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New Member

Lamar Wright

Lamar Wright

Joined
Jun 29, 2017
Messages
799
Likes
564
Location
Jasper, Alabama
Hello turners, my name is Lamar Wright and I'm a new member to AAW forums. My brief background in turning is that I turned pens for 4 years on my Delta midi lathe( witch I still own and love it) sold pens and gave as gifts. I got burnt out on just turning pens and now have decided to venture out and learn how to turn other things (bowls, twig pots, platters, ect.). The nearest wood turners club to me is miles away so I'll be asking for your help and questions on different things. I view a lot of youtube video's on turning and I have a good set of turning tools. Thanks.
 
Welcome aboard, Lamar!

Check out the Woodturning FUNdamentals newsletters/articles in the AAW website (www.woodturner.org), and also check out AAW Videosource, which have been curated (e.g. produced by someone else, but viewed by a committee of volunteers who agree that the video is instructional).

Attending an evening or weekend meeting with one of the nearby clubs is probably well worth the trip.
 
Welcome Lamar........😀

Many turners here, professionals, hobbiests, newbies, and everything in-between those categories. Opposing views, corroborating views, herd thinkers, and militant individualists.

If there is one thought I could pass along to anyone willing to listen......It's not about shaping bowls and platters good enough to sand......it's all about not sanding,.....and when doing any necessary fine sanding, requiring as little as possible! The closer a turner can get to this goal, the more aesthetic appeal to the eye the underlying mechanics of tool usage there will be.....specifically because the details of cleanly cut grooves, crisp corners, and flowing uninterrupted surfaces have a direct subliminal effect on how the viewer interprets what he sees. 🙂

-----odie-----
 
Welcome to the AAW forum, Lamar. I think that you will find this to be a helpful and friendly resource. Hy Tran gave some great suggestions.

It's a long drive to Texas, but you could get totally immersed in turning at the Southwest Association of Turners symposium in Waco, Texas on the last weekend in August.
 
Lamar,

Odie brought up a number of valid observations when it comes to wood turning.
Another observation I can add to his list is when everyone is heading in one direction
the true artist usually goes in the opposite direction. The trend setting artists usually are
thinking outside the herd mentality and see and develop their own "spin" on the art.
The true wood turning artists create pieces with readily identifying characteristics that
we can usually identify quickly.

If you are tired of turning pens, there are a multitude of other small items you can turn on
a pen turning lathe. Shaving brushes, spinning tops, duck calls, pepper grinders, kitchen
utensil handles, rings, bangles, napkin rings, Christmas ornaments, etc..
 
You shouldn't be too far from a club living in Jasper. I think I heard of a club starting in Huntsville. I show 5 clubs in Alabama but couldn't bring up where they are without more research. My wife has a brother in Hartselle and we go ghere occasionally. You might look at going to the Tennessee Association symposium in January. It's held on the southside of Nashville and would be well worth a visit. Just hop up I65. There is also a club in Lawrenceburg tn. just up the interstate from you.
Anyway welcome to the group.
 
Hy Tran said:
Welcome aboard, Lamar!

Check out the Woodturning FUNdamentals newsletters/articles in the AAW website (www.woodturner.org), and also check out AAW Videosource, which have been curated (e.g. produced by someone else, but viewed by a committee of volunteers who agree that the video is instructional).

Attending an evening or weekend meeting with one of the nearby clubs is probably well worth the trip.
Click to expand...
Thanks Hy for this formative information and I will be checking it out.
 
odie said:
Welcome Lamar........😀

Many turners here, professionals, hobbiests, newbies, and everything in-between those categories. Opposing views, corroborating views, herd thinkers, and militant individualists.

If there is one thought I could pass along to anyone willing to listen......It's not about shaping bowls and platters good enough to sand......it's all about not sanding,.....and when doing any necessary fine sanding, requiring as little as possible! The closer a turner can get to this goal, the more aesthetic appeal to the eye the underlying mechanics of tool usage there will be.....specifically because the details of cleanly cut grooves, crisp corners, and flowing uninterrupted surfaces have a direct subliminal effect on how the viewer interprets what he sees. 🙂

-----odie-----
Click to expand...
Very well spoken Odie, I will practice, practice, and practice. I had to do a lot of sanding working with pens thru many grits as most finishes were CA and could not have a scratch on it. Sand was necessary making quality high end pens and I understand your point about sanding should be less in quality turned bowls, platters ect. This is going to be a new great adventure for me and I am willing to learn how to perfect turning with less sanding. Happy turning, by the way I have seen your work and it is beautiful, matter of fact all the work in the gallery is magnificent !
 
hockenbery said:
Welcome. What are you interested in turning?
Click to expand...
Hello Hockenbery, I like bowls and platters but I am going to start out turning Twig pots and mainly getting use to tools that I did not use much in making pens. You know the old saying "got to learn to walk before you can run" ! Thanks so much for the welcome.
 
Bill Boehme said:
Welcome to the AAW forum, Lamar. I think that you will find this to be a helpful and friendly resource. Hy Tran gave some great suggestions.

It's a long drive to Texas, but you could get totally immersed in turning at the Southwest Association of Turners symposium in Waco, Texas on the last weekend in August.
Click to expand...
Hi Bill, thanks so much. I'm just looking for an excuse to take a trip at summer's end and a trip to the symposium in Waco Texas just might be the one for my wife and I to take. Thanks again. Happy turning.
 
Mike Johnson said:
Lamar,

Odie brought up a number of valid observations when it comes to wood turning.
Another observation I can add to his list is when everyone is heading in one direction
the true artist usually goes in the opposite direction. The trend setting artists usually are
thinking outside the herd mentality and see and develop their own "spin" on the art.
The true wood turning artists create pieces with readily identifying characteristics that
we can usually identify quickly.

If you are tired of turning pens, there are a multitude of other small items you can turn on
a pen turning lathe. Shaving brushes, spinning tops, duck calls, pepper grinders, kitchen
utensil handles, rings, bangles, napkin rings, Christmas ornaments, etc..
Click to expand...
Hi Mike, you are exactly right! I had my own style of making quality pens and members of the pen group knew me by the pens I designed and made. I have seen lot of bangles, and wood pendents made by a lot of woodturners in the UK. There is this one guy in the US called "The Bangle Guy" and he turns some of the best looking bangles I have ever seen. Google him to see some of his work. Looking forward to turn some twig pots and some simple bowls to start with. Thanks for the warm welcome Mike and happy turning.
 
john lucas said:
You shouldn't be too far from a club living in Jasper. I think I heard of a club starting in Huntsville. I show 5 clubs in Alabama but couldn't bring up where they are without more research. My wife has a brother in Hartselle and we go ghere occasionally. You might look at going to the Tennessee Association symposium in January. It's held on the southside of Nashville and would be well worth a visit. Just hop up I65. There is also a club in Lawrenceburg tn. just up the interstate from you.
Anyway welcome to the group.
Click to expand...
Hi John, seen some of your turnings and they are wonderful. Hey, thats another symposium for me to go to in January! I will check Huntsville out for a woodturners club. Yes, Hartsville is not to far from me John and I know it well. Lawrenceburg is not that far at all. Very drivable. That is a good option. Thanks so much for the info and the warm welcome John and happy turning.
 
Lamar Wright said:
Hello Hockenbery, I like bowls and platters but I am going to start out turning Twig pots and mainly getting use to tools that I did not use much in making pens. You know the old saying "got to learn to walk before you can run" ! Thanks so much for the welcome.
Click to expand...
Incremental steps is a great way to learn.
You combine new skills with ones you already have. Also it is good to make a series of the same object.

Weed pots from limbs and old posts often provide opportunities to do interrupted cuts - air and wood.
Getting clean surface on the interrupted cut is one of the more difficult challenges in Woodturning.
I do a multi center turning demo. Here the interepted cut is provide by changing centers.
The interrupted cut on the spindle is terrific practice for the interrupted cut on a natural edge bowls.

Many years ago I turned weed pots using multicenters on the bottom offset about a 1/2" from the true center. These were a project described by Dale Nish in one of his books.
 
hockenbery said:
Incremental steps is a great way to learn.
You combine new skills with ones you already have. Also it is good to make a series of the same object.

Weed pots from limbs and old posts often provide opportunities to do interrupted cuts - air and wood.
Getting clean surface on the interrupted cut is one of the more difficult challenges in Woodturning.
I do a multi center turning demo. Here the interepted cut is provide by changing centers.
The interrupted cut on the spindle is terrific practice for the interrupted cut on a natural edge bowls.

Many years ago I turned weed pots using multicenters on the bottom offset about a 1/2" from the true center. These were a project described by Dale Nish in one of his books.
Click to expand...

Very interesting Al, I have some dried cherry limbs from a tree cutting that I got last year. That would probably be good to practice doing interrupted cuts. I really like your bowl work and the carving that you do with the bowls. Color choices are spot on!
 
Welcome to the forum. This is a great place to learn. I have found the members here are very willing to share observations, expertise, and knowlege freely. I need to take time to look at the videos and the FUNdamentals as well.
Are you aware that John Lucas had several youtube videos?
 
You've turned cylinders or near-cylinders (pens). Next, go to an extreme: Do your best at a perfect cylinder (handle-less rolling pin), using the spindle roughing gouge, the spindle gouge (that's a challenge!) and the skew. Play with tapering the ends symmetrically for a French style rolling pin. Give the rolling pin to a budding pastry chef.

Make a bead-and-cove stick. Turn the bead-and-cove stick into a honey dipper.

Make some finger tops. See if you can use the skew to do the top, start to finish. (Warning--many turners seriously dislike the skew. I'm pretty good at using the skew for straight and tapered cuts. I can do something that resembles a bead, but I can't turn a cove with a skew--yet). John Lucas's youtube videos on using the skew are excellent, btw.

Make a vase. Drill the hole out, though, rather than doing hollowing. Weed pots (aka twig pots) are a form of small vases.

Pay attention to grain direction. In pens, the effects of cutting in the wrong direction (unless you're turning unstabilized burls) is small--but doing a large spindle, you'll immediately notice tearout if you're trying to go in the wrong direction. This paying attention to grain direction will help you get the feel for clean smooth cuts.

Be safe, and have fun!
 
John Torchick said:
Welcome to the forum. This is a great place to learn. I have found the members here are very willing to share observations, expertise, and knowlege freely. I need to take time to look at the videos and the FUNdamentals as well.
Are you aware that John Lucas had several youtube videos?
Click to expand...
Hi John, yes I have seen several of his video's and he is a very knowledgeable turner and has some beautiful work. Thanks for the warm welcome John and happy turning.
 
odie said:
Welcome Lamar........😀

Many turners here, professionals, hobbiests, newbies, and everything in-between those categories. Opposing views, corroborating views, herd thinkers, and militant individualists.

If there is one thought I could pass along to anyone willing to listen......It's not about shaping bowls and platters good enough to sand......it's all about not sanding,.....and when doing any necessary fine sanding, requiring as little as possible! The closer a turner can get to this goal, the more aesthetic appeal to the eye the underlying mechanics of tool usage there will be.....specifically because the details of cleanly cut grooves, crisp corners, and flowing uninterrupted surfaces have a direct subliminal effect on how the viewer interprets what he sees. 🙂

-----odie-----
Click to expand...
Agree with Odie!! I hate sanding... Welcome to the best forum in the internet for woodturning.
 
Emiliano Achaval said:
Agree with Odie!! I hate sanding... Welcome to the best forum in the internet for woodturning.
Click to expand...
Hello Emilliano, sanding is surely not the most fun part of turning, I agree. That is a beautiful large bowl in your avatar photo. One of the largest natural edge bowls I've seen. Your right Emiliano, I've found a home here. Thanks for the warm welcome. Happy turning.
 
Regis Galbach said:
Welcome Lamar from another newbie. Certainly helpful folks here.
Click to expand...
Hi Regis, You are right, this is a wonderful site for woodturners and all so helpful. I just love to look through the gallery and see all the beautiful turnings that these Masters have created. Very inspirational. Thanks for the welcome Regis. Happy turning.
 
Steven Nicholson said:
Good Morning Lamar, I am also new and have not introduced myself. Basically I will turn anything I can get into my lathe. The bowls I am holding are Big Leaf Maple I turned green and dried in a kiln.
Click to expand...
Hi Steven, sorry I'm late getting back to you and I would like to give you a warm welcome also. Love your bowl turnings, very good indeed.
 
Lamar Wright said:
Hello turners, my name is Lamar Wright and I'm a new member to AAW forums. My brief background in turning is that I turned pens for 4 years on my Delta midi lathe( witch I still own and love it) sold pens and gave as gifts. I got burnt out on just turning pens and now have decided to venture out and learn how to turn other things (bowls, twig pots, platters, ect.). The nearest wood turners club to me is miles away so I'll be asking for your help and questions on different things. I view a lot of youtube video's on turning and I have a good set of turning tools. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Welcome, Lamar, you'll find the forum a great resource. My buddies here have helped me in innumerable ways over the past 18 months or so. Never fear to ask a question! Happy turning to you.
 
Thank you Jamie for the warm welcome. As I start this new journey I'm sure I'll have questions and I know that I can get help here, such nice people. Thank you so much. Happy turning.
 
Lamar Wright said:
Hello Emilliano, sanding is surely not the most fun part of turning, I agree. That is a beautiful large bowl in your avatar photo. One of the largest natural edge bowls I've seen. Your right Emiliano, I've found a home here. Thanks for the warm welcome. Happy turning.
Click to expand...
Happy turning!! Aloha from Maui
 
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