You are right on about Darrell's site and his contribution to helping
turners. You are also to be commended in trying to figure out why things are
done a certain way and if there are alternatives. The alternatives often are
exactly what you need if you don't have a certain tool or lathe feature.

Ecnerwal pretty well summed up why Darrell did what he did. I would have
rounded the blank with a bandsaw first but not everybody has a bandsaw.

I may have put it between centers and turned a tenon for a chuck but not
likely. If I had been working with a piece oriented like a spindle (grain
parallel to bed) using centers, I likely would have turned a chuck tenon -
just me! So in the orientation shown on his site I probably would have used
a glue block (if material at a premium) or screwchuck.

Keep thinking!
Billh

"Paul Kierstead" wrote in message
news
I am finding this turning thing to be a great stress reliever; go in for
half an hour or a hour, come out a more relaxed man, even when it goes
badly. And I am getting towards destroying wood in a more constructive
fashion. So far, I figure there are only so many light pulls and shaker
pegs that I need, so want to move to up using enormous amounts of wood
to do something slightly more useful. Ok, probably not at all useful,
but something I could give away anyway.

Mr. Feltmate's website just appeals to me in a great way. It kicks ass.
I'd actually like to meet him in spite of my feelings about religion,
which says a lot. It might be because I am an easterner, but still; he
has a way that is very friendly to novices. As such, I was having a
gander at his tea light holder, especially since it has a big bold
BEGINNER in the description. See
http://www.aroundthewoods.com/tealights.shtml

Ok, if you got this far (congrats!), the question: He does the initial
turning on a glue block but recommends the bottom cut and finishing be
done on a four-jaw chuck. My question is why the glue block for the
first stage (ok, actually second...)? I would think this sequence:

1. Initial round and flatten faces between the centers. Make a tenon.
2. Insert Tenon into chuck and turn most of bowl as he does on a glue
block.
3. Reverse and do the bottom and finish.

In (1), why doesn't he roughly make it round?
In (2), why a glue block instead of a chuck? Strength issues, or perhaps
the because the tenon wastes a little more wood? Or just in case you
don't have a chuck (he seems economically minded); he does point out you
could use a jam chuck for (3)

I am just trying to understand the principles and concepts of turning
rather then follow a formula....

Thanks for the patience and great help so far!

PK