1. I can tell when my gouge is as sharp as it can be by how well it is
cutting. I need to resharpen to find out because I can't compensate for
a borderline tool by good technique.


2. I can assure better quality by paying more. It's true, I usually get
what I pay for.
Quality doesn't cost, it pays, ...blah, blah!

3. I can produce a better finish by cutting than by scraping. Scraping
is for beginners and the faint of heart. To scrape when I could cut is
an admission.


4. Eating salad from a bowl with the wrong finish might poison me.
Carried to an absurdity nothing's safe. Why should I care about my
customer's safety, I'm not their keeper. It's only for legal reasons
that I make objects that are foodproof, fireproof, childproof and
idiotproof.


5. I can learn to turn without practicing. Books, tapes, lessons, the
net, demos etc. are all satisfying and fun, but really aren't necessary
for me to learn to turn. I don't need some expert insisting on his way.


6. With woodturning lathes, weight is always better, regardless of the
blank. There isn't a workshop or studio size lathe that's too heavy.
Keeping my auxiliary mini is a waste of space.


7. Cast iron is cast iron and hss is hss, no matter what part of the
world it comes from and Sheffield and Bethlehem steels are relics of
past glories. Balancing price and utility, M2 is the clearly the best
steel for my woodturning tools.


8. I can produce turned wood art without bothering to learn turned wood
craft. A plain well turned and finished bowl is passe'. I must have a
gimmick or add embellishment to succeed in today's marketplace. All
'Names' were once 'No
names' like me and since there's no such thing as a talent for turning,
hard work will assure my success.


9. I turn whatever I please for my own satisfaction and I really don't
care what others think about my work. Peers don't influence my choices.
Looking at outstanding turnings often depresses me.


10. I don't smoke and I'm not allergic to any timber, so I don't need to
worry about dust. Too much caution is unnecessary and ruins the pleasure
of my hobby, plus it slows production.


11. After treating 17 NIP blanks by the xxx method none cracked, so I'm
sure xxx works and no's.18 or19 won't crack. 'After that, because of
that' makes good sense.


12. I can't be doing much turning if I'm constantly posting to forums.
It's hard to tell 'turning know-how' got by turning from 'turning
informaton' got by reading. Book learning is better than so called
practical experience gained by making the same mistakes for years.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings