Courses \ Lessons

[SteveF]

did most of you have a few lessons when you started out?

is self taught possible?

I have got the bug and am slowly trying to perfect use of each tool i have available
roughing gouge seems to go ok
bowl gouge is not so easy
scraper is next

but i read so much about a skew and i am not even going to let it see daylight till I am confident with the basics

Steve

 

[Spindle]

Hi

I'm self taught - I followed Keith Rowley's book with an almost religious regime and practiced at the lathe throughout. There was no You Tube or internet at the time which was a mixed blessing - I don't rate You Tube as a stand alone method of learning however forums do provide two way interaction which I feel is beneficial, even down to identifying good You Tube instruction.

I would still recommend Keith's book and copious amounts of practice as the best method to learn - you will develop your own 'feel' for the tools this way and not try to emulate someone else.

Finally, I wouldn't worry about getting sucked into the 'perceived' cache of skew use - don't get me wrong, it's a great tool and one which you will ultimately come to love, but during the general learning phase of woodturning there is nothing that can't be achieved with other more forgiving tooling.

Edited to add: I would modify your tool learning order if you have them to the following:

Roughing gouge - Parting tool - Spindle gouge - Bowl gouge - Scraper - - - - - - - - Lots of practice - - - - - - - - Skew

Regards Mick

 

[Grahamshed]

I am very new to this as well and watch loads of youtube vids ( though some of the members here think I shouldn't ) relevant to whatever I am trying to do at the moment. I will want proper lessons but in my case I would rather feel I have some small level of competence first.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

did most of you have a few lessons when you started out?

is self taught possible?

I have got the bug and am slowly trying to perfect use of each tool i have available
roughing gouge seems to go ok
bowl gouge is not so easy
scraper is next

but i read so much about a skew and i am not even going to let it see daylight till I am confident with the basics

Steve

I'm 18 months in and also never had a lesson. Books were my first entry point and I joined a turning club after about 8 months. In fairness though, our turning club doesn't really do skills development, its more about demonstrators. So very useful input but no practical guidance at the lathe itself. I agree with Mick's order of tool practice. Basically you want to ease yourself into the feel of the tools before you dive right in to the most "catchy" class like the gouge etc. Once you've got your stabiliser wheels off, those more tricky tools will be much less scary as you'll be abele to handle them. The most important message is practice practice practice. Because practice is the mother of skill.
This book I highly recommend because it's split into two sections, the project and the technique used for that project. I really got on well with this as a learning aid.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Two-One-Woodtur ... 51AC96AC0W

Don't underestimate advice and guidance from here too. I was struggling with fruit until Richard Findley sorted me out with one paragraph of well placed advice (Richard is a professional turner)

 

[SteveF]

I have the Keith Rowley book and find it useful
I keep going back and reading more
I watch the utubes but just out of interest and not as "training videos"

it is stupid things that without this forum u would never move forward

I spent 30 minutes trying to find out on google how to fit my new sk100 chuck
they come with no instructions ...do u just guess...I had to?
spin it on till it goes no further and tighten 3 grub screws
but there are 3 more grub screws on the main chuck body next to the large chuck holes...what are they for ?

I was trying to do this months challenge and chose to use the tools needed for my project
i never saw a need to use \ learn them in any particular order

I wont get it done as time is short

I will go back to the:
Roughing gouge - Parting tool - Spindle gouge - Bowl gouge - Scraper - - - - - - - - Lots of practice - - - - - - - - Skew

the parting tool is weird
it works but seems very slow...compared to the you tube videos :lol:
Steve

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Its too blunt Steve. Parting tools need a tickling often to keep the edge keen because at 20 degrees the edge goes off the boil quickly.

 

[gregmcateer]

Pretty much as said above. I am very much a novice, sporadic turner when I get the time. I have read loads, here and on paper and watched a good few videos, but I am definitely a 'hands-on' type learner - and if that is with a good teacher, so much the better, (for me). If I am on my own trying something new, I do sometimes get frustrated early, whereas a good teacher can quickly point out the fundamental mistakes I am making.

I have had lessons with Richard Findley and Paul Hannaby, both of whom I would recommend strongly.

HTH

Greg

 

[SteveF]

I'll give it a freshen up before I try again

Steve

 

[Spindle]

Hi

Once you have a sharp parting tool there are two cutting methods to master:

The scraping approach where to tool is presented to the work at, or just below centre height and around horizontal - this is how I start all of my parting cuts as it minimises the faying to the edge of the cut.

The bevel rubbing method - this is as it sounds the tool is presented to the work in bevel rubbing mode, material removal in this mode is much quicker and is probably what you are expecting to achieve.

The skill to aim for is to be able to smoothly alter your tool presentation from scraping mode to bevel rubbing whilst turning by dropping the handle after the cut is established in scraping mode. A point to remember if you are parting off is that as the diameter of the work diminishes you will have to raise the tool handle to maintain the rubbing bevel.

Edited to ask: What size parting tool are you using?

Have fun Mick

 

[SteveF]

Hi

Edited to ask: What size parting tool are you using?

Have fun Mick

3\8"

Steve

 

[Dalboy]

Steve what you appear to have is more of a beading tool than a parting tool even though it can be used to part off. Ideally you need a thinner one and then when using it a slight wiggle from left to right as you parts will help stop any binding the deeper you part off or start to part then start a new cut next to the first keep doing this until you get nearly through and cut off with the lathe stopped with a fine tooth saw.
My Offer is still open if you get this way

 

[Spindle]

Hi

An 1/8" is my 'go to' parting tool, the 3/8" I use more for beading or forming tenons.

If you have a smaller parting tool I'd recommend you begin with that.

Regards Mick

 

[SteveF]

Steve what you appear to have is more of a beading tool than a parting tool even though it can be used to part off. Ideally you need a thinner one and then when using it a slight wiggle from left to right as you parts will help stop any binding the deeper you part off or start to part then start a new cut next to the first keep doing this until you get nearly through and cut off with the lathe stopped with a fine tooth saw.
My Offer is still open if you get this way

damn short term memory

offer ?
I bet I even replied ?
must see a doctor...swmbo keeps saying she told me this and that
Steve

hope u don't take offence as I really cant remember

 

[Dalboy]

damn short term memory

Don't worry I suffer from that too

The offer to spend the day down here for a chin wag and a play :lol:

 

[Grahamshed]

Better not pay in advance for any courses Steve

 

[Bodrighy]

There is a list of us who give tuition here if you want to get some lessons. IMHO the skew is possibly the most useful tool you have for spindle work but not for face work. I learnt to turn originally in school with no chucks. only scrapers and when I got back into it I started out with no access to other turners except via this forum. In teaching I find some people just click and get the hang of the various tools etc almost immediately, others seem to find it hard to get their head around some things. If you are just tuning as a hobby the best bet is to practice different things as much as possible. We all have areas that we are better at and shouldn't expect to suddenly be able to do everything. Don't get sucked into thinking more, fancy tools will make you a better turner either, they won;'t, practice and, if possible, a few lessons is the best way forward.

Pete

 

[SteveF]

Better not pay in advance for any courses Steve

I will take dalboy offer up for the 2nd time

I think I just need a push in the right direction
and a thinner parting tool

Steve

 

[Robbo3]

Chuck grub screws - Hadn't noticed them before but on viewing they look as if they hold something like a threaded insert. I wouldn't touch them without more knowledge.
As to the retention grub screws, you should only need to use them if you use your lathe in reverse rotation. Mine are safely stored away - so safely, I've forgotten where they are.

Tuition - your local woodturning club is a fount of information & knowledge. They will know of both professional & amateur turners who give tuition. Often clubs have 'hands on' evenings where you can not only ask questions but also have a go.

Once you have a basic set of tools the rest generally fall into the pattern of either convenience or are for specific jobs. These tend to be the one that you buy, try, then put to one side to collect dust.

As a beginner all a thinner parting tool does, is save you wood. It has its uses as you progress but it's not an essential.

Seems like some more of your questions are going to be answered by Dalboy. That's the great thing about woodturners, they're a real friendly bunch.

 

[Spindle]

As a beginner all a thinner parting tool does, is save you wood. It has its uses as you progress but it's not an essential

Hi

A slim parting tool is ideal for sizing spindles prior to forming coves, quirks, beads etc, not a use that's so readily afforded by the beading and parting tool. Beads and tenons are easily formed with a spindle gouge so I would relegate the 3/8" beading and parting tool to a lower priority of ownership than the 1/8" version - but each to his own

Regards Mick

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I only bought my first ever extra fine parting tool 2 weeks ago and its an absolute boon for wood saving in tight spots. Only snag is the end heats up pretty dam quick if you're not careful. And I mean heat to the point of drawing the temper. But I can't see how I ever lived without it now.