First time mentoring a new turner

[Roger Chandler]

I have a neighbor who is retired........I mentioned a couple of weeks ago he has an old, [think 1940's vintage craftsman monotube lathe.] He has gotten it up and going and gotten a new live center for the tailstock. I plan to give him a couple of mentoring sessions next week on my lathe, because I have the grinder and sharpening capacity, and all the face plates, chucks and centers, as well a great variety of tools. He has spindle tools that came with the lathe.

My plan: begin with some spindle turning, and let him make a bonker. First off, safety concerns and equipment. Show him sharpening techniques and its importance in turning. Show him when, why and how the centers, chucks and faceplates should be used. Show him proper use of the toolrest and its positioning for cuts. Also tool presentation. This would be an introduction on the first session.

The second would be to show him how to do coves, beads with spindle gouges, and introduce him to using a skew. Also how to use parting tools.

Does this sound like a viable plan to you for a mentoring of someone who has never used a lathe, but really wants to learn?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

It sounds like a reasonable progression to me Roger.

I would make sure you caution him that the skew is a tool that one either hates or loves. To me it's one of my favorite tools but it took some serious practice to tame it and.....after a period of time away from it, it will take a reintroduction.

Good luck!

[Tim Thiebaut]

That sounds pretty good to me Roger, you teach him that information and he will have a solid foundation to build on as long as he is turning. Man I wish I lived closer to one of you folks, I would love some one on one time with any of you.

[Scott Hackler]

I don't know if I wouldn't teach him on HIS lathe. After a little turning introduce him to a modern lathe. Reason being that your lathe has a lot more power and capibilities and he might get very used to aggressive roughing or higher speeds. If he tried some of that on his old lathe he might get hurt or very discouraged.

[Robert McGowen]

I would do things the other way around. I would explain to him that your lesson will end up costing him around around $5000 for a PM3520b, chucks, tools, safety gear, sharpening aids, etc. THEN ask him if he is SURE that he wants to learn to turn.

Seriously, I would ask him what HIS goals are. If all he wants to do is turn bowls, then showing him spindle work won't be all that exciting for him. I think that a first project should be a small box. Spindle work to start with, shallow amount of hollowing, parting off, fitting the pieces together, etc. Also, he ends up with something he can show off, unless of course, he likes carrying a bonker around!

YMMV

[Roger Chandler]

I would do things the other way around. I would explain to him that your lesson will end up costing him around around $5000 for a PM3520b, chucks, tools, safety gear, sharpening aids, etc. THEN ask him if he is SURE that he wants to learn to turn.

Seriously, I would ask him what HIS goals are. If all he wants to do is turn bowls, then showing him spindle work won't be all that exciting for him. I think that a first project should be a small box. Spindle work to start with, shallow amount of hollowing, parting off, fitting the pieces together, etc. Also, he ends up with something he can show off, unless of course, he likes carrying a bonker around!

YMMV

Robert,

His old monotube lathe does not have any faceplates and he does not yet have a chuck............I thought I would start with what he can do with his lathe, and then if his interest increases, especially after using mine, then I think he may just upgrade to something that will do bowls and spindles.

I think spindle turning is the foundation of lathe work anyway, and then when a few gouge techniques can be done with some level of expertise, then graduate to the face plate and chuck........at least this is my thinking............

[Steve Schlumpf]

Roger - I am sure you will do just fine! My only caution is to go slow. Nothing worse than information overload when trying to figure something out for the first time. Most important - besides safety - is to have fun! Turning is not only addictive - it is infectious!

Take a few photos if you can!

[Mark Hazelden]

Roger,

I would second Steve's comment about taking it slow. I still remember my first lesson. There was a lot if information thrown at me in 4 hours.

I find that some people will tell you they understand something and they really don't.

Have Fun!

[Roger Chandler]

Thanks Steve and Mark,

I will try to go slow and limit the teaching to one step at a time, kind of like a show & do sequence where I show him something, then let him do it with my supervision. I think I will try to limit the sessions to 2 hours, and do several in a 2 week period, and let him go to his lathe in between to repeat what he learned while we were in session.

[charlie knighton]

leave out the skew, maybe straight cheisel at 45 degrees if you must

[John Keeton]

Roger, having no idea what his background is, I will mention this. I think many of us take for granted the general woodworking background of various turners. Some folks have worked with wood for many years, some with machines and some with handtools. Those that have held a carving chisel, produced hand cut dovetails, etc., IMO have a decided advantage. Just having years of experience looking at a particular species of wood, and thinking "this wood will react in this manner" means a lot.

I say that to say this - if he has little or no woodworking experience, a general discussion of grain structure, orientation, how tools react to certain cuts - cross grain, "uphill" cuts, etc., may be extremely helpful. Sometimes, knowing why something happens is much better than simply "wrote memorization" with no idea of why one is doing it a certain way.

On the other hand, I have never really attempted "teaching" anyone woodworking or woodturning, other than a few very short sessions with two or three folks and grandkids, so I probably know nothing about that sort of thing!

[Roger Chandler]

Pretty good observation John. This gentleman is a collector of antique tools, especially bits and braces. His office wall is full of them on display. He and his grown daughter work together making items for craft shows.............his daughter makes wind chimes out of old and discarded flatware..........[spoons knives,forks] and other things as well............he also is the president of some national antique collectors society...???

I am currently listening to the ocean waves and watching the dolphins play outside my room, so I have a few days to think about how I am going to go about this.....

I am going by the WC store and and see what kind of trouble I can get into some time this afternoon or tomorrow while Mrs. C. shops!

[Bob Haverstock]

Hi Roger,

I would start him on 3 basic tools. The first being the roughing gouge, the second being a radius scraper, and the third being a parting tool, all are relatively easy to sharpen. Things will be easier if you choose a project that can be completed with those tools. Tool presentation are sharpening are what turning sucess is built on. Teach him don't baffle him. Time to crawl back under my rock.

Bob Haverstock

[Roger Chandler]

I am going by the WC store and and see what kind of trouble I can get into some time this afternoon or tomorrow while Mrs. C. shops!

Well, I did not get myself into too much trouble..............I ended up with a complete collet chuck set..........sizes range from 1/8" to 5/8" and the chuck has a no. 2 morse taper............I am using my wife's laptop, and could not get the pics on her camera to resize.......her Operating system is different from my desktop computer. Maybe I can post a couple pics when I get back home.

http://www.woodcraft.com/Images/prod...rand=572109073

[Chip Sutherland]

I can tell you what I experienced when I took my first turning class (3-3hr sessions). We started with safety then we talked about each tool used in spindle work and it's appropriate use then had a demo of each tool. Then we did roughing out work for 90 minutes...getting instruction about rubbing the bevel, hand tool orientation, body movement, etc. We transitioned into beads and coves using gouges and ended the night with some skew work (which was a daunting task for a beginner.

The next time, we continued with spindle practice as a warm up. Then started learning about bowl work, chucks, worm screws, faceplates/screws, shapes/profiles, tool presentation, body movement and lastly sanding techniques and quick finishing techniques. Then we got a demo of bowl turning afterwards we all set off to try a bowl ourselves. Instruction was provided to the needest using preceded by the 'crunch-ching' sound of a nasty catch. The night ended with instruction on how to part pieces off the lathe. The instructor basically went to each person and showed how best to part their particular bowl off. Since we all had turned (or hacked) a variety of bowl forms...this was a very enlightening...including manually parting off and grinding down the nib.

The next session we all worked on a goblet for the entire session putting spindle and bowl techniques to test while getting ample personal instruction and encouragement. We learned techniques for saving/recovering from mistakes in form or from catches.

Hope that helps you frame your approach. Funny thing is that I didn't actually start turning for another 3 yrs after the class. But the giant sucking sound of the vortex found me anyway.