A newbie's first post (and attempt!)

[ajmw89]

Hi Chaps,

Been lurking for a while. Recently purchased a rexon lathe of everyone's favourite auction site and picked up some tools off there and rutlands (along with their chuck system).

Been after a lathe for a while as I make cricket bats as a business during my spare time. However, since acquiring it, I've been interested in turning, so after trying a few spindles on some pine (Including making a replacement handle for one of my drawknives) I decided to have a go at making a bowl. Found some well seasoned hardwood in the back of one of my friend's garages which was intended for my parents log burner. It had already been cut into a square block, along with a couple of other pieces, so I purloined them. My friend seemed to think it was Utile or Sapele.

Anyway, I sharpened my tools and got to work. There's a few tearouts that I couldn't completly erase, not sure whether that's to do with my tools not being sharp enough, my technique, a fault in the wood or all of the above. Being used to working with softwoods, willow in particular, I'm no stranger to tearouts, but they usually occur when I'm taking thick, heavy shavings.

So, enough of my ramblings, here's some pics of my setup and the finished results. Please be kind!

Cheers,

Adam

 

[ajmw89]

Ah, won't let me upload from my photobucket account.

What do I do?

 

[Dalboy]

Try again with the pictures as you can't post pictures until you have made three posts which you now have done.

 

[ajmw89]

 

[Dalboy]

Unfortunately some woods can be terrible to get a good finish without tear out but with some gentle work can be made to get a good finish.

Some things to do are make sure the tools are sharp, always give them a sharpen for the last few cuts this will help avoid tear out. Some of the marks on your bowl is down to technique which will improve with practice.

If you can find a club close to you where you can get hands on advice or find someone willing to show you and if you can afford it go on a 1 or 2 day course.

 

[ajmw89]

Thanks for the advice. I've got a couple of clubs local to me, so will be sure to check them out.

I have a couple more bits to use. One of them will be use for making a new knocking in mallet as the one I've got is now at the point where my running repairs are having no effect. The other one I may halve the thickness on my bandsaw, so it'll give me 2 shallow blanks to work with.

I know it'll take time, as when I started making cricket bats it used to take me most of the day to make one.

 

[gregmcateer]

Adam,

Firstly, welcome to the forum - really full of useful advice.

It's a better result than my first (many and ongoing!) attempts, I can tell you!

Dalboy's advice to get down to a club is spot on. I am pretty sure David Buskell on here is local to you, so he could advise his or another club nearby. Although I cannot make it to a club regularly at the moment, I have been a few times and they are always really friendly and helpful. Often one or two members are prepared to get you over to their own workshop for an informal lesson.

The AWGB site is useful, too;

http://www.awgb.co.uk/club-list/

Oh, and once you've got the general technique right, just keep practising every minute of every day and by the time you've retired, you'll be getting there

Best of luck and keep showing everyone your progress.

Greg

 

[ajmw89]

I've been trying to get along to one of my local clubs for one of their meetings for a while but other circumstances have prevented me from getting along (Being one of the captains at my cricket club means I'm usually coaching, at a meeting or doing my own training on those nights.) Hopefully I have more time now to get down.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Get hold of a copy of "Woodturning - A Foundation Course" by Keith Rowley, it's invaluable even if you join a club. Nothing quite beats someone standing next to you actually showing you, though.

 

[ajmw89]

Phil, I've got a copy in the post to me at the moment.

Just hunting through the couple of tons of firewood my parents have stored up at the moment for suitable bits of wood to practise on. Most of it is too wet, and as it's all unsealled, the ends have started to split. Must remember to get in before any chainsaw and splitting action occurs!

 

[CHJ]

If you are getting torn grain or rough finish in certain areas try coating the area in sanding sealer or soak in plain water before final cuts.

The first swells and stiffens the wood fibres the latter just swells the fibres, both will add support to adjacent fibres because they swell and compact together, the wetting of the fibres also acts as a softener and lubricant just as when shaving.

If the rogue fibres are not cut cleanly they tend to be pulled out fractionally producing the rough looking patch, in worst case this 'pulled' damage can go several mm deep and be difficult to clean up, leading to a constant chasing of ever advancing damage, best to find a method that eliminates it rather than cutting deeper to try and remove it.


Be prepared to sand rogue areas with the lathe stationary, with the grain as far as possible and in any case in whichever direction gives the best finish.

 

[ajmw89]

Thanks for the advice. I'll be sure to give that a try next time.

In hindsight, I probably should've used a softer wood to butcher for the fist attempt at a bowl, but this was all I had that was suitable

 

[CHJ]

Softer woods do not necessarily equate to easier finishing.

Regarding "Red coloured Woods" take care if there is any likelihood of it being IROKO, many people are very allergic to the compounds within the wood, can cause sever histamine reactions and nettle rash etc.

 

[ajmw89]

Thanks. Will keep an eye out. Until I get proper dust extraction in my workshop sorted (Do almost all of my sanding outside as it requires less of a cleunup afterwards and I prefer natural light), I am currently using my lathe outdoors. I use a full face shield for turning and a heavy duty dust mask for sanding. (Not one of the useless painter's masks that are no use, but one with filters.)

 

[KimG]

Your bowl looks very like Mahogany which is a fairly soft hardwood to work with anyway. You'll get the hang of finer finishing as you go along, alway useful to have some pointers etc, but ultimately, practice and experience are what will help improve your work the most. The advice to get to a club if you can is sure to be of great benefit.

 

[ajmw89]

Thanks for all the tips and advice guys. I'll be sure to put them to use. Seems like the woodturning community is friendlier than the bat making community when it comes to newbies!