On Nov 2, 3:57*pm, Tim Wescott wrote:
On Sun, 02 Nov 2008 09:31:31 -0500, Joe Corona wrote:
I just got a 7x12 mini lathe,I want to practice on cheap plastic
meterial before I become proficient enough to work on metal.

Or find your local machine shop and ask if they have odds & ends that
haven't made it to the scrap yard yet -- some folks will be so tickled
that you're wanting to learn that they'll give you stuff for free, ...

Tim Wescott

Some of that mystery metal can be very discouraging, or worse, case-
hardened.

A type of steel that's fairly easy to find and very nice to turn is
"12L14". I've bought some shafting at the local bearing supply stores
that turned almost as well.

Brass brazing rod from a welding store is nice, too. They may have
larger diameters than hobby stores carry.