My 1st Turning and it is a Whatchamacallit

[Alan Gan]

Not sure what else to call it, 1st leg of a small table?

Had a 2" square of Pine and went for it. Stained with GF American Oak and Top Coated with GF Gel Satin. I did not put a lot into the finish, no reason to waste product on this one.

I had a few issues with chip out (tearing?) that i am sure was user error.

[Jim Underwood]

Another fine bonker.

The tearout my not be completely due to user error. Pine is notorious for tearing out even with sharp tools and good technique. If you do get a good finish on pine right off the tool you will have gotten good at sharpening tools and have mastered the cutting technique.

Did you scrape or cut?

[Alan Gan]

Another fine bonker.

The tearout my not be completely due to user error. Pine is notorious for tearing out even with sharp tools and good technique. If you do get a good finish on pine right off the tool you will have gotten good at sharpening tools and have mastered the cutting technique.

Did you scrape or cut?

Thanks! I will be trying some other wood types before long.

Scrape or Cut???????

I am not real sure, lol, I used about 7 different tools so I could see what each tool did. My 1st turning.... I am for sure not a master of cutting or sharpening.

I did sand it down to 220 as well.

[Jim Underwood]

Scraping is basically what everyone does when they have received no instruction. Just stick the pointy end in. It works, just not real well.

What you want to do when scraping is to have a nice sharp burr on the end of your tool and certain tools (scrapers) will be used in a cutting edge trailing manner - handle higher than the edge.
When cutting you'll use a skew, or a gouge, and the edge of the tool will be higher than the handle, and will shear or peel depending on your approach angle. You would do well do get some instruction from either a club member, a good book (like Keith Rowley's Foundation book), or even You-tube videos. Beware of some of those Youtube vids though. Some folks practice some dangerous stuff...

Get a face shield first off, then some breathing protection.

If you were nearby, I'd invite you over for a few quick lessons in cutting.

[Jim Underwood]

Oh, and by the way, I started with that same lathe, and the same technique.

[Steve Doerr]

That's a GREAT whatchamacallit! I think for your first rodeo you did very well. It will only get better. Welcome to the world of woodturning. Not only will you get better, it will cost you a few more dollars The vortex is very strong.

[Alan Gan]

Get a face shield first off, then some breathing protection.

If you were nearby, I'd invite you over for a few quick lessons in cutting.

Thanks again Jim for the help. It always seems we all are never close to each other. Breathing protection all set. I have a Face shield in my Cart at Amazon, Do you have any recommendations?

Oh, and by the way, I started with that same lathe, and the same technique.

It is my 1st one as well, picked it up at a yard sale for $20.00. It is in very good shape and the motor is strong, little use on it from previous owner.

Seems most people here and now myself feel the slowest speed @ 1020 is to fast.

That's a GREAT whatchamacallit! I think for your first rodeo you did very well. It will only get better. Welcome to the world of woodturning. Not only will you get better, it will cost you a few more dollars The vortex is very strong.

Thanks! Yep I can feel the money burning holes in my pocket already. Swinging Head, 4 Jaw self centering Chuck, Cast Iron and then Tools.

I'll be bugging all you guys here when I get a nicer setup down the road.

[Jim Underwood]

in my opinion, one of the most comfortable face shields is the Uvex Bionic. Not sure what the model number of the current shield is now. I see Amazon has the S8500 and the S8510 for less than Woodcraft has their version of it.
Of course the next question is how well does it protect you from an exploding bowl? Many of us read the AAW article about the woman whose face was crushed by an exploding bowl. Her solution was to buy a crash helmet and wear it at the lathe.

[Alan Gan]

in my opinion, one of the most comfortable face shields is the Uvex Bionic. Not sure what the model number of the current shield is now. I see Amazon has the S8500 and the S8510 for less than Woodcraft has their version of it.
Of course the next question is how well does it protect you from an exploding bowl? Many of us read the AAW article about the woman whose face was crushed by an exploding bowl. Her solution was to buy a crash helmet and wear it at the lathe.

I think that is the shield I saw, about $35.00 I think. EXPLODING Bowl??? Now I am leery, I will need to find that article. Thanks...

[Jim Underwood]

Yeah. This is why several of us don't like the idea of a lathe with the lowest RPM being above 500 RPM, not to mention over 1,000 RPM. It's all about centrifugal force and cracky wood. Spindle turnings are not, as a rule, very dangerous because they're normally captured between centers, and don't go anywhere even if you have a catch. (Not to let you off the hook while turning spindles- they can break and fly up in your face. Wear the shield always.) Bowl turning on the other hand, involves chucks and tenons that can at times let go if you have a catch. Then there's the cracky wood that can sometimes come apart at speed. With a large diameter that centrifugal force is quite high even at low RPM. If you turn for any length of time, you'll have a mishap, and find out firsthand.

Not to scare you though, just take precautions. Turn at a safe RPM for the project. Wear protective gear. Use the proper tool (do not, for instance, use a spindle roughing gouge or a skew on a bowl), and use good technique. Use good solid wood, at least to start with.

Turning is, like any other woodworking, fun. However, one should respect the machine and it's processes so as to keep having fun.