Learning Turning the Hard Way

[timf67]

Well, I made the leap and tried my hand at turning! After turning a successfully turning a pen (with the pen kit and tools that Phil Ashley threw in with his old lathe I bought from him - thanks again Phil! though as my wallet shrinks I may end up cursing you! :wsmile I decided to try a bowl. I picked up a nova mini chuck on closeout from Lee Valley, and then made my first big mistake - I bought a cheap blank out of the 2$/lb bin at WC in charlotte. I knew the blank had a split/check, but I thought I removed it all...

So I self educated by watching a little youtube and I dove right in. It took me a while to get the hang of it, but I enjoyed every minute of it - until... I was hollowing out the inside and I could tell my gouge was getting dull, but not knowing how to sharpen it yet, I kept plugging away. next thing I know there was a loud noise and things went flying! The good news is that I was wearing a faceshield and was not hurt. The bad news is that my first "masterpiece" needs some help. Is it worth trying to finish it or do I risk further projectiles? what about leaving it as is and rechucking to sand it smooth? Any advice would be appreciated. Here are the pics:

 

[Rob]

Keep turning it, I've had to work out several mistakes like that, just means a smaller bowl, or a plate, but either way, it's practice.

 

[LeftyTom]

Come on, Tim, we know that is a built-in spoon rest. :widea:

 

[PChristy]

Tim, I think that you need to chuck that back up - get your tools sharpened somehow and keep turning - see if you can turn the "built in spoon rest" out of it -Like Rob said you will have a smaller bowl but it is good practice - it is ok to spend very little on some of your first blanks - it is better to spend little and have a blow out then to spend big bucks and have a blow out - I am still learning myself - hang in there bro:icon_thum

 

[Mark Stewart]

Dont feel bad last week I blew apart three blanks and believe me they were not from the 2.00 bin.

You know that you can find practice wood for free someone is cutting down a tree ask for a hunk. Trust me most will give you all you want. Remember tree services pay to dump the trees the cut for people.

That bowl looks good enough to finish I would any way.

Thanks Mark

 

[timf67]

Come on, Tim, we know that is a built-in spoon rest. :widea:

I like the way you think! :gar-Bi

thanks for the encouragement everyone, I will have at it some more!

 

[erasmussen]

That looks doggone good for a first try with a cheap blank :icon_thum
And I am sure you can fix it up.
I too am learning the heard way, but I am getting a little better as I keep trying

 

[PChristy]

I too am learning the heard way, but I am getting a little better as I keep trying

Earl, I wish I was learning the way you are learning:swoon:

 

[boxxmaker]

I would put CA glue on both sides of that crack if you can,then rechuck it, wrap tape right below your uhh spoon rest then part the top off with a parting tool.Then return the piece,hey you still have a lotta wood left there.The tape will help keep it from blowing apart.be sure an post a pic of the end results.

 

[Mark Stewart]

Tim I felt bad telling you to go back and re turn with out doing it my self so I started on the last salvageable blow out I has. We'll see hot it turns out after my 20 yr old gets up from her nap.

Thanks Mark

 

[timf67]

I found two large pieces of the blowout and CA glued them back on, so now I only have a small W shaped "spoon rest". My wife likes it (the missing part) and says it adds character. So I chucked it back up and started to finish it off last night. I am avoiding the blowout area with tools and only using abrasives to shape that area. Seems to be going well so far. I will post pics when I finish. My wife wants to use it as a jewelry holder in the kitchen - she likes to take off her ring and watch when she cooks.

 

[CarvedTones]

There are harder ways to learn:

That was an early low budget attempt at turning a few years ago. I claim to be just a spindle turner on a better lathe now, but 2 small crotches (catalpa and hackberry) recently followed me home. Still haven't cut them. At least you were wearing proper safety gear and hopped right back on the horse. It looks like you were doing well.

 

[Mike Davis]

Andy,

Quit buying those aluminum gouges from horrid fright! :rotflm:

 

[CarvedTones]

I had read somewhere that the best turners use dull 3/4" imported no name gouges exclusively. Or maybe I wrote that somewhere....

I almost wish it had been aluminum. My arm was sore for several days from hanging on to the handle instead of letting it fly.