wonder if only a _little_ learning about things that aren't 'need to
know' for turning isn't sufficient. I even wonder if too much dogmatic
turning advice could sometimes hinder our progress and ruin our fun?

Hi Arch,

Are you asking if a little knowledge is okay and we should let it go at
that and not get so hung up on myriad tools and techniques? If so, it's a
good question. "Whatever makes you happy" is probably the best answer,
and it will be different for each of us. Personally, I like knowing all
the possible ways to do something, not just find one way that works and
then do it the same way every time. For instance, I like to know about
lots of different chucking methods so I can choose the one that seems best
suited for the current project. And I like to be skilled at being able to
make the same cut (like rolling a bead, for example) with many different
types of tools so I can use the best method for my current situation, not
just the only one I know. I think turning is more fun if you have a
certain amount of mastery, and that comes with knowledge and practice.
And even if I was going to be a one technique kind of guy, my favorite
technique might well be the one I haven't learned yet, so I need to try
everything sooner or later, anyway. But that's just me, your mileage may
vary. I think if a guy wants to putter around on his mini lathe and make
a doorknob with a scraper because that's the only tool he's confident
with, and if he's having fun and he's happy, then that's the right thing
for him to do, and more power to him. Been there, done that. But I'm in
a different place now. Maybe I'll go back to that someday, who knows?
We each gotta find our own way, and we shouldn't disparage anyone who does
it differently. If we turn for pleasure, then the bottom line is
"whatever makes you happy."

best wishes,

-mike paulson, fort collins, co