On woodturning, which statement best describes you?
- Never turn, don’t own a lathe.
- Novice turner with a small lathe, making items such as pens or lidded pots.
- Novice turner with a midsize or large lathe, making bowls and plates.
- Accomplished turner, focusing on turned parts for furniture.
- Accomplished turner, focusing on faceplate turning; also make furniture.
- The majority of my woodworking time is spent on the lathe.
You will not be able to change your vote.
Replies
I voted for the "never turn" only because there isn't a "want to turn but don't have a lathe" selection. But thanks for asking.
Novice turner with a mid sized lathe mostly spindle work.
I fall within a category not in your list - novice turner making only spindles and knobs for furniture.
Lataxe
Good ONE! LOLI, like you, NEVER seem to fit in...I think those Polls? Poles? .. have a place BUT.. I guess I'm to technical.. I want a EXACT question that fits ME! Probably why I avoid them.. But not always.At least they should have a Box to explain yourself...Edit: I forgot the current FineWoodworking had a 'bit' on turning and I found it helpful.. But then again I need ALOT of help.
Edited 4/20/2006 10:17 am by WillGeorge
Adequate, currently repairing broken pub chair rails etc. Large
S/B lathe.
I am not a turner but am curious. What is a S/B lathe? I am a machinery and equipment appraiser and have been doing so for 49 years and, sorry to say, have never heard that expression before.
South Bend Lathe A fine American Machine.Steinmetz.(A fine American)
Sorry, I refer to a short bed lathe. Make is Denford, Viceroy,
they made both wood and metal working lathes and other
machines. My grinder is a Denford Sharpset, 16 inch slow
3 phase horizontal wheel oil fed. My gains from our idiot policy
of closing school workshops some years back and replacing
with "craft, design & technology".
Thanks - I knew it wasn't a South Bend lathe as that is or used to be , abbreviated as SBLW by all Machinery and Equipment appraisers. Ralph4
Voted Novice w/ mid-sized or large lathe -but I don't turn bowls or plates - My lathe has not been operatied for sometime - I am in the process of cleaning out and rearranging my shop and have not turned anything for sometime -
I voted "never turn" because I saw a lathe throw a baseball bat in shop class (many years ago) and I didn't think it would ever stop bouncing off the walls, machines and other projects. When I was left two lathes (one metal and one wood) in my fathers will, I imeditaly sold them both. I will buy all the woden bowls and spindels I need, thank you.
How about " Have a good lathe, accomplished user, never use it because it doesn't fit into my furniture design style of the past ten years." What ever happened to "none of the above"
Philip
Actually I did turn a knob last year.
Interesting, almost have the votes are for "Never turn, don't own a lathe". Still we see a lot of content on websites and in magazines focused on turning.
I'd like to see a similar poll based on carving.
Or a poll on scrollsawing.... What's up with that? I was talking to a scrollsawing demonstrator from a large company at a woodworking store last Saturday. He was very accomplished and engaging as he deftly maneuvered the pieces of poplar around the moving blade. I mentioned to him that I admire the patience and skill that this craft requires, but question the purpose of doing it. He looked at me and smiled, and said " You know, other than at these demonstrations, I never touch a scroll saw".
Edited 5/5/2006 5:41 pm ET by Handrubbed
Wannabee turner who has absolutely no lolly and drools all over the machinery in the woodworking store.
Slange e vah.
I am a pro woodworker. I install wood flooring, wainscoating, and custom bult-ins. I used to have a lathe. A copy lathe to be exact. The poor thing just collected dust. On the rare occassion I need any turnings it is so much more cost effective to look in my Fine Homebuilding or Fine Woodworking for turners. I have used several vendors. I just send them a CAD drawing and poof if shows up at my door. Almost as cheap as the cost of the wood. I turned a couple jobs and realized, nope I aint makin any money like this. So I donated my copy lathe to a missionary friend in Mexico, they use it daily.
None of the above fit me either. I make cedar pennywhistles on a lathe. I am a total novice at anything that doesn't help me make a pennywhistle. But I can turn out a low b flat pennywhistle.
-Bob
I have been lathe shopping for about a year now and collecting wood for it for even longer. I can already see turning being something I will spend a good portion of my time doing. I would like to see more information in FWW about projects that incorporate or focus on turning.
Andy
"It seemed like a good idea at the time"
I'm a novice with a question. Whats the best way to turn a spindle where the top and bottom remain square, but taper into a bead almost immediately? How to you accomplish the transition from square to round accurately and neatly?
first you make it square. Here is the critical part, you put it on the lathe with the ends you want to stay square at the headstock and tailstock.%) As you work, you leave the ends alone. If you don't carve them, they will stay square!
Ruth,
Hmm I'm not real accomplished but I do turn stuff for my home, not exactly bowls etc. more like stair spindles and other turnings like pegs for the timberframe and structual pegs.
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