Advice for new turners

[Alan Weinberg]

Advice I wish I got early on but finally learned:
1. learn to sharpen and do it often
2. find a mentor and learn
3. learn the line of fire and stay out of it.
4. be sure you need a tool before you buy it.
5. Join a local club and attend meetings
6. Read, watch videos, but mostly turn.
7. learn safety rules and follow them—respiratory and face protection.
8. Research and ideally test drive lathes before a purchase.
9. Take classes from experienced turners.
10. Don’t turn when you are tired.
11. Join and support AAW.

Add to the list.

 

[hughie]

sage advice

 

[Darryl Fective]

Listen for chainsaws. (they're often a source of free wood)
Check mounting of work (and other parts of the lathe) is/are tight/secure
Listen for changes in sound or unusual noises.
Use sound wood and stop and inspect regularly
Keep the speed down until you really know what you're doing

 

[Gabriel Hoff]

Advice I wish I got early on but finally learned:
1. learn to sharpen and do it often
2. find a mentor and learn
3. learn the line of fire and stay out of it.
4. be sure you need a tool before you buy it.
5. Join a local club and attend meetings
6. Read, watch videos, but mostly turn.
7. learn safety rules and follow them—respiratory and face protection.
8. Research and ideally test drive lathes before a purchase.
9. Take classes from experienced turners.
10. Don’t turn when you are tired.
11. Join and support AAW.

Add to the list.

Don't be afraid to mess up, it is the one of the best ways to learn.

 

[Bob Vaughan]

Dick Burrows gave the following advice.
Cut down a poplar tree
Turn everything you can
Burn it all
Now start turning.

 

[John K Jordan]

Dick Burrows gave the following advice.
Cut down a poplar tree
Turn everything you can
Burn it all
Now start turning.

If you mean True Poplar, then I have no experience or comment.

However, If you mean Tulip Poplar (Yellow Poplar) it can be great although the wood doesn’t usually have much character - often has green, purple, brown, and cream colors. I have some struck by lightning with deep color, sometimes called “Rainbow Poplar”.

I like to turn Y. Poplar since it’s quite stable and easily dried in larger sizes without cracking. Cuts cleanly,

This is a Beads of Courage box I made from a large blank I cut and dried. It has a music box in the (thick) lid.
(If anyone doesn’t know, BOC boxes are for sick children, mostly cancer patients, to hold their special beads.)
The form is a little “clunky” but the goal was not to win any awards but to meet the BOC volume requirements.



I also make boards on the sawmill for siding for horse shelters, etc.

JKJ

 

[hockenbery]

As you make different objects make five or more before moving on to the next .

Spin tops, boxes, pepper mills, gavels, spheres, eggs, pens, tool handles, goblets, ornaments are all great fun to turn and build skills.
you build stronger skills when you make multiples of each object instead of one of each.

I encourage new turners to focus on surface from the tool. If you get that right the quality of the form will follow.

 

[John K Jordan]

Advice I wish I got early on but finally learned:
1. learn to sharpen and do it often
2. find a mentor and learn
3. learn the line of fire and stay out of it.
4. be sure you need a tool before you buy it.
5. Join a local club and attend meetings
6. Read, watch videos, but mostly turn.
7. learn safety rules and follow them—respiratory and face protection.
8. Research and ideally test drive lathes before a purchase.
9. Take classes from experienced turners.
10. Don’t turn when you are tired.
11. Join and support AAW.

Add to the list.

Good list. Some I might add:

• Don’t collect more green wood than you can turn in a short time. Unless you have a good use for firewood.
• Be selective in acquiring turning wood. The late, great “other” John Jordan, the famous one, was known to say “life’s too short to turn crappy wood.”
• Even if you hear the swan call to turn big bowls and hollow forms, learn spindle turning 1st. Numerous experts say spindle turning will teach the fine tool control that will let you turn anything. Make friends with the skew. I have references.
• Even if you really love turning one type of thing, step outside the zone occasionally and turn something completely different.
• Plan form and sketch out designs. I don’t let the wood “speak” to me - when wood speaks to me it usually says “why’d ya do that!”
• Skip power sanding and learn better ways to smooth wood after turning. Various scrapers, especially hand scrapers, are game-changers.
• There is sharp and there is sharp. I go for razor sharp, shaving sharp.
• Along with “sharp” tools, wait if needed to buy tools made from good steel.
• Can’t have too many chucks.
• Besides not turning when tired, don’t use the chain saw or bandsaw.
• Be extra careful when not working alone - distractions can cause disasters.
• Take the advice of random YouTube videos with caution - some are good, some bad, some horrible. Some downright dangerous. (Hint: AAW has a list of videos vetted for value and safety.
• I second the advice to read. Read, read, read. The info in one good book would take dozens of videos. Hard to put sticky notes or underline passages in a video.
• I strongly second the advice to find a mentor. Or several, since each has strengths. Many clubs can connect you with mentors. (More than one mentor is great since each has different skills and methods of teaching.) When I started turning it was in isolation - I knew nothing of clubs or other woodturners! I taught myself, mostly from two books.
• After gaining experience, volunteer to become a mentor. Teaching requires a bit of planning and organization, and is a wonderful way to improve your own skills. There is joy in sharing what you have learned.
• If you have the luxury of building a new shop from scratch, make it twice as large as you think you will ever need. You will still probably run out of room.
• If building a shop, install heat and air if appropriate for your climate AND a good dust collection system. The two best things I ever did.
• Take every opportunity to introduce people, especially young people, to the wood lathe. You never know what spark you may ignite. At minimum, the person will get an understanding of the process.
• Turn, turn, turn, but don’t keep everything. Spread the joy.
• If a spouse/partner isn’t particularly enthusiastic about turning, make things for them or things they can give to friends.

I’m doing the last one now - my Lovely Bride asked me to make things for two friends. So far I’ve made a half dozen variations so she can choose.

JKJ