New Blood saying hello !

[cubleymatt]

Hello all !

i'm just getting back in to wood turning after about 15 years break, i say getting back in to but i never really did much other than 1 bowl and a honey dripper and that was back at school, but i was bitten by the bug so after a trip on to good old ebay i have a nice little set up on my shed ! i managed to buy a compleat set up form a poor chap that was to ill to carry on turning, (yes i did feel guilty) but i managed to get a lathe, extractor, a whole load of robert sorby turning tools and a load of wood for a very good price. My wife now classes her self as a lathe widow as i seem to spend as much time as possible in the shed !

But i do have a few questions, i think i have most of everything but is there anything that any of you good people would recommend for finishing ? i have some Briwax and some stuff in a pot that the chap gave me but it has no label or any way of telling what it is !!

Also where would anyone recommend to buy bowl blanks online ? i have not quite mastered the Green turning yet to get some free stuff so i think a few more go's on dried bought stuff so the wife can see something nice coming out of the shed !!

Thanks in advance !

Matt

 

[Bodrighy]

Welcome back on to the slope. Hope you can cope with addiction :lol:

Sanding sealer! Diluted with thinners (50:50) it is ideal for finishing off. Give the wood a coat before your final sanding and, depending on the wood you can get a really good finish. You will find dozens of different ways of finishing and no doubt will end up with your own favourites, also depends on purpose. Food safe (Paraffin oil) for things like salad bowls etc. Plenty of real experts on here who will soon be up to welcome and give advice.
Main thing is to practice getting a good finish with the tools first, saves on sandpaper.

Pete

 

[Blister]

Hi Matt

Hope you enjoy your stay

Allen

 

[Paul.J]

Hello Matt and welcome
As Pete says depends on what you are doing and it's uses.
I started off using Briwax,mainly because thats all i had :roll: but had the sanding sealer and woodwax 22 recommended to me from another member.Take a look
here.
As for your blanks there seems to be a good selection on Ebay.
But i enjoy sourcing my ownlogs,from a local tree surgeon,and cutting them up,but that is another slope to go down
HTH.
Paul.J.

 

[cubleymatt]

Hi All,

thanks for the welcome !

im goign to order some sanding sealer this afternoon,

Re the blanks, what would be any recomendations for type of wood, i would like somthing thats easy to turn and finish for a start !

thanks again


Matt

 

[Paul.J]

Matt.
A lot of us on here just use what we have lying around,though some go looking in hedgerows,skips,buildsites,walk in the woods. :lol:
My first bowl i turned was from Oak,3 pieces laminated together,but anything will do.My favs now are Yew,Holly,some Horse Chestnut i've got,Ash,Oak,Sycamore,etc.
Be careful of redwoods,especially Iroko which as some really bad effects on some of us.
Always where a mask and get rid of as much dust as you can via extraction.Keep your tools nice and sharp.
Paul.J.

 

[CHJ]

.....Re the blanks, what would be any recomendations for type of wood, i would like somthing thats easy to turn and finish for a start !
Matt

Welcome to the world of Spinney Things Matt.

For starters try some Beech, Ash and Sycamore, avoid any spalted woods for a while, they can be frustrating to finish until you are used to tool control and sharpening.

As has been mentioned if you do not yet have one fit yourself out with a good dust mask ASAP.

 

[cubleymatt]

Hi CHJ,

Thanks for the Advise, re the dusk mask, i have just been using one of the paper type throw away ones, but i do want to get a better one, i have a big extractor with the lathe and this gets most od the dust and shavings etc, but i still think i need a good mask, any thoughs on what type i sould get ?

thanks again

Matt

 

[cubleymatt]

OK so no laughing,

here are a my first efforts on the lathe, as i said its a few years since i have done anything on a lathe !!

Matt

 

[jpt]

Hi Matt

Welcome to the vortex.

Love the pieces they look very good.

Are you anywhere near Craft Supplies ?

Also check out Chas list of timber suppliers.

john

 

[CHJ]

Hey hang on there a bit Matt :shock: you are not supposed to show us all up with you turning skills on your first efforts post, beautifully crafted and finished pieces. You certainly set yourself a high standard on surface finish, no matter a persons preference on design they will have to acknowledge your standards on finish by the looks of it.

 

[CHJ]

Matt, on the dust mask front I'm afraid there is little choice that is not going to cost an arm and a leg.

Being an individual that is too lazy to shave anything other than an air fed full face mask is of little use to me.
Although there are alternates I think you will find the majority of people end up with the Trend offering as it incorporates a level of mechanical protection as well as dust exclusion.

There is a newer model due out in February to a higher specification but it would seem at the moment at an increased cost.

 

[dickm]

wow. I love the (?)cakestand(?) - the platter shape with foot. Lovely subtle shape, superb finish.
Not so keen on the smaller bowl; OK, but looks a bit "heavy".

Just wish my work was up to that standard after a lot more years than you suggest

 

[Bodrighy]

Oi! cut it out, your first posts are supposed to be badlly finished, tatty design and we are all supposed to tell you not to worry we were all like that when we started. That stuff you dare to post is too good. Heaven help us what you'll be like with more practice :twisted:

Pete

 

[richburrow]

Hello Matt
I am new to this forum game as well, all I can say is this is a really great bunch of people who are very friendly and helpful. I hope you enjoy the banter as much as I have. As far as your turning goes what a fantastic start, you must have had a good teacher!?!!?! hahaha
Enjoy yourself mate
Rich

 

[cubleymatt]

Thanks for all the fantastic comments, the bigger of the 2 bowls was my first go on the afternoon that i got the Lathe, the others have been just over this week.

Thanks for the comments about the finish, it took a long time to get it like that.

re the teacher, mostly it was mostly myself when i was at school the couple of bit that i made were not very good to be honest, but i just loved working on the lathe, enough to make me buy one after all this time.

i have bought a small block of Zebrano wood from the good old Ebay has anyone here used this before and if so whats it like to work with ?

thanks again everyone for such a warm welcome !!

Matt

 

[PowerTool]

Hello and welcome

I've used zebrano a few times - has a slight smell to it when working,and if not careful,you can endd up with a slightly ridged finish to the surface (the light and dark stripes are slightly different densitys,so you can end up sanding away more of the soft bits) Here's one I made earlier.. :lol:
And as for timber,my favourite e-bay supplier is Scottish Hardwoods - has an excellent range of oak,elm,ash and sycamore;also like Devon Woodturning for something slightly more unusual.And depending on where in Derbyshire you are,John Boddys at Boroughbridge might be worth a ride out.

And ,yes,I have to agree that your first turnings are excellent 8)

Andrew

 

[Taffy Turner]

Also where would anyone recommend to buy bowl blanks online ?

Hi Matt, and welcome.

Some very nice pieces there - I would be very proud of the finish on those myself!

As to bowl blanks, I have had some very good quality blanks at very reasonable prices from Stiles and Bates. They are very helpful, and if you are after something out of the ordinary, or that isn't listed then by all means give them a call, they have never let me down yet!

Website here: -
http://www.stilesandbates.co.uk

Regards

Gary