Stupid Things

[David Metzman]

Does anyone else do the stupid things I do? I am new to turning, I will post more on that later. This is my first post.

So I am doing my first "hollow form" - 2 inch wide opening - I had been doing bowls. About 9 by 9. I am using an older Oneway hollowing system (I inherited a lot of equipment).

I am going along nicely. I pull the tool and stop the lathe to check my progress. When I start it up, I knock the hollowing tool and catch the hollowing tool on the OUTSIDE of the piece. I get a big grab and pull the piece out of the chuck and it bounces across the floor!.

Perhaps I was a bit tired.

It seems that most of my major issues with pieces come from stupid, inadvertent things like this.

Is this just me?

Thanks
David

[paul cottingham]

David, I assure you I never do stupid, inadvertent things like that on a regular basis.

At all.

LOL

if that was true, places like this wouldn't exist.

[Thomas Canfield]

Welcome to the Creek. You made one statement about being tired and that can get you to do some crazy things. Bowls are really one of the easier forms, but 9 by 9 might offer some difficulty for sure if that is 9"D x 9H. I find that hollowing does offer a greater chance for pulling the work out of the chuck with a catch, and then you are usually working by feel with limited view of the cut when working through a hole smaller than the inside. I hope you have a local turning club to turn to for help.

[Sid Matheny]

I can't count high enough for all the times it has happened to me.
Welcome to the Creek David!

[Adam Petersen]

BTDT too. Plenty of stupid things get done in my shop. Your specific instance is one I"ve done more than once and am now very careful not to do anymore.

[Steve Schlumpf]

I still have a beautiful thin walled vase that I was hollowing and did the exact same thing - not paying attention to where the cutting tip was when I turned off the lathe. The vase stayed in the chuck but half the tulip rim exploded. I stopped at that point and removed the vase. I still have it in plain view under my grinder so that every time I go to sharpen I am reminded to pay attention to what I am doing!

It comes with time and practice but it does get easier as you find what methods works for you and what things to avoid in the future. Sounds like you just got your first lesson taken care of. Be safe but have fun turning!

[Roger Chandler]

I learned a lesson about correct chuck jaws for a particular form early on in my turning experience. I had one chuck at the time, a SuperNova chuck, and the 50mm jaws that came with it. I was doing a hollow form, and got a catch, which was not that big really, but big enough to pull the thing out of the jaws. That particular jaw set is okay for a lot of things, but not a hollow form of 10" or so deep. I needed more mechanical grip, and the inside of that set of jaws are made for a shallow straight sided tenon.

I have since learned to use deeper jaws such as the "power grip" jaws, or better yet, a faceplate screwed onto the area that will be parted off. I was fortunate not to be injured by that flying hollowform, which at the moment was only about 1/3rd hollowed, and had some weight. Had it hit me, likely some real damage would have occurred. I'm just glad I was out of the line of fire!

Lesson learned! My limited equipment was being used by me in ways that was dangerous, and my inexperience at the time did not realize the danger at hand. I am glad for forums like this, because if a new turner will read and digest the available information, they can save themselves a lot of grief, and likely a lot of money as well!

[robert baccus]

I no longer even consider it a "stupid" event if it does not require a trip to the emergency room. They know me by my first name OBTW.

[John K Jordan]

Is this just me?

Ha! I've been turning for long enough that I literally have to try to get a catch. But I can't tell you how many things I've had to "redesign" or scrap because of an inadvertent tool contact from a moment of inattention - or plain ol' dumb carelessness. I put these in my Box-O-Shame.

JKJ

[Reed Gray]

If we learn from our mistakes, then most of us should be at genius level..... I may get there eventually. Hopefully you don't have to repeat too many mistakes before you figure it out..

robo hippy

[Bert Delisle]

I really like these forums and the posts like these that help learn from the mistakes of others. I know I will never live long enough to make them all myself. ( nor do I want to)