feet first into the deep end, and never looked back! I bought the biggest lathe I could afford (PM 3520B) and a handful of tools (Mr, Keeton kindly provided the list) and just got to it! Might as well, toss all your flatwork tools... you won't be needing them anymore! Just kidding... no seriously. (Keep the bandsaw)

Thank you for keeping us free!

You're absolutely in the right place, this is a remarkable group of people here on the Creek. They've enabled... err... helped me!