# Wood Turning Questions and Answers Post



## ArlinEastman (May 22, 2011)

I do not know if there is one know for Turning but I thought it would be a great idea for new turners. Or how to or what tools to get post.

So I am starting one now and hope it helps others a lot.

I made a list after a year of turning of things I should have or needed when I first started turning which would have help me a lot including DVDs and YouTube vids.

Minimal tools for any Turning
1. 3/8" spindle gouge
2. ½" bowl gouge
3. ¼" parting tool
4. ¾" flat or round nose scraper

From Penn State Ind
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/DVD.html Free
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/PKBGDVD.html Good info
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/PKBGDVD2.html Good info
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/PK-BK05.html Great reading
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/LDC2MT.html Now this is a great tool I wish I had, it will work in the headstock and tailstock. Very nice.

From Woodturningz
http://woodturningz.com/Products/PTRIMKIT9.jpg
http://woodturningz.com/products/PKMSTS1.jpg
http://woodturningz.com/products/PKMWR.jpg
http://woodturningz.com/products/PKDISXX.jpg
http://woodturningz.com/products/PKDISPEN.jpg
http://woodturningz.com/Glue.aspx Should have 1 thin, 1 thick, 1 debonder, and 2- 12oz applicator
http://woodturningz.com/products/PKFINKIT2X.jpg
http://woodturningz.com/products/sp5roll.jpg Should start with one, however, in the future have 2 on hand.

These are all 7mm pen kits and use the same bit, however, not the same bushings so order 3 or each kind. That way when one gets worn out or just wrecked you will have a spare.

http://woodturningz.com/Slimline_Pen_Kits.aspx
http://woodturningz.com/Saturn_Pen_Kits.aspx
http://woodturningz.com/Comfort_Pen_Kits.aspx
This is optional if you have the other tool to press pens together
http://woodturningz.com/products/PENPRESSPREM.jpg

From Woodcraft
These drill bit sets are the same thing I hope to be getting. They have every bit that a pen kit would take and is great to have in the boxes so they are not lost or left laying around, which happens since it is bought in individually.
http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2081362/30392/woodriver-29-piece-fractional-inch-brad-point-drill-bit-index-set.aspx
http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2081362/30393/woodriver-25-piece-metric-brad-point-drill-bit-index-set.aspx
Woodcraft sells wonderful pens
http://www.woodcraft.com/Category/1002283/Pen-Kits.aspx

From Craft Supplies
By far the best woodturning videos I know of for beginners to intermediate.
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Videos___Pen_Making___Turning_Pens_with_Kip_and_Rex___kip_rex_basics_vid?Args=
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Videos___Projects___Woodturning_Projects_DVD_Volumes_1___2___rex_kip_combo?Args=
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Videos___Projects___Woodturning_Projects_Volume_3_DVD___rex_kip_volume3?Args=
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Videos___Projects___Woodturning_Projects_Volume_4_DVD___rex_kip_volume4?Args=
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/New_Products___Woodturning_Projects_Volume_5_DVD___rex_kip_volume5?Args=
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Videos___Projects___Woodturning_Projects_Volume_6_DVD___rex_kip_volume6?Args=

I know it seems a lot, however, if I had all of this when I started it would have been much easier.

I will add more later


----------



## TerryDowning (Aug 8, 2012)

Yeah, wood turning is not a cheap hobby. The tooling, jigs, and fixtures often add up to more than what you paid for a lathe.

What you start with depends (for the most part) on what kind of turning you are doing. Small spindle, large spindle, or bowls/forms.

I do recommend this book It is all about how to hold work safely on your lathe.

http://www.amazon.com/Fixtures-Chucks-Woodturning-Everything-Secure/dp/1565235193/ref=sr125?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1424884782&sr=1-25&keywords=woodturning

My go to chisels I use on most turning projects
1 Inch spindle/roughing gouge (Mine has a swept back grind, many roughing gouges do not, it is a matter of preference here)
1/2 " Roundnose scraper
1" skew
1/8 " diamond shape parting tool

I do recommend starting with traditional High Speed Steel tools. These are a great trade off between ability to hold a nicely honed edge for a quality cut and edge life.

I do have some carbon steel tools that can be honed to amazing sharpness, but the edges never last. Wood turning punishes edged tools.

I do not have any of the replaceable edge carbide tools. I do know that carbide is difficult to sharpen to the same zero radius edge as either HSS or Carbon steel.

Speaking of edge retention, Pick a sharpening methodology and learn to master it. Which method is actually not nearly as important as the quality of the edge you achieve and how long it takes you to achieve it.

This book by Ron Hock is by far the most meaningful book on sharpening I have read so far.
http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Edge-Sharpening-Woodworkers-Woodworking-ebook/dp/B005GXQY6U/ref=sr11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1424885442&sr=1-1&keywords=ron+hock+perfect+edge

If you can find a club and a mentor your area.

Learn to master the skew, it will take some time and failed attempts, but mastering the skew will pay off and applies to most styles and forms of turning.


----------



## ArlinEastman (May 22, 2011)

Good advise Terry


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

Great advice and resources, Arlin!

I recently got my hands on and Easy Wood Tools "Easy Chuck"- It is everything a turner could ask for!


----------



## ArlinEastman (May 22, 2011)

Ya Lew I have heard of them and talked with Craig with getting a few for the vets I teach but have never got enough funds.


----------



## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

Nice post Arlin. Like Lew said, you've done a fine job with all the links, info, etc. I know, like all things when different companies are involved, one usually doesn't interact or fit another.


----------



## LeeMills (Nov 2, 2014)

I'm sure that is a fine book on holding which Terry linked to but as a primer here is a video by Mike Peace.
The book is probably more detailed but at 1.5 hours the video covers most every method fairly clearly.


----------



## cdaniels (Apr 16, 2014)

here's a question. when turning mallets should you use dry wood or green wood?


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Dry wood for mallets. Green will be heavier but you risk cracking as it dries and if you make a 2 piece mallet, the head or handle could crack from different contraction rates.


----------



## ArlinEastman (May 22, 2011)

CD

There are two ways to do mallets.
1. Very hard dry wood and there are a few ways to do that too.
1a. For carving have a 4* slop from the head to the handle end. This way when the chisel is struck the mallet is level on its side.
1b. For anything else make the mallet head about 4" to 6" long and 3" wide with the handle 8" long.

2. The mallet is wet wood when you turn with the above advise then when it is sitting for a few days take some very wet rawhide and wrap it around the head and tack both ends. When it drys the rawhide will shrink with the wood and keep it tight.

Lee

Here is Mike Peace link to his site

http://mikepeacewoodturning.blogspot.com/
This will give you all his info


----------



## ArlinEastman (May 22, 2011)

Here are some more good YouTube vids

http://woodturningvideos.weebly.com/

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mark+baid

https://www.youtube.com/user/robohippy/videos






I highly recommend Lyle Jamieson's videos. I have been most fortunate to have him visit me 3 times and teach me and one other vet. He taught me more in 4 hours then I tried in 5 years. His bowl gouge is Very highly recommended and with it he taught me how to even use it as a skew. He live is Michigan


----------



## cdaniels (Apr 16, 2014)

I screwed up a bunch of maple live edge bowls just by drilling them wrong to mount. I notice a lot of the time on videos when they're turning live edge bowls that they turn them thin and finish them all at once. when you're turning live edge do you just go from start to finish and you're done or do you still go through the rough turn then drying process?


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

People do it both ways. If you turn to final thickness the bowl will usually dry oval or in some wriggly shape. I have two pear bowls like that.


----------



## ArlinEastman (May 22, 2011)

CD

It takes as long to learn to turn as it does learning to turn in a wheel chair. I learned very quickly I can not do the same thing as others that stand so just toss it out on how they move and hold their tools at their hips.

The biggest thing is making a table that allows you to get the wheel chair close or even better under the lathe. I will see if I still have a picture of the table I made for me 6 years ago. It is most important to have one that allows will allow you to have all of your tools and anything else on it.. I even had a grinder on my right so I could sharpen my tools without moving my chair very much.

Also I start ALL of my turnings between centers. This help in so many ways and allows me to choose my grain patterns or special things I want to highlight like holes, bark, or other things like that. It is also easier to find the center of the woods balance if the dead center and live center hold it gently it can be adjusted better.

On the lathe you have to make sure it is bolted done solidly and level with enough weight to nullify vibration and (I forget the other word) when a piece is being turned.

On the drilling the bowls to mount I do not know why you are doing so unless you are using a screw which I never use. I almost always use a faceplate to do most everything and finish the bottom then mount it on either a glue block or dove tail chuck jaws.

You live close to Lyle Jamieson and I would give him a call for a lesson (To me he is awesome) and while traveling came to my house 3 times for lessons and he also taught another vet with me. I sent you a PM with his info


----------



## ArlinEastman (May 22, 2011)

Here are some things you might love to have in turning

Make yourself a longworth chuck

http://www.woodworkersguide.com/2010/10/17/how-to-make-a-longworth-chuck/

Or get a vacuum chuck which is very nice and wonderful price which is about 1/3 the price of others are charging

http://www.frugalvacuumchuck.com/

Bob who makes them is a great guy and really helped me out a lot and even put everything together for me since I have brain damage and I knew I would not figure it out. It even comes with a muffler and tells you how to fill it. It cost me $220 but it was special for me that he did EVERY thing.


----------



## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

> Or get a vacuum chuck which is very nice and wonderful price which is about 1/3 the price of others are charging
> 
> http://www.frugalvacuumchuck.com/


I have heard nothing but good things about this company and the gentleman who runs int. It is definitely on my wish-list.


----------



## ArlinEastman (May 22, 2011)

I thought you guys might like this Youtube I got from another turner here.


----------



## cdaniels (Apr 16, 2014)

how come sometimes when i'm turning stuff it comes out all wavy and not smooth?


----------



## ArlinEastman (May 22, 2011)

CD

In wood there are hard and soft spots that go with the grain of the wood. Also if the wood is not stabilized with the outside it will also cause that problem too.

The wood can be to dry also and it has to get to equilibrium to the shop humidity before it stops moving. A good example of this is getting a very dry piece of wood from Arizona and turning it in a humid place. The wood will be trying to suck up the water in the shop until it is the same as the surrounding area.
Same as a wet piece of wood it will move until it gets the same moisture as the inside of your shop.

So there are the two different ways and thank you for asking.

Maybe someone else will have more ideas or suggestions


----------



## ArlinEastman (May 22, 2011)

Anymore questions out there?


----------



## Doe (Aug 26, 2010)

No question, but I have a suggestion for accessibility.

I have a couple of chucks with tommy bars and found that I had trouble tightening them so I added a handle (it was a cheese plane handle that flew across the room when I was buffing). What I liked best about the handle was that if it fell on the floor, it wouldn't roll straight under things (that usually involved grovelling on the floor); it would do a bit of an arc and stop. So I got leverage and convenience in one dinged up handle.

After doing this, I figured out resting one bar on the tool rest made it a *lot *easier to open up the chuck afterwards.


----------



## Picklehead (Feb 12, 2013)

Very timely thread/subject for me. Just got a small 1930's Walker Turner 8/10" lathe. Just getting it set up and I need this type of info. Thanks.


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Question. Couple of weeks back I saw a video of someone using a European skew-like tool, basically a single bevel skew. I can't remember what it was called. Anyone know?


----------



## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

> Question. Couple of weeks back I saw a video of someone using a European skew-like tool, basically a single bevel skew. I can t remember what it was called. Anyone know?
> 
> - Rick M.


Maybe a *Bedan*? ... http://www.lavieenbois.com/html/bedane_eng.htm


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

> Maybe a *Bedan*? ... http://www.lavieenbois.com/html/bedane_eng.htm
> 
> - TheDane


Bingo! thanks.


----------



## ArlinEastman (May 22, 2011)

> No question, but I have a suggestion for accessibility.
> 
> I have a couple of chucks with tommy bars and found that I had trouble tightening them so I added a handle (it was a cheese plane handle that flew across the room when I was buffing). What I liked best about the handle was that if it fell on the floor, it wouldn t roll straight under things (that usually involved grovelling on the floor); it would do a bit of an arc and stop. So I got leverage and convenience in one dinged up handle.
> 
> ...


Doe

All you ever need is 1 bar. If you lock the spindle the other bar is no longer needed. Hope this helps.


----------



## ArlinEastman (May 22, 2011)

> Maybe a *Bedan*? ... http://www.lavieenbois.com/html/bedane_eng.htm
> 
> - TheDane
> 
> ...


Rick

I love my Bedan and use it all the time to make dovetails and or just making stock to a certain thickness. For the dovetail I grind one edge longer than the other which I grind the left side to the longer grind.

I also did not know anyone was using this anymore so it is nice people still have questions or suggestions on tools, knowhow or anything else.


----------



## vikingcape (Jan 3, 2013)

I just wanted to say thanks for this as I am a brand new turner and will probably be back with questions soon. Great resources here


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

I recently made a few duplicate turnings and a bedan would have been a very handy tool.

Similar idea … has anyone ever used a skew that was sharpened on one side only? I was given some tools and now have a surplus of skews, was thinking of regrinding one to try it.


----------



## ArlinEastman (May 22, 2011)

Rick

Never done that but I have turned a lot of skews into round or square scrappers.


----------

