# Turning basics?



## Sprung (May 21, 2013)

My family and I are going to visit family next month. When we're in MI visiting my family, I am going to be spending some time at my dad's lathe doing some turning.

Dad's lathe isn't exactly high end - it's a 1HP Craftsman he purchased new sometime in the early 90's and has had to fix a couple times, even though it doesn't get used much. He's only got a few tools for it. He hasn't purchased any other additions for it, so everything I turn will be turned on centers. But, it works, and it's much better than nothing.

My turning experience is, well, pretty much nothing. Sometime in the first few years dad had the lathe, he put a few pieces of pine up for me to play around with. When I was in college and building a few fishing rods, the lathe also came in handy to mount my cork glueups to shape the handles with files and sandpaper. So, yeah, no real experience.

I will be turning a basic rolling pin - a french style, but with no taper to it since my wife and I both prefer the straight style. I've got some hard maple boards that I've glued up to make a 2 1/4" square blank, which I'll cut the corners down on and make it into an octagon before I pack it up for our trip so it's easier to start turning down. I also got the go ahead from my wife to purchase some cheap/inexpensive bottle stopper kits. (Couldn't talk my wife into letting me buy nicer ones, but that's ok, since these will be my first turnings and don't want to be out a lot of money if I mess up. Maybe if I do a good enough job, next time I'll hopefully get to buy some nicer ones!) I might also be making a couple handles for some tools, etc. So, nothing overly complicated - I'm not trying for a hollow form or anything like that. (As a side note, I'll be posting a thread soon looking to buy some stopper blanks to make said stoppers with.)

Before I make use of dad's lathe, I would really like to do a little studying. I'm looking for safety tips, as well as turning basics. Links to some good things to read or good videos are great too, especially since I am a visual learner. (I wanted to ask you guys since dad doesn't really do much with his lathe - just an occasional item once every year or three.)

Thanks!

-Matt


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## rdnkmedic (May 21, 2013)

Two words----You Tube. Tons of turning videos. Many are from well known professional turners. Just search the site and you can find exactly what you are looking for. I call them training films. Sometimes you have to take them with a grain of salt but you will be able to sort out the good guys from the bad. Good Luck.


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## TimR (May 21, 2013)

Hey Matt, there's alot of stuff out on web, but for spindle work only, may want to make sure you have a decent spindle roughing gouge, perhaps a 3/4" or 1" would be good. Easy to sharpen, easy to control and you can do the entire piece (rolling pin or bottle stopper) using one. Probably easier to control than the flattish spindle gouges your dad is likely to have. 
Penn State is good source, but there are others. Try this...
PSI Long/Strong Spindle Roughing Gouge
If you can find someone local to show you how to use this, it will be among the quickest and easiest of tools in your arsenal. These are only for spindles, never bowls!


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## duncsuss (May 21, 2013)

Two more words: FACE SHIELD. Get the "Uvex Bionic" type, meeting ANSI Z87+ (sometimes called Z87.1).

John Lucas has produced many great videos on YouTube (search for John60Lucas), he's got a great teaching style and is very skilled.

(ps. It might be easier to mark and center-punch the centers of your blanks before you trim the corners off.)


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## Vector (May 21, 2013)

I would also suggest watching as many youtube videos as possible. The best thing to do is take a class from your local Woodcraft, but it sounds like you'll be skipping that step.

SHARP tools are your friend. Go slow, and only take a little wood at a time, especially when you will have limited blanks to choose from. 

I agree with the face shield. If you're not going to purchase one though, you've GOT to have safety glasses on. LOTS of chips and dust flying back at you. The face shield is really the way to go.

Good luck! Looking forward to seeing your creations!

Vince


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## Jake Respondek (May 21, 2013)

If you have a bowl gouge and or round scraper and if the spindle is 1 " x 8 TPI and if you want to try turning a bowl or platter I can send you some wooden threaded faceplates.


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## Patrude (May 21, 2013)

Sprung said:


> My family and I are going to visit family next month. When we're in MI visiting my family, I am going to be spending some time at my dad's lathe doing some turning.
> 
> Dad's lathe isn't exactly high end - it's a 1HP Craftsman he purchased new sometime in the early 90's and has had to fix a couple times, even though it doesn't get used much. He's only got a few tools for it. He hasn't purchased any other additions for it, so everything I turn will be turned on centers. But, it works, and it's much better than nothing.
> 
> ...



 Matt; as said already, you'll be able to find lots of good stuff on you tube. I recommend looking up Captain Eddie Castalin. He is just the best, and its a free resource. Also, that advise re. a face shield. Don't rely on safety glasses, stuff can fly off the lathe and strike you in the face and cause serious injury, always wear a complete face shield. Respect that lathe and never get over confident. No loose long sleeve shirts, no long hair either. Once something gets tangled in the turning lathe it will just get ugly from there. When teaching my Grandson I always advised him to use a "soft" touch. Let the wood come to the tool and don't be too aggressive. The old adage of Practice Makes Perfect applies here. Get used to the lathe and the tools by just doing the basic cuts on some scrap wood before you go to turn a finished piece. The advice given regarding sharp tools is right on: Dull tools are dangerous period. I always start with a fresh edge and touch up every so often while turning to keep it razor sharp. Especially when starting out its a good idea to shut down the power whenever making tool rest adjustments and such. There are books and books on turning, its a vast subject. Be patient, take your time be careful and most of all HAVE FUN :irishjig::irishjig::irishjig:


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## DKMD (May 21, 2013)

Good advice so far... John Lucas and Capt. Eddie are both worth watching. If you can find a turning club nearby, they'll often have libraries with DVDs and books available. I've loaned quite few out in the past from my personal stash, but many of them never made it back to me... In other words, I don't have much of a collection anymore.

In addition to watching the videos, listen to the sound of a good cut... You can tell a lot about what's going on with your ears. Long spindles have a tendency to vibrate with cuts in the middle... You can hear vibration which will clue you to take lighter cuts or provide support with your off hand(don't do this if you're not comfortable doing so).

If you're looking to buy a DVD, I like Jimmy Clewes' videos... There are certainly others who do a nice job as well.

Have fun!


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## Sprung (May 21, 2013)

Thanks for the responses! 

Thanks for the safety tips especially - it's no fun if you happen to get hurt! Dad has a full face shield already, and I will be using that. Short hair for me, so that's not a problem! I have also made it a rule for me that whenever I'm in the shop, if there is any chance at all that I will be using any power tool, I take off my wedding band and roll up my sleeves - I want no chance of getting anything loose caught! And it sounds like slow, light passes is the way to go. And definitely sharp tools! I don't know how sharp his are, so I'll make sure we sharpen them before using and touch them up while using. Will also give it a go on some scrap first.

I'll check out the Youtube videos of the guys mentioned. Knowing the names of a couple of guys with great videos helps a lot, especially for this visual learner. I'll check them out over the next couple weeks. If I can get dad to take a pic of his turning tools I'll post it here so you guys know what I'm working with.

I don't know how many finished items I'll be able to produce in the couple days we'll be there, but I will definitely post pictures!


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## Mike Mills (May 22, 2013)

In addition to the two youtube suggested I would add bobham5 (Bob Hamilton). Some are a little slow going but they are good.

One site with links vetted for safety is below. Most are nationally recognized turners and video links are grouped by category (such as beginning, projects, bowls..Etc). About 400 video links.

http://woodturningvideos.weebly.com/


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## duncsuss (May 22, 2013)

... and silly me -- I forgot to mention Donna Zils Banfield's videos, which is unpardonable since she's both a friend and a member of my local turning club ... and the person who taught the classes (pen, bowl, skew) I went to!

Donna's videos: LINK


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## Sprung (Jun 8, 2013)

I've watched quite a few videos on turning lately, which is a good thing! Capt. Eddie and John Lucas have been my favorite ones to watch, but I've learned from every video I've watched.

I've got a box of wood and supplies ready to load into the car for our trip, and am very much looking forward to my first foray into the world of turning! We are traveling with a 6 1/2 month old, and the amount of stuff we supposedly need is staggering to the point where I'm not sure where we're going to fit into the car! Because of a limited amount of space, I'm unfortunately not able to take every piece of wood rdnkmedic and SENC sent me. But I have packed a good selection from both for the trip, and will thus have stock on hand for any time I may get in the future to have the opportunity to do some turning!

I do have a question though about something I cam across today. In a video I was watching earlier the guy was using a pin chuck to turn stoppers. I've done a little research into pin chucks since then, and the idea intrigues me. Originally my plan was to turn the stopper entirely between centers, since that was going to be the only mounting option I'd have for turning stoppers. However, the pin chuck concept intrigues me because I could mount it on the pin chuck (in dad's Jacob's chuck) and bring the tailstock in and use that center. Then, once the piece is rounded, back out the tailstock and turn the stopper to finish stopper with it continued to be mounted on the pin chuck.

What are the thoughts y'all have on pin chucks and their safety? With stuff that I know my dad has on hand, I could easily make one in about 10 minutes that will mount in his Jacob's chuck, and it would certainly make turning the stoppers considerably easier. I first want to know though how well they work and how safe they are to use.

Thanks!


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## Patrude (Jun 8, 2013)

Sprung said:


> I've watched quite a few videos on turning lately, which is a good thing! Capt. Eddie and John Lucas have been my favorite ones to watch, but I've learned from every video I've watched.
> 
> I've got a box of wood and supplies ready to load into the car for our trip, and am very much looking forward to my first foray into the world of turning! We are traveling with a 6 1/2 month old, and the amount of stuff we supposedly need is staggering to the point where I'm not sure where we're going to fit into the car! Because of a limited amount of space, I'm unfortunately not able to take every piece of wood rdnkmedic and SENC sent me. But I have packed a good selection from both for the trip, and will thus have stock on hand for any time I may get in the future to have the opportunity to do some turning!
> 
> ...



I get good results with that method. I am not sure if I'm talking the same item, but what I use is called a mandrel. I chuck it in and screw the predrilled stopper blank onto it. I agree its a good idea to bring up the tail stock with a revolving center for the rough turning. I sand and finish on the same mandrel. If youre running a stopper kit you can apply some c a glue to the hole and screw in the stopper shaft. You can also use cork for the stopper and glue in a dowel when you take it off the lathe. My experience says its best not to mess with the threads too much, theyre fine and wont hold up to a lot of abuse. Let us see some of those stoppers


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## DKMD (Jun 8, 2013)

I haven't used a pin chuck, but I don't see why it wouldn't work... You'll still be turning between centers for the entire process except a few light passes across the top to get rid of the live center divot.

Other options for stoppers... Find a piece of all thread or a bolt that matches the thread on the stopper. You could hold either in a Jacobs chuck and screw the blanks on to it for turning.

You could drill a hole in the stopper and just use a piece of dowel in a Jacobs chuck ... Basically a friction drive. You could do the same with scrap of something held in a lathe chuck.

If you don't have the actual stopper mandrel, you may want to use a caliper to determine the diameter of the wood at the lower portion of the stopper. A lot of people like a smooth transition from wood to stopper.


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## duncsuss (Jun 8, 2013)

Sprung said:


> What are the thoughts y'all have on pin chucks and their safety? ... I first want to know though how well they work and how safe they are to use.



You probably realized by now, terminology can be very confusing. One man's "live center" is another man's "dead center in the headstock" ... :i_dunno:

By "pin chuck", do you mean a rod (mandrel) that is partially flattened, and a separate pin which (when you rotate the workpiece on the mandrel) locks in place?

If that's what you mean ... I've read about them but never used one. I've not heard of any safety issue, and I believe they function "as advertised".

You'll seldom be applying pressure in a direction that would pull the workpiece off the rod, and most of the time you can bring the tailstock up to provide some support. I think that will be safe.

(I've also heard people call "pin jaws on a 4-jaw scroll chuck" a "pin chuck", and there are probably other uses of the term. It can be very confusing. )


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## Sprung (Jun 8, 2013)

Thanks for the responses! And thanks for putting up with the newbie and his questions!

This is what I was referring to as a pin chuck: http://www.packardwoodworks.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=lathes-acc-spec-pin From what I've read, it can be easily and safely used in a Jacob's style chuck.

While I didn't order them from PSI, this is the same kind of stopper kit I'm using: http://www.pennstateind.com/store/BS5.html Yes, I'm using cheap silicone stoppers for my first attempts at stopper making. When I pitched it to her, my wife liked the idea of me making some bottle stoppers, but we agreed that I wouldn't spend too much money on it for now, especially because we both agree that diapers are far more important to purchase than new tools.

With those cheap kits, I don't have to worry about threads and damaging them. The challenges are that since it's not a threaded stopper, there is no mandrel and that I was planning to turn the stoppers completely on centers, and then sand by hand when I cut off the excess little bit. Yes, not ideal, but dad hasn't invested much in his lathe setup, and I don't have one yet. Someday I will have my own lathe, be able to purchase good kits and the proper mandrels, etc. For now I'm going to try and make do with what dad's got, especially for my first try at turning.

The idea of a pin chuck sounded good to me because I can drill the hole the size I need before I turn the stopper, instead of the completely backwards and more tedious method of doing it afterward. I will have a way to secure the round stoppers vertically to drill the holes with my drill press, but it would be much much better to be able to drill the holes before turning.

I think I'll most likely go ahead with making a pin chuck when I get into dad's shop. I'm sure it'll make turning stoppers far easier than turning completely on centers and then trying to hand sand (without aid of the lathe) the little nubs leftover and then drill out for the stopper kit after the fact.

If I don't make a pin chuck, I might also try Keller's dowel idea. It's one I was also thinking of trying, but then I became intrigued by the pin chuck. And, Doc, I've got my calipers packed!

If all goes as planned, I should be making shavings on Tuesday or Wednesday! I'll try to post a few pics while on vacation, and will post pics of the finished items after we get home. I will have fun and will be safe!


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## DKMD (Jun 8, 2013)

Matt, even if you end up between centers, you can still drill your hole before turning. The hole can be used against the live center(tail) or dead center(head).

In fact, I don't know that I've ever seen anyone drill after turning... You might be breaking new ground with that approach.


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## Sprung (Jun 9, 2013)

DKMD said:


> Matt, even if you end up between centers, you can still drill your hole before turning. The hole can be used against the live center(tail) or dead center(head).
> 
> In fact, I don't know that I've ever seen anyone drill after turning... You might be breaking new ground with that approach.



After all the videos I've watched and the things I've read, and that I'm usually pretty good with common sense things, I have no idea why I didn't think of something so simple. :dash2: Since we're hitting the road today, it's too late to predrill them out on my own drill press (to save me time while in dad's shop), but dad's also got a drill press, and I've already packed the drill bits I'd need, so I should be good to go.

Thanks, Doc!


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## BarbS (Jun 9, 2013)

Matt, since you're hitting the road today, it's a little late to recommend a book, but if the bug bites while you're turning, here's a good one on making fixtures and using lots of tools and accessories for turning: 'Fixtures and Chucks for Woodturning' by Doc Green. His website also has lots of articles and helpful advice: http://www.docgreenwoodturner.com/


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