Got the lathe and some turning tools. What else?

[Steve Mathews]

I got the Powermatic 3520A a few days ago and will soon receive some turning tools to get started. Here's a list of the other items I have.

Vicmarc 120 chuck
Large tool rest - I think it's 12" wide
Live center
Baldor 6" grinder with Veritas attachment
Full face shield

So, what else do I need to get started. I was thinking of a tool handle, small bowl or rolling pin for a beginning project. Or?

Here's another list of items that I'm thinking of getting soon. Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.

Grinding jig
Larger diameter grinder
Smaller width or different type of tool rest
Pointed tool that holds part in headstock - I can't remember the name of it. Edit: Someone suggested a Stebcenter
Instruction manuals

[Chris Gunsolley]

I got the Powermatic 3520A a few days ago and will soon receive some turning tools to get started. Here's a list of the other items I have.

Vicmarc 120 chuck
Large tool rest - I think it's 12" wide
Live center
Baldor 6" grinder with Veritas attachment
Full face shield

So, what else do I need to get started. I was thinking of a tool handle, small bowl or rolling pin for a beginning project. Or?

Here's another list of items that I'm thinking of getting soon. Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.

Grinding jig
Larger diameter grinder
Smaller width or different type of tool rest
Pointed tool that holds part in headstock - I can't remember the name of it. Edit: Someone suggested a Stebcenter
Instruction manuals

Superb line of equipment! You're going to need the grinder and grinding jig immediately. I'd recommend a Rikon Low Speed 8" grinder ($99.00 on sale at Woodcraft), along with a Oneway Wolverine Grinding Jig and a Oneway Varigrind attachment to go with it.

[John K Jordan]

1) One or two books, as listed before. I and others that have used them recommend them highly.
2) Practice wood
3) Time
4) For platters/bowls: some kind of screw chuck (wormwood screw)

Tool handles make great projects and save money too. Pens are quick and extremely easy: purchasing a mandrel helps a lot. As I mentioned earlier, experts recommend learning spindle turning (tool handle) before face turning (bowl). If you learn tool control from turning spindles you will be a quick expert at bowls.

JKJ

[Steve Mathews]

1) One or two books, as listed before. I and others that have used them recommend them highly.
2) Practice wood
3) Time
4) For platters/bowls: some kind of screw chuck (wormwood screw)

Tool handles make great projects and save money too. Pens are quick and extremely easy: purchasing a mandrel helps a lot. As I mentioned earlier, experts recommend learning spindle turning (tool handle) before face turning (bowl). If you learn tool control from turning spindles you will be a quick expert at bowls.

JKJ

I ordered the two books mentioned before and a 6" tool rest. What is a screw chuck? Is that the accessory that is available (and don't have) on my Vicmarc chuck?

[Len Mullin]

Steve, you should check out the turning videos on You-Tube, there's lots of good teaching videos there. A few good turners to learn from, is Richard Raffin, Brendon Stemp, Mike Peace, Mike Waldt, Stuart Batty, John Jordan, Al Lacer, Ernie Conover, Robo Hippy (Reed Gray) and numerous others. Yes, there is a few people posting videos that shouldn't, you can learn bad turning habits watching them. Hopefully, you'll be able to discern which videos they are. All of the turners I listed, are respected for what they know and teach about the hobby. Study what they do, and you should start turning safely.
Len

[Aaron Craven]

steb centers are sometimes also called superdrive centers or safety centers. They all have a set of somewhat fine teeth (as compared to a spur drive center) and a spring-loaded center point. For most uses, they make a great replacement for the very simple spur center that most lathes come with. Pictured below is PSI's version of a steb center. I've been pretty pleased with mine, which I got off Amazon for about $20.

31A7860TK3L.jpg
If you decide to do any types of projects that required drilling (pepper grinders, for example), you may also want to get a Jacob's chuck (I got mine from Harbor Freight for about $15. Look for item #42340.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

No one mentioned Bill Grimbine's videos? I like his Turned Bowls Made Easy. And his second too. Good DVDs.

One of the big ticket items you don't have listed is a good chainsaw. Avoid the local box store cheapo models, get a Husky or a Stihl. Any of the "Pro" name brand models. A good chainsaw will get you lots of "free" wood. Not wanting to start a name brand war, but I'm partial to Stihls. I have 3.

Welcome! You have a very nice "startup set". I'm already jealous....

[Joe Shanaphy]

A 4 (+/-) inch faceplate and some 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 inch #10-12 hex-head screws would be helpful. I like the EWT aluminum ones for medium sized projects and steel or cast-iron for larger ones. Also, I have found a set of "framers" gloves which leave the thumb and forefinger fingerless but cover the rest to be very good for turning.

[John Keeton]

I would consider using the Baldor grinder blocked up to accept the Wolverine system and 8" CBN wheels. You could buy two CBN wheels for the price of a Rikon grinder and the Baldor should be a much better piece of machinery assuming it is in good shape. With CBN wheels, I would not be as concerned about guards, but I would think you could find a couple of 8" guards pretty easily. Just a thought.

[John K Jordan]

What is a screw chuck? Is that the accessory that is available (and don't have) on my Vicmarc chuck?

I use a screw chuck on almost every bowl or platter. Keep in mind that usually I turn dry wood from 1.5"-3" thick stock - if turning a huge chunk of unbalanced wet wood or a large glue-up of dry wood I use a different method (faceplate or big tenon in a scroll chuck).

A screw chuck is simple and secure - drill a single hole in what will be the top, mount on the screw, turn the outside of the bowl including a tenon on the bottom, reverse and hold with the tenon to turn the inside of the bowl or upper side of the platter. Even large platters can be done like this, for example this one used three holes to turn a multi-axis platter foot (as taught by Frank Penta):

platter_PC012780_e_comp_small.jpg

BTW, this was done on a PM3520 lathe. I generally use a special screw chuck but this platter was held by a screw that comes with and fits into a Nova chuck:

wormwood_screw.jpg
I don't know if the chuck you have has something similar. I suspect one of the nova screws would work but I don't have your brand of chuck to try. I do have plenty of extras of these if you need one or just want to see if it works with your chuck - send me a PM with your mailing address.

Note that you can easily make a screw chuck with a piece of wood and a faceplate, but it is difficult to hold work securely without using a screw made special for this. You can also just use a faceplate with multiple normal screws but it is slower to use and less flexible. But as mentioned, a faceplate can be better on large wood blanks.

JKJ

[Prashun Patel]

What do you wish to make?

If bowls, I suggest a face plate.
One way varigrind jig
Right angle drill and some sanding Mandrels. Check out Vince's woodnworks.

[Peter Blair]

Steve, try to join a club. There just is nothing like having like minded people to talk to and most are more than happy to share their experience with you.

[John K Jordan]

So, what else do I need to get started...

Some other things I thought of for the future:

-- I didn't see if you mentioned what jaws came with that chuck. Here again, it depends on what you make but the right jaws make things easier. I have no idea what jaws are available for the Vicmark but for the Teknatool chucks I have some of my favorite jaws are, in the order I use them the most for the thing I like to turn:

35mm
45mm
pin jaws
2"
4"

Whether you should get any jaws now would depend on what you want to start turning first.

-- Good lighting at the lathe. Many options, from cheap swing arm fixtures from walmart to expensive (but worth it) lights such as Ken Rizza sells (Woodturners Wonders).

-- I do love to use the steb centers, one small, one large, one that fits in the chuck, and one on a revolving tail center. The lathe should have come with a conventional drive center, one that looks like four chisels with a central point. I don't use these as much but they are better if you don't want things to slip, especially larger work. I use steb centers for almost all spindle work that's not too big.

-- For health, get one now: a good dust mask or three. I prefer the 3M face masks with twin P100 filters. The paper masks are ok but I'd get the kind with the exhaust vent.

-- Calipers. I prefer the very cheap, stamped stainless steel verniers from Home Depot, that look like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0073LC04I . I keep about 10 of them and round the corners so they slip nicely over the work while sizing. A good digital caliper is nice as well for measuring tenons, drill bits, etc, but not for sizing on the lathe.

-- I can't work without a 6" and 10" steel rule. And a measuring tape of course.

-- A compass to draw circles.

-- Magnets to stick some of this junk to the front of the lathe and elsewhere. I like the magnets with countersunk holes to fasten them to wood as on the false plywood shelf front at the top of this picture (notice I wrap soft iron wire around pencils and markers and things so they will stick to magnets):

lathe_wall_IMG_20160323_122.jpg

-- A good depth gauge is invaluable, but you can make do with the one built into the vernier calipers or even piece of wire or a stick or make your own. This is my favorite (beware of cheap, worthless junk that look the same like the latest General).
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002FTYRI

-- Did anyone mention sandpaper? A good cloth-backed paper in the coarser grits and some good fine paper. I prefer Rynowet in 600 and finer and the Klingspor Gold in 1" and 2" rolls for 400 and coarser.
http://www.supergrit.com/products/RedlineRedFlexSheets

sandpaper2.jpg

-- A bandsaw. The most important tool in the shop besides the lathe.

-- Small diamond hones to touch up tool edges.

-- A gasoline and an electric chain saw to harvest wood.

-- An anti-fatigue mat for in front of the lathe.

-- Cabinets and shelves for all this stuff.

The list is endless.

But before you run out and buy anything else I think you will be better off if you wait since you already have everything you need "to get started"! What if you decide you don't like woodturning? After you get some experience other things you "need" will become obvious.

JKJ

[Brice Rogers]

John Jordan, I like your platter. It looks very nice.

How did you apply the texture on the face and how did you do the texture on the edge?

[John K Jordan]

John Jordan, I like your platter. It looks very nice.

How did you apply the texture on the face and how did you do the texture on the edge?

Thanks! It was good fun. I used the Sorby texture/spiraling tool with the pointed star wheel. I use the large Sorby, the small one, a knurling tool, and a couple of similar shop-made ones. The wheel I used is on the larger Sorby:


texturing_tools_IMG_4955.jpg

I use the pointed stars a lot on spindles but that was the first time I tried it on a face turning. It's impossible to hang out with Frank Penta very long without texturing something!

Just push it straight into the spinning wood with some force and move it from side to side. The only problem is you get one chance - if you don't like it you have to turn away the wood and try again. I wasn't entirely satisfied with the result at first but it grew on me and went to a good cause. I auctioned that platter on eBay to benefit two little girls of a friend with terminal cancer.

I like using the star wheel on spindles, especially on tool handles where you are interested in the grip regardless of how it looks. But it turns out that if the spindle is curved or tapered you can get some far more interesting patterns than you can in a narrow band on the face of a platter:

textured_handles_hunterIMG_.jpg

The technique looks good on magic wands too! My 5-year-old grandson and I made this one for him to take home. (Sorry, I love photos!)

alex_wand_c.jpg

Frank wanted me to texture the edge with the same tool but I rebelled, pacifying him with a technique I made up on the spot: random scribbling with a vibrating electric engraving tool! Here is a larger picture. The photo's not too good but you might see the effect OK. The wood is sapele.

platter_edge_large_PC012817.jpg

I think a little texturing can add a lot. I more recently started texturing with small rounded burr in a Dremel. It takes a lot of touches but I like the effect (I've posted some of these before):

crop_xxx_2015_IMG_4725.jpg crop_xxx_2015_IMG_4736.jpg

carved_bowl_IMG_4195.jpg

JKJ