# Playing With My Lathe



## Corjack (May 22, 2015)

I decided to give my lathe a try. I have studied wood turning for hours on end, and the consensus is, everyone try's turning big bowls right off the bat, when they should be turning little ones. I being one that does not like to buck tradition, cut a cedar block as big as would fit my lathe. By the time I had whittled off everything that did not look like bowl, it was 6 inches in diameter. Then I made a plate thingy, and then another 6 inch bowl, but a tad deeper. The cedar was green as a gourd, so I have them bagged in shavings. I made the walls about 9/16 to 5/8 thick. Next time I go to town, I need to buy a set of calipers, and a roughing gouge with a longer handle. My hands being not used to much manual labor, are sore. Tommorow will just do one bowl.

Reactions: Like 5 | Way Cool 4


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## Kevin (May 22, 2015)

_Au contraire_ . . . big stuff is much easier to turn that smaller stuff in numerous ways. At least for me. You did a nice job roughing that one out. One of many cool things about ERC is you won't have to wait very long before you can re-chuck it and make it a finished piece. What kind of finish you plan to use?


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## Corjack (May 22, 2015)

Probably something simple, but not sure what at this time.


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## Schroedc (May 22, 2015)

Those look really good. Just be careful, Next thing you know you'll be searching powermatic or oneway on craigslist......

Reactions: Agree 1


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## NYWoodturner (May 22, 2015)

Ron - Those are excellent firsts. The wall thickness is consistent in the rough out. Can't tell on the other but I'm guessing its good too. Thats one of the hardest disciplines to establish bowl turning. Nice job  
Don't pay attention to what others do. HOW they do it is a different story but don't be afraid to go your own way. Nice job man...

Reactions: Agree 2 | Great Post 1


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## Nature Man (May 22, 2015)

That cedar is so nice! I've not turned cedar, but the smell is sure fragrant! Like your bowls! Chuck


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## justallan (May 23, 2015)

Very cool indeed. I like the plate the most.
Something that I did notice in your pics was it appears that you are working outside. How cool is that! A cup of coffee, a nice cool morning, just the noise of the lathe.........Okay, now I'm just dreaming.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Corjack (May 23, 2015)

My lathe is so small, I just moved it onto a little deck. I see much better detail in natural light.

Reactions: Way Cool 2


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## justallan (May 23, 2015)

I think I have the same size lathe, so I think it's a great idea.


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## Tony (May 23, 2015)

Nice job! When you get a finish on them that color is really going to pop! Tony


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## Corjack (May 23, 2015)

Turned out two more this morning, and about a four inch little plate. Started spittin rain, so I put it all up, went to town, watched a movie. Came out and it was sunny. Ran home turned out another, and cut two more blocks out of the tree I was using, and anchor sealed them. All three of the bowls today, were nice, and one was a real looker. Did not get any pictures, as I was in hurry up production mode. Sure like this lathe. Gotta go out of the country Monday, and when I get back to the airport, have a stop to make at Grizzly Ind. to buy a few more tools.


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## Corjack (Jun 2, 2015)

I got home yesterday evening. This morning did office work until 4 in the afternoon. Drug out the lathe, and turned two bowls out of sassafras. A bit more challenging than cedar, but I feel they turned out decent anyway. One is barely five inches, and the other about 5.5 inches. I coated these with anchor seal to see how that works.

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 2


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## ripjack13 (Jun 2, 2015)

Looks good!


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## Corjack (Jun 17, 2015)

So far I have roughed out about fifteen bowls. Buying a round carbide tool from wood tick Greg has definitely streamlined the program. I bought another today at grizzly ind an easy tools full size rougher. Roughed out these three in about 2.5 hours. 


 

Two sassafras strait sided little doodads, and a small cedar bowl that actually took quite a while, as I had to work out a knot.

Reactions: Like 1


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## ripjack13 (Jun 17, 2015)

I have all my roughed out bowls in paper bags filled with the shavings from roughing it out. It's supposed to help keep it drying out to quickly. Not surre how it's going to work out...I have a few months to go before they will be ready to turn again. 
Plus...it's cheaper than AS2 if it actually works....


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## Corjack (Jun 17, 2015)

I started with bags of shavings, and quickly ran into storage space issues. Now coating everything with as2.


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## Corjack (Jun 18, 2015)

Yesterday I glued three pieces of dry walnut together. Today I turned it, then sanded it. (Note to self, buy a little orbital sander). Sanded to 220 then wet sanded it with walnut oil and 400 grit. Only mishap was when I clamped it in my cole jaws, to cut off the tenon, and finishe the bottom, it left some its bitty marks in the wood. Next time I will try the jam chuck thing with a pad. It is seven inches in diameter, three and a half tall, with three eighths walls and bottom. I will try for five sixtenths on the next one.


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## Corjack (Jun 19, 2015)

Had a hickory tree in my line of sight on my 400 yard shooting range. I took it down, and turned out these four bowls. I have five more blanks ready to chuck up tomorrow.

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 1


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