Getting ready to try to turn my first bowl and have questions

[Michael Cole]

I bought a few bowl blanks off of ebay. They arrived and are covered in some kind of wax. Do I try to hand scrape the wax off first or what? Any suggestions for my first turning would be appreciated. I have watched a lot of videos on youtube and they all seem a little different. How should I attach the blank to the lathe to begin? I have a screw for the chuck and a spur center. Does it matter which to use? If I used the screw what size hole would I drill? Thanks

[Bob Bouis]

For your first bowl, use a faceplate on the (eventually) open end. Use the tailstock for support on the bottom end. You don't have to remove the wax; your gouge will do that for you.

For a first timer, I'd recommend sanding and finishing the bottom before chucking it up to hollow it out.

[Dwight Rutherford]

I believe the very best thing you can do is to find a local turning club that has a mentoring program. Nothing can beat hands on help. Go to wwwwoodturner.org, this is the website for the American Woodturners Assoc. There is a feature on the website that will locate a club nearby.
The wax gets turned off as you shape the bowl.
For starters, using a faceplate works as will a screw. To determine size of hole for screw measure the screw shaft. If useing a faceplate sheet metal screws are best. Do not use drywall screws as they are brittle and can break.
Start your lathe at its slowest speed to begin with. Once the blank is ballanced the speed can be turned up.

[Brice Rogers]

Spur drives work well with dry and hard wood. They don't work as well as faceplates with wet wood. Sometimes, they'll dig a hole if you get a catch. So use a faceplate on something that comes wet and waxed.

Take a look at some of the youtube videos on turning using faceplates. There are a bunch. Here is an Eddie Castelin video that is good for beginners: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBd53zcUwIQ and here is a Wyoming woodturner video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUjNUmC0DXQ

If you are holding something to a faceplate with glue (and a glue block), try to use your tailstock live center to help support the end when possible.

Since the waxed blanks are probably wet, if you stop turning and leave the lathe, it might be wise to wrap a plastic bag around the wood, especially if you have type of wood that is prone to cracking.

[Thomas Canfield]

I bought a few bowl blanks off of ebay. They arrived and are covered in some kind of wax. Do I try to hand scrape the wax off first or what? Any suggestions for my first turning would be appreciated. I have watched a lot of videos on youtube and they all seem a little different. How should I attach the blank to the lathe to begin? I have a screw for the chuck and a spur center. Does it matter which to use? If I used the screw what size hole would I drill? Thanks

Michael - Where are you located? I am doing a demo at SWAT, Waco, TX, in August on using 2x6 lumber to learn how to turn bowls and save the pricy wood for later after learning sharpening and techniques on the free or cheap wood. There is no set way to turn a bowl, but starting out with the simpler ways and small bowls will help you develop skills to go to next levels. I encourage turning 6 practice pieces and not worrying about the sanding. On the 6th you should see greatly improved tool control and surface if you have also been learning how to sharpen and avoid tearouts. Have fun.

[Jamie Straw]

Michael, I'm just getting my legs under me bowl-wise, and totally agree with Thomas' suggestions. If there's any way to find a turner to help, do so. If there's any way to use smallish, free wood to practice, do so. Green wood is great to turn as a beginner, IMHO, as long as you know how to select safe pieces.

[Prashun Patel]

A club is definitely good advice but doesn't have to be the only way. I learned as you have , watching videos.

We can walk you through it...

First how big is the blank and how big is your lathe?

I find a face plate easiest to work with but have done fine with a worm screw in a pinch.

Your blank is reasonably round and has parallel faces right? The better balanced your blank is the easier this will be.

What tools are you planning to work with?

Please capture the piece with the tail stock while turning the outside and also for the first cuts when flipping the blank to do the inside. Turning a properly sized and shaped tenon and learning how to chuck it properly is not as simple as it appeared to me at first.

[Michael Cole]

Thanks for the suggestions! Thomas - I would love to attend, unfortunately I live in Montana. I tried contacting the local (to me, 45 or more miles away). Got an email back from whomever I contacted that said he was forwarding the email to other club members. That was several weeks ago and no one has contacted me. Maybe I will try again. Thanks again.

[Jamie Straw]

Thanks for the suggestions! Thomas - I would love to attend, unfortunately I live in Montana. I tried contacting the local (to me, 45 or more miles away). Got an email back from whomever I contacted that said he was forwarding the email to other club members. That was several weeks ago and no one has contacted me. Maybe I will try again. Thanks again.

Forty-five miles isn't too bad, I live about 35 from our meetings, and some members travel twice that far. Looks like there are 3 chapters in Montana, yes? Which one are you contacting? Woodturners are the most helpful group I've ever met, so I'm sure someone will be willing to help. If you can get to a meeting, it's well worth your while I'm betting. It's not impossible to get started on your own, via video, but it'll go much more smoothly if you can get some hands-on help (and be much safer, most likely).