(Yes, this is Yet Another Newbie Question On How To Get Started....)

I want to get started doing some turning. I don't know anyone that
turns so I am looking here for some virtual hand holding as I get
started. I just want to give it a try for now and see how I like it (I
am pretty sure I will) I don't know where I want to go with it...it is
just something I have wanted to try for over 20 years and decided there
is no time like the present....


Lathe - What to buy? Small mini lathe? Something like people use to
turn pens? Can you buy something reasonable for $300?

Tools - Which ones (gouge, parting tool etc.) to buy first? From what I
understand the good stuff ain't cheap. I'd rather buy fewer good tools
now than have to replace them later on.

Sharpening system - Will a manual whet stone get it done, or am I going
to buy something like the tormek type of sharpening system.

Wood - What is good for beginners? I would imagine I am not going to
want to practice on some rare, exotic, cocarosamahogabinga thing.... Is
poplar a good beginner woods?

Safety - I would assume this is an issue. I probably need to address a
breathing mask or something.... Also is there a way to reduce the
dust/particulates/etc in the air on the whole? My son has bad allergies
and I know he will want to watch so I will need to filter the area as
much as possible.

Books - Is there a "Turning for Dummies" type of book?

Internet - Any good beginner sites? Equipment reviews?




Thanks,

Ed

"Ed Peddycoart" wrote in message
...
Lathe - What to buy? Small mini lathe? Something like people use to turn
pens? Can you buy something reasonable for $300?

Not with the recent price adjustments for the decline in the dollar. JET
mini is a good start.


Tools - Which ones (gouge, parting tool etc.) to buy first? From what I
understand the good stuff ain't cheap. I'd rather buy fewer good tools
now than have to replace them later on.


No you wouldn't. There are such a variety of tools and grinds out there
that you wouldn't be duplicating a thing. Once you determine that you like
one pattern and grind, you purchase top of line, and modify the old tool to
do another job. Get a set and learn to use them.

Sharpening system - Will a manual whet stone get it done, or am I going to
buy something like the tormek type of sharpening system.

Stones will do it, but grinders are better. If you go stones, don't bother
with those ungodly expensive and much too soft water stones. Get a medium
gouge stone and a coarse/medium carborundum. If you go grinder, go slow to
make it more useful in a shop full of carbon steel.


Wood - What is good for beginners? I would imagine I am not going to want
to practice on some rare, exotic, cocarosamahogabinga thing.... Is poplar
a good beginner woods?


Free/fire wood is best, green free wood easiest to practice on. Your
"poplar" is probably the misnamed magnolia of the east, rather than a true
poplar, but it's reasonable practice wood when you start to turn dry.

Safety - I would assume this is an issue. I probably need to address a
breathing mask or something.... Also is there a way to reduce the
dust/particulates/etc in the air on the whole? My son has bad allergies
and I know he will want to watch so I will need to filter the area as much
as possible.

Sanding can produce some dust, that's for sure. You'll want to fit
collection at the source, and maybe a nuisance mask for those at a distance.
Stay away from woods you can smell, because they'll be the worst.


Books - Is there a "Turning for Dummies" type of book?

Not that I've seen. There are a lot of "project-type" books out there with
general turning information. Frank Pain - The Practical Woodturner is the
only book I own. Library or used-book place is nice, but better to look for
a Mentor at http://www.woodturner.org/ under Local Chapters.


Internet - Any good beginner sites? Equipment reviews?


More of the "my purchase is better than your purchase" blather out there
than you care to see. Limit yourself to searching for something more
precise, like "JET Mini reviews." Same with sites. Some are simpler than
others, some so esoteric they have "artist statements" on them. Look for
sites containing information on what _you_ want, like pens.

Clubs are a great place to learn.

I am back turning after a 20 year hiatus and am a member of the New
Jersey Woodturners. We have demonstrations, an extensive library and
even lend fully equipped lathes for one month at a time. Last month,
some of the more experienced turners gave private lessons for a small
fee. The group is incredibly supportive of new turners.

Join a club!!!

Ed,

As a fellow newbie one of my favorites: Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide
to Turning by Richard Raffan.

Go to a Barnes and Noble, get a cup of coffee, and ask where the woodturning
books are because the section was tee tiny and in a corner. I'm on Social
Security but I couldn't resist buying 500 Wood Bowls, also. God, those works
are beautiful. I'm still trying to figure out the artist's (Grant Vaughn)
technique used on the cover page bowl. Such creativity of design and form
just makes me shake my head in wonder. Even his choice of Australian
Rosewood with its particularly tight grain highlighted the design and flow.

My thought is that my work will be pleasing even if I don't have their kind
of talent - wood alone is beautiful when finished, no differently than
marble or diamonds.

BTW, while I enjoy visiting B&N their prices, even after joining their club,
are a heckuva lot higher than Amazon's.

TomNie

"Ed Peddycoart" wrote in message
...
(Yes, this is Yet Another Newbie Question On How To Get Started....)

I want to get started doing some turning. I don't know anyone that turns
so I am looking here for some virtual hand holding as I get started. I
just want to give it a try for now and see how I like it (I am pretty sure
I will) I don't know where I want to go with it...it is just something I
have wanted to try for over 20 years and decided there is no time like the
present....


Lathe - What to buy? Small mini lathe? Something like people use to turn
pens? Can you buy something reasonable for $300?

Tools - Which ones (gouge, parting tool etc.) to buy first? From what I
understand the good stuff ain't cheap. I'd rather buy fewer good tools
now than have to replace them later on.

Sharpening system - Will a manual whet stone get it done, or am I going to
buy something like the tormek type of sharpening system.

Wood - What is good for beginners? I would imagine I am not going to want
to practice on some rare, exotic, cocarosamahogabinga thing.... Is poplar
a good beginner woods?

Safety - I would assume this is an issue. I probably need to address a
breathing mask or something.... Also is there a way to reduce the
dust/particulates/etc in the air on the whole? My son has bad allergies
and I know he will want to watch so I will need to filter the area as much
as possible.

Books - Is there a "Turning for Dummies" type of book?

Internet - Any good beginner sites? Equipment reviews?




Thanks,

Ed

Hello Ed,

I started turning in Otober 2003. Prior to purchasing any tools I spent
perhaps 4 or 5 months lurking on this group as well as visiting websites
dedicated to turning. While I was a tool and die builder in a previous
incarnation I knew nothing about turning wood. I went to the local library
and looked at as many of the woodturning books they had.

As to your questions.
Lathe. I doubt you can find a good new lathe for under $300.00. I bought a
Jet 1236 and it has seved me well as a starter. I may upgrade in a few years
but for now I am satisfied. The size of the lathe to purchase should
probably be dictated by several factors. How much room do you have? What
type of turning do you want to do (bowls and such, spindle turning, both? If
you want to turn pens, there is a Jet midi that gets good comments.
Tools. Someone on this group once said something to the effect of "Buy once
cry once" That is get good tools right from the start. However I have also
read that some fairly inexpensive tools but servicable tools can be had.
They can get you started as well as give you something cheaper to practice
sharpening on.
Sharpening. There is some difference of opinion on sharpening as there is
on many facets of wood turning. That is one of the things that makes it
entertaining - if you are trying something that doesn't work for you, there
is always another opinion on how it should be done. If it works for you,
great. I bought a 2 wheel grinder with one white and one grey and it works
just fine. I have a Sorby fingernail bowl gounge and have yet to develop
the skill needed to hand sharpen. I purchased a Packard jig to help me
sharpen.
Wood. I learned on hard maple and 2X4s. The maple was a beautiful wood
that I wish I had more of. Pretty much any kind of wood will work. Starting
out you want to develop a skill set and as there will be quite a number of
mistakes made it is more economical to make them on free wood.
Safety. I use a face shield. I also have a dust collector and a home-made
air cleaner. The latter is turned on when I start sanding and let running
for about an hour after I've finished. You can spend several hundred dollars
for a top of the line dust mask that will likely be good in the long run (20
years of turning without protectiuon is not a good thing). I bought a
resporator from Woodcraft
see: http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx...&FamilyID=4387
Again, depending on the type of turning there are other tools you may see a
need for. You mentioned pen turning so a drill press may well be in your
future.
Others more experienced may well chime in.
Good luck


"Ed Peddycoart" wrote in message
...
(Yes, this is Yet Another Newbie Question On How To Get Started....)

I want to get started doing some turning. I don't know anyone that
turns so I am looking here for some virtual hand holding as I get
started. I just want to give it a try for now and see how I like it (I
am pretty sure I will) I don't know where I want to go with it...it is
just something I have wanted to try for over 20 years and decided there
is no time like the present....


Lathe - What to buy? Small mini lathe? Something like people use to
turn pens? Can you buy something reasonable for $300?

Tools - Which ones (gouge, parting tool etc.) to buy first? From what I
understand the good stuff ain't cheap. I'd rather buy fewer good tools
now than have to replace them later on.

Sharpening system - Will a manual whet stone get it done, or am I going
to buy something like the tormek type of sharpening system.

Wood - What is good for beginners? I would imagine I am not going to
want to practice on some rare, exotic, cocarosamahogabinga thing.... Is
poplar a good beginner woods?

Safety - I would assume this is an issue. I probably need to address a
breathing mask or something.... Also is there a way to reduce the
dust/particulates/etc in the air on the whole? My son has bad allergies
and I know he will want to watch so I will need to filter the area as
much as possible.

Books - Is there a "Turning for Dummies" type of book?

Internet - Any good beginner sites? Equipment reviews?




Thanks,

Ed

Ed Peddycoart writes:
I want to get started doing some turning. I don't know anyone that
turns so I am looking here for some virtual hand holding as I get
started.

The AAW has chapters all over; you can usually find someone locally to
help you along.

Lathe - What to buy? Small mini lathe? Something like people use to
turn pens? Can you buy something reasonable for $300?

Size the lathe for the largest project you can imagine yourself doing.
In my case, it's table legs - so a minimum 36" span.

Tools - Which ones (gouge, parting tool etc.) to buy first? From
what I understand the good stuff ain't cheap. I'd rather buy fewer
good tools now than have to replace them later on.

My opinion is to buy the $32 "set of 8" you see in some discount
catalogs. Use them to learn how to sharpen, tune, and otherwise abuse
your tools. By the time you're ready to invest $50 in a single tool,
you'll know which one you need.

In general, though, it depends on the project. For medium spindle
work, you'll need a shallow gouge in the 1/4 to 3/8 range, a large
deep gouge or roughing gouge, and a medium skew. I have two parting
tools and only use them as small skews, I use the big skew to actually
part.

For bowl work you'll need a deep gouge (different grind) and probably
some scrapers.

Sharpening system - Will a manual whet stone get it done, or am I
going to buy something like the tormek type of sharpening system.

I got by with a cheap 6" grinder and a shop-made jig, but I did
eventually buy a Tormek. Of course, I hava the full range of
woodworking stuff to sharpen, so I justified it for planer and jointer
blades.

Wood - What is good for beginners? I would imagine I am not going
to want to practice on some rare, exotic, cocarosamahogabinga
thing.... Is poplar a good beginner woods?

Poplar is wonderful. Mahogany is good too; both have tight grain but
cut easily. Firewood and tree branches too.

Safety - I would assume this is an issue. I probably need to address
a breathing mask or something.... Also is there a way to reduce the
dust/particulates/etc in the air on the whole?

Yeah. Don't sand ;-)

Books - Is there a "Turning for Dummies" type of book?

Beginner books by Ken Rowley or Richard Raffan are my recommendations.

Internet - Any good beginner sites? Equipment reviews?

Here ;-)

Google archives of this group are immensely helpful too.

On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 22:46:09 -0500, Ed Peddycoart
wrote:

best lathe to start on is someone else's.. free and built in teacher...

next best IMO are the web sites of some of the folks here.. a turner's
webucation:

http://www.enter.net/~ultradad/index.html

http://aroundthewoods.com/

http://home.earthlink.net/~kvaughn65j/index.html

http://www.laymar-crafts.co.uk/layma...techniques.htm

http://www.ronkent.com/RKhome.html

http://www.woodturnerruss.com/Index.html

http://www.torne-lignum.com/index.html

http://ghodgeswoodturner.com/

http://groups.msn.com/NovaOwners/geo...nw?albumlist=2

http://www.turnedtreasures.com/

http://www.the-wildings.com/shop/

http://woodwork.pmccl.com/

http://personalpages.tds.net/~upgeorge/index.html

http://www.beaverpondstudio.com/

http://www.seafoamwoodturning.com/


(Yes, this is Yet Another Newbie Question On How To Get Started....)

I want to get started doing some turning. I don't know anyone that
turns so I am looking here for some virtual hand holding as I get
started. I just want to give it a try for now and see how I like it (I
am pretty sure I will) I don't know where I want to go with it...it is
just something I have wanted to try for over 20 years and decided there
is no time like the present....


Lathe - What to buy? Small mini lathe? Something like people use to
turn pens? Can you buy something reasonable for $300?

Tools - Which ones (gouge, parting tool etc.) to buy first? From what I
understand the good stuff ain't cheap. I'd rather buy fewer good tools
now than have to replace them later on.

Sharpening system - Will a manual whet stone get it done, or am I going
to buy something like the tormek type of sharpening system.

Wood - What is good for beginners? I would imagine I am not going to
want to practice on some rare, exotic, cocarosamahogabinga thing.... Is
poplar a good beginner woods?

Safety - I would assume this is an issue. I probably need to address a
breathing mask or something.... Also is there a way to reduce the
dust/particulates/etc in the air on the whole? My son has bad allergies
and I know he will want to watch so I will need to filter the area as
much as possible.

Books - Is there a "Turning for Dummies" type of book?

Internet - Any good beginner sites? Equipment reviews?




Thanks,

Ed



mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Ed Peddycoart wrote:
(Yes, this is Yet Another Newbie Question On How To Get Started....)


Sharpening system - Will a manual whet stone get it done, or am I going
to buy something like the tormek type of sharpening system.


I use a 1' by 30" belt sander like the one Harbor Freight sells for $30.
Put a 100 grit belt on it, tilt the table to your favorite angle (I
usually use 35 degrees) and sharpen away. Don't use it for wood because
the sparks made by sharpening can set sawdust smouldering. I also have
white and grey grinders, stones, diamond hones etc, but like the belt
sander best for turning tools.




--
Gerald Ross
Cochran, GA

D.A.M. -- Mothers Against Dyslexia





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Ed Peddycoart writes:

(Yes, this is Yet Another Newbie Question On How To Get Started....)

Keep an eye out for sales. Woodcraft has a 10% off everything Thursday
(tomorrow). They have their own brand of slow-speed grinder that you
can get for $75 on sale. Normally $100.

I think it's good advice to buy a set of tools to practice sharpening.
Harbor Feight has some High Speed Steel tools that are cheap.

Don't buy all at once, unless there is a reason to do so. Once you
start, you will find yourself wishing to master some sort of
object. If you do pens, then you may need several more tools you
didn't know you needed. Likewise bowls.


Lathe - What to buy? Small mini lathe? Something like people use to
turn pens? Can you buy something reasonable for $300?

The Jet JWL 1236 lathe is $499 now on Amazon. And you can save
shipping, sales tax, and sometimes get $50 off a tool purchase.
I am happy with mine. I do wish I had a slower speed than 600 rpm.


There's a harbor freight clone of the jet for $279.

Books are a good value, and joining a club, as one wrecker says.

If you are innterested in a scroll chuck, check out kmstools.com

--
Sending unsolicited commercial e-mail to this account incurs a fee of
$500 per message, and acknowledges the legality of this contract.

On Thu, 28 Jul 2005 16:52:44 GMT, (Chuck) wrote:

On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 09:57:34 -0500, "Kevin"
wrote:


Wood. I learned on hard maple and 2X4s. The maple was a beautiful wood
that I wish I had more of.

Kevin,

Where do you live that you can't get more maple? Or was it that
particular lot of maple that you pine (haha) for?

Chaz... I'm in central Calif. and don't even know what maple LOOKS like, except
for my parents old kitchen table..

We're deprived out here...I've never seen cherry except the fruit bearing kind..
never even heard of things like purple heart, osage orange, box elder, blood
wood, etc., etc., until I heard about them here and saw pictures..


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 09:57:34 -0500, "Kevin"
wrote:


Wood. I learned on hard maple and 2X4s. The maple was a beautiful wood
that I wish I had more of.

Kevin,

Where do you live that you can't get more maple? Or was it that
particular lot of maple that you pine (haha) for?


--
Chuck *#:^)
chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
Anti-spam sig: please remove "NO SPAM" from e-mail address to reply.


September 11, 2001 - Never Forget

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In article ,
Ed Peddycoart wrote:

Lathe - What to buy? Small mini lathe? Something like people use to
turn pens? Can you buy something reasonable for $300?

Do a newsgroup search for "mini" and "midi" - specifically looking at
the Jet and Delta brands. These are fine, solid and well-respected cast
iron lathes that serve their owners very, very well. I've had one as my
sole lathe for 4 years now and am just now at the point of moving up.
Many long-time turners who have expensive machines buy one of these
mini/midi's as a second or traveling lathe. Their only drawback is 10"
diameter max turning but you can learn a lot and do a lot within this
size - plus you can turn up to something like 37" long with the bed
extension.

For online sources look at: Packard Woodworks, Craft Supplies (Utah, not
England), Woodcraft and Rockler. Sears used to carry the Delta Midi but
I don't know if they still do.

Tools - Which ones (gouge, parting tool etc.) to buy first? From what I
understand the good stuff ain't cheap. I'd rather buy fewer good tools
now than have to replace them later on.

Keep in mind that no matter how much you spend, with use, you'll have to
replace every tool you ever buy. Doesn't matter how much it costs, tools
are consumables. The Harbor Freight high-speed steel set has gotten
pretty favorable feedback here as a good starter. The thing about such
sets is to use them, practice sharpening them, use them, reshape them,
use them, alter the shape again, use them, etc. It's this exploration
process which will tell you what kind of tool you might favor when it
comes time to replacing the inexpensive tool with a higher quality one.

--
Owen Lowe

Northwest Woodturners,
Cascade Woodturners,
Pacific Northwest Woodturning Guild
___
Safety Tip'o'th'week: Never grind aluminum and steel or iron on the same
machine or workstation - Thermite.
http://www.hanford.gov/lessons/sitell/ll01/2001-36.htm

Chuck,
Norway Maple gorws like a weed around here (south central Indiana). The
hard maple was the stump that came from a tree that was wacked down in
August 2003-- 2 months before I got my lathe.
Anyways I do have a very large chunk of Norway (soft?) maple outside for
about a year now. I heard a chainsaw running one day and like a kid running
to the neighborhood ice cream truck, I went. Neighbor was glad to get rid
of it and two other pieces. He even delivered it! The one I have left is
about 20 some inches in diameter and 4 foot high. I'll be ripping it in a
few weeks. I think that there will be some pretty good spalting.



"Chuck" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 09:57:34 -0500, "Kevin"
wrote:


Wood. I learned on hard maple and 2X4s. The maple was a beautiful wood
that I wish I had more of.

Kevin,

Where do you live that you can't get more maple? Or was it that
particular lot of maple that you pine (haha) for?


--
Chuck *#:^)
chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
Anti-spam sig: please remove "NO SPAM" from e-mail address to reply.


September 11, 2001 - Never Forget

----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet
News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+
Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption
=----

Ed Peddycoart wrote:
(Yes, this is Yet Another Newbie Question On How To Get Started....)
=20
I want to get started doing some turning. I don't know anyone that=20
turns so I am looking here for some virtual hand holding as I get=20
started. I just want to give it a try for now and see how I like it (I=
=20
am pretty sure I will) I don't know where I want to go with it...it is=
=20
just something I have wanted to try for over 20 years and decided there=
=20
is no time like the present....
=20
=20
Lathe - What to buy? Small mini lathe? Something like people use to=20
turn pens? Can you buy something reasonable for $300?
=20
Tools - Which ones (gouge, parting tool etc.) to buy first? From what =
I=20
understand the good stuff ain't cheap. I'd rather buy fewer good tools=
=20
now than have to replace them later on.
=20
Sharpening system - Will a manual whet stone get it done, or am I going=
=20
to buy something like the tormek type of sharpening system.
=20
Wood - What is good for beginners? I would imagine I am not going to=20
want to practice on some rare, exotic, cocarosamahogabinga thing.... Is=
=20
poplar a good beginner woods?
=20
Safety - I would assume this is an issue. I probably need to address a=
=20
breathing mask or something.... Also is there a way to reduce the=20
dust/particulates/etc in the air on the whole? My son has bad allergie=
s=20
and I know he will want to watch so I will need to filter the area as=20
much as possible.
=20
Books - Is there a "Turning for Dummies" type of book?
=20
Internet - Any good beginner sites? Equipment reviews?
=20
=20
=20
=20
Thanks,
=20
Ed

Ed:

Have a look at my web site.

In Canada you can get the following lathes at close to $300
http://www.kingcanada.com/Products.htm?CD=3D29

I have the mini lathe -- very similar to Jet and General and cheaper.=20
$300 CDN gets you a lathe, face plate live tail centre and tools. I=20
added the extension....

Despite warnings that things may not be mechanically "true" it has=20
proved to be fine.

Also try busy Bee tools in Canada...
http://busybeetools.com/

MASK is _essential_. DAMHIKT

I recommend an N95 dust mask as well. Get the type of masks with an=20
exhaust port... They are cooler and don't fog glasses and masks.

I am using the Carbon Steel tools that came with my lathe -- nice edge=20
-- doesn't hold well. A good HSS set is at least $200 -- local Canadian=20
Tire has a set -- nice but next year. :-)

For sharpening -- I have a grinder next to the lathe. $60 CDN I do not=20
bother with honing. Not worth the time -- at least with carbon steel tool=
s.


Check my links page for a few turning links. Visit the Darrel Feltmate=20
web site-- listen to george's advice (even when he's cranky :-) ).

Learn about LDD if you turn bowls from green wood.

Visit Lee Valley and admire the "real" turning tools. :-)
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/index....&cat=3D1%2c330


Turn some basswood and pine spindles. When they fly off the lathe and=20
belt you they don't hurt as much as the heavier woods.

Turning Books
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...&cat=3D1,46096

Darlow book -- technical and useful
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...3D1,46096,461=
26&ap=3D1

Irons Book
http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/item.a...atalog=3DBook=
s&Ntt=3Dturning+two&N=3D35&Lang=3Den&Section=3Dboo ks&zxac=3D1
Woodturning: Two Books in One
Author: Phil Irons

Very useful books for newbies.

Respect the skew but fear it not!



--=20
Will R.
Jewel Boxes and Wood Art
http://woodwork.pmccl.com
The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those=20
who have not got it.=94 George Bernard Shaw

In article ,
Ed Peddycoart wrote:

Tools - Which ones (gouge, parting tool etc.) to buy first?

Do you have a type of turning in mind that you'd like to start out with
- things like tops, candlesticks, and boxes - or bowls, plates, and
vases?

There are many different opinions on what constitutes the necessary
tools for one just starting out. I'd recommend:

3/4" roughing gouge;
3/8" spindle gouge;
1/8" parting tool;
1" round-nose scraper;
3/8" bowl gouge.

Hold off on the skew until you have a little experience in front of the
lathe. With the above you should be able to do just about any type of
turning except deep hollowing.

--
Owen Lowe

Northwest Woodturners,
Cascade Woodturners,
Pacific Northwest Woodturning Guild
___
Safety Tip'o'th'week: Never grind aluminum and steel or iron on the same
machine or workstation - Thermite.
http://www.hanford.gov/lessons/sitell/ll01/2001-36.htm

On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 22:46:09 -0500, Ed Peddycoart
wrote:

Lathe - What to buy? Small mini lathe? Something like people use to
turn pens? Can you buy something reasonable for $300?

Tools - Which ones (gouge, parting tool etc.) to buy first? From what I
understand the good stuff ain't cheap. I'd rather buy fewer good tools
now than have to replace them later on.

Sharpening system - Will a manual whet stone get it done, or am I going
to buy something like the tormek type of sharpening system.

As a relative newbie myself, here's what I've got, and it serves me
well. I got the Delta Midi lathe last winter, and opted for the free
set of eight turning tools that they were offering as a promotion-
FWIW, I feel no need to *upgrade* the Delta tools until I've used them
up, and that is going to be a good long time. Make sure you read the
manual that comes with whatever you get before you complain about the
tool! The Delta was not ready to go out of the box- it did need a
small amount of monkeying around to get the banjo and tail stock to
clamp down properly (the fix was only turning a bolt on the bottom of
each of them a half turn or so, but it you don't read the manual, you
won't know!)

The Midi (and the Jet Mini is about the same size) is able to turn a
blank about 8" in diameter and 17" long in a perfect world, but
realistically, you can get about a 7" diameter finished bowl done on
it, unless you have a really nice round blank. I've never maxed out
the spindle length, but I don't do much spindle turning, so I imagine
that is the reason. If you want to turn bowls or hollow forms, that
short bed is sort of a bonus, since you can stand right at the end of
the lathe and work on the inside quite easily. Of course, after less
than a year, I'm already wanting something with a larger swing, so
keep that in mind as well.

While I was waiting for those to arrive, I picked up a $15 set of
tools from Menards so I could play with my new toy- I found that the
Delta set is pretty good (I believe it retails for about $100) but the
edges do not get as sharp as the cheap carbon steel ones, they just
last longer with each sharpening. So, I actually rough out with the
Delta tools, which are much stiffer and higher quality, and then do a
real light final shaving with the cheap carbon steel set. The Delta
set came with two skews, a roughing gouge, a bowl gouge, a 1/4"
spindle gouge, a round-nose chisel, a square-nose chisel and a parting
tool. What I've found to be indispensible is the large skew, the
three gouges (esp. the 1/4" spindle gouge- I use it for hollowing) and
the parting tool. The round and square nose chisels and the narrow
skew I could live without (though I do use them from time to time,
mainly just because I have them) The lathe (a display model) and the
free tools came to about $285 US.

For sharpening, I just use a standard Delta 6" slimline bench grinder
mounted on a bar stool next to the lathe. If you go this route, it's
a lot less expensive, but you need to watch out for burning. The
sucker will spin for some time after you shut the switch off, so it's
actually sort of possible to use it *like* a slow-speed grinder, if
you let it speed up and then shut it off and sharpen while the motor
is winding down. Otherwise, a light touch does the trick just as
well. The only tools I hone on my oil stones are the skews- with the
gouges and parting tool, the burr left by the grinder is actually kind
of a bonus- it's really sharp, and generally gives a pretty nice cut.

You're also probably going to find that you want a chuck. There are a
whole lot of really nice ones, but if you're on a budget, Grizzly
Industrial sells one for about $40 that works pretty good- it's got
enough holding power for anything that will fit on a Midi/Mini lathe
in my experience, unless you jab the piece with a chisel and get a
really big catch. Otherwise, the Delta comes with a 6" faceplate
that will work for turning things like bowls as well, but I like the
chuck better- YMMV.

The other accessory that is almost a must have is a drill chuck for
the tail stock- if you don't want one of those, you can buy drill bits
with a MT on the end, but they're not cheap. This setup works really
well for hollowing bowls and other things- the center is the hardest
bit to turn away. If you don't have a chuck, you can use a gouge to
do it, it's just a little slower.

Wood - What is good for beginners? I would imagine I am not going to
want to practice on some rare, exotic, cocarosamahogabinga thing.... Is
poplar a good beginner woods?

Find some fire wood, and go to work. Try to avoid Oak at first- it
cracks really badly, and cutting the endgrain is terrible. Birch,
Maple and Mesquite are my favorites. Those three machine like plastic
or metal, IME. Woods like Cherry and some of the exotics look great
when they're done, but they can be really squirrely and have a lot of
tearout. Don't be afraid to toss an ugly hunk of stumpwood or a bit
of a tree that blew down in a storm on the lathe- not only is it free,
but that's where you find the really unique wood. Pine and other
softwoods can be really frustrating, so poplar wouldn't be my first
choice, but if you can get it free, give it a spin- you may like it
better than I do, at any rate. Dry basswood turns well, too- though
when wet, it can be a real PITA.

Safety - I would assume this is an issue. I probably need to address a
breathing mask or something.... Also is there a way to reduce the
dust/particulates/etc in the air on the whole? My son has bad allergies
and I know he will want to watch so I will need to filter the area as
much as possible.

Wear a face shield, at least when roughing. Especially when working
with weak woods or blanks that still have the bark on them. As far as
dust goes, I have a fan in the window, and that helps, though it's
going to be dusty no matter what you do, at least as far as I can
tell. You might get by without a dust mask depending on what wood
you're using, I don't wear one with maple or birch, but it's pretty
important if you're turning something like cedar or walnut.

Internet - Any good beginner sites? Equipment reviews?

These ones helped me out a lot:

http://www.turningtools.co.uk/wtintro/wtintro.html
For basic turning info

http://aroundthewoods.com/
For preparing and turning green wood

Plenty of other good ones, too. Not a bad idea to ask Leif to send
you his LDD treatise. Some people like it, some don't- I get better
results when I use it, so I stick with it, even though it uses a lot
more sandpaper.

On Thu, 28 Jul 2005 08:31:55 -0700, mac davis
wrote:

On Thu, 28 Jul 2005 16:52:44 GMT, (Chuck) wrote:

On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 09:57:34 -0500, "Kevin"
wrote:


Wood. I learned on hard maple and 2X4s. The maple was a beautiful wood
that I wish I had more of.

Kevin,

Where do you live that you can't get more maple? Or was it that
particular lot of maple that you pine (haha) for?

Chaz... I'm in central Calif. and don't even know what maple LOOKS like, except
for my parents old kitchen table..

We're deprived out here...I've never seen cherry except the fruit bearing kind..
never even heard of things like purple heart, osage orange, box elder, blood
wood, etc., etc., until I heard about them here and saw pictures..

Geez, Mac- you're in the wrong part of the world. If you ever happen
to be in the Wisconsin area, ping me, and I'll give you a whole maple
tree, if you want. Might even throw in a birch, too. Got about 20
sq. miles of forest land 10 minutes from my front door, and it's all
maple, oak and birch- with a few pines thrown in just to make sure
your hands don't stay too clean. $20 permit lets you harvest all the
deadfall you can carry for a year, and some of that stuff is like
solid gold bricks out there! Don't have the fruit trees or exotics,
though. I'd sure like to have some hedge apple or boxelder, but I'm
too far north for those. We get the odd cherry or willow tree here
and there, but that's about as exciting as it gets.

Welcome Ed

I'm also a fairly new turner 1 1/2 yr.

3 things that I would consider a must.

http://aroundthewoods.com/ Great site !! build the Oland tool.

Bill Grumbine - Turned Bowls made easy.DVD

Alan Lacer - The skew chisel DVD

I read the suggested books but theres nothing like seeing it done.
Watch them first and avoid bad habits.

TTFN

RandyD

In article ,
Prometheus wrote:

The Midi (and the Jet Mini is about the same size) is able to turn a
blank about 8" in diameter and 17" long in a perfect world, but
realistically, you can get about a 7" diameter finished bowl done on
it, unless you have a really nice round blank.

The largest I was able to turn out came in around 9" - but like you
said, Prometheus, that requires a round blank to start with. Most of my
bowls measured around 8". If you are careful with preparing the blanks -
even with a chainsaw - you can minimize the amount of wood you must take
off.

--
Owen Lowe

Northwest Woodturners,
Cascade Woodturners,
Pacific Northwest Woodturning Guild
___
Safety Tip'o'th'week: Never grind aluminum and steel or iron on the same
machine or workstation - Thermite.
http://www.hanford.gov/lessons/sitell/ll01/2001-36.htm

Prometheus,

Terrific response. Really appreciate the detail.

TomNie
"Prometheus" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 22:46:09 -0500, Ed Peddycoart
wrote:

Lathe - What to buy? Small mini lathe? Something like people use to
turn pens? Can you buy something reasonable for $300?

Tools - Which ones (gouge, parting tool etc.) to buy first? From what I
understand the good stuff ain't cheap. I'd rather buy fewer good tools
now than have to replace them later on.

Sharpening system - Will a manual whet stone get it done, or am I going
to buy something like the tormek type of sharpening system.

As a relative newbie myself, here's what I've got, and it serves me
well. I got the Delta Midi lathe last winter, and opted for the free
set of eight turning tools that they were offering as a promotion-
FWIW, I feel no need to *upgrade* the Delta tools until I've used them
up, and that is going to be a good long time. Make sure you read the
manual that comes with whatever you get before you complain about the
tool! The Delta was not ready to go out of the box- it did need a
small amount of monkeying around to get the banjo and tail stock to
clamp down properly (the fix was only turning a bolt on the bottom of
each of them a half turn or so, but it you don't read the manual, you
won't know!)

The Midi (and the Jet Mini is about the same size) is able to turn a
blank about 8" in diameter and 17" long in a perfect world, but
realistically, you can get about a 7" diameter finished bowl done on
it, unless you have a really nice round blank. I've never maxed out
the spindle length, but I don't do much spindle turning, so I imagine
that is the reason. If you want to turn bowls or hollow forms, that
short bed is sort of a bonus, since you can stand right at the end of
the lathe and work on the inside quite easily. Of course, after less
than a year, I'm already wanting something with a larger swing, so
keep that in mind as well.

While I was waiting for those to arrive, I picked up a $15 set of
tools from Menards so I could play with my new toy- I found that the
Delta set is pretty good (I believe it retails for about $100) but the
edges do not get as sharp as the cheap carbon steel ones, they just
last longer with each sharpening. So, I actually rough out with the
Delta tools, which are much stiffer and higher quality, and then do a
real light final shaving with the cheap carbon steel set. The Delta
set came with two skews, a roughing gouge, a bowl gouge, a 1/4"
spindle gouge, a round-nose chisel, a square-nose chisel and a parting
tool. What I've found to be indispensible is the large skew, the
three gouges (esp. the 1/4" spindle gouge- I use it for hollowing) and
the parting tool. The round and square nose chisels and the narrow
skew I could live without (though I do use them from time to time,
mainly just because I have them) The lathe (a display model) and the
free tools came to about $285 US.

For sharpening, I just use a standard Delta 6" slimline bench grinder
mounted on a bar stool next to the lathe. If you go this route, it's
a lot less expensive, but you need to watch out for burning. The
sucker will spin for some time after you shut the switch off, so it's
actually sort of possible to use it *like* a slow-speed grinder, if
you let it speed up and then shut it off and sharpen while the motor
is winding down. Otherwise, a light touch does the trick just as
well. The only tools I hone on my oil stones are the skews- with the
gouges and parting tool, the burr left by the grinder is actually kind
of a bonus- it's really sharp, and generally gives a pretty nice cut.

You're also probably going to find that you want a chuck. There are a
whole lot of really nice ones, but if you're on a budget, Grizzly
Industrial sells one for about $40 that works pretty good- it's got
enough holding power for anything that will fit on a Midi/Mini lathe
in my experience, unless you jab the piece with a chisel and get a
really big catch. Otherwise, the Delta comes with a 6" faceplate
that will work for turning things like bowls as well, but I like the
chuck better- YMMV.

The other accessory that is almost a must have is a drill chuck for
the tail stock- if you don't want one of those, you can buy drill bits
with a MT on the end, but they're not cheap. This setup works really
well for hollowing bowls and other things- the center is the hardest
bit to turn away. If you don't have a chuck, you can use a gouge to
do it, it's just a little slower.

Wood - What is good for beginners? I would imagine I am not going to
want to practice on some rare, exotic, cocarosamahogabinga thing.... Is
poplar a good beginner woods?

Find some fire wood, and go to work. Try to avoid Oak at first- it
cracks really badly, and cutting the endgrain is terrible. Birch,
Maple and Mesquite are my favorites. Those three machine like plastic
or metal, IME. Woods like Cherry and some of the exotics look great
when they're done, but they can be really squirrely and have a lot of
tearout. Don't be afraid to toss an ugly hunk of stumpwood or a bit
of a tree that blew down in a storm on the lathe- not only is it free,
but that's where you find the really unique wood. Pine and other
softwoods can be really frustrating, so poplar wouldn't be my first
choice, but if you can get it free, give it a spin- you may like it
better than I do, at any rate. Dry basswood turns well, too- though
when wet, it can be a real PITA.

Safety - I would assume this is an issue. I probably need to address a
breathing mask or something.... Also is there a way to reduce the
dust/particulates/etc in the air on the whole? My son has bad allergies
and I know he will want to watch so I will need to filter the area as
much as possible.

Wear a face shield, at least when roughing. Especially when working
with weak woods or blanks that still have the bark on them. As far as
dust goes, I have a fan in the window, and that helps, though it's
going to be dusty no matter what you do, at least as far as I can
tell. You might get by without a dust mask depending on what wood
you're using, I don't wear one with maple or birch, but it's pretty
important if you're turning something like cedar or walnut.

Internet - Any good beginner sites? Equipment reviews?

These ones helped me out a lot:

http://www.turningtools.co.uk/wtintro/wtintro.html
For basic turning info

http://aroundthewoods.com/
For preparing and turning green wood

Plenty of other good ones, too. Not a bad idea to ask Leif to send
you his LDD treatise. Some people like it, some don't- I get better
results when I use it, so I stick with it, even though it uses a lot
more sandpaper.

On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 08:27:16 -0500, Prometheus wrote:

On Thu, 28 Jul 2005 08:31:55 -0700, mac davis
wrote:

On Thu, 28 Jul 2005 16:52:44 GMT, (Chuck) wrote:

On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 09:57:34 -0500, "Kevin"
wrote:


Wood. I learned on hard maple and 2X4s. The maple was a beautiful wood
that I wish I had more of.

Kevin,

Where do you live that you can't get more maple? Or was it that
particular lot of maple that you pine (haha) for?

Chaz... I'm in central Calif. and don't even know what maple LOOKS like, except
for my parents old kitchen table..

We're deprived out here...I've never seen cherry except the fruit bearing kind..
never even heard of things like purple heart, osage orange, box elder, blood
wood, etc., etc., until I heard about them here and saw pictures..

Geez, Mac- you're in the wrong part of the world. If you ever happen
to be in the Wisconsin area, ping me, and I'll give you a whole maple
tree, if you want. Might even throw in a birch, too. Got about 20
sq. miles of forest land 10 minutes from my front door, and it's all
maple, oak and birch- with a few pines thrown in just to make sure
your hands don't stay too clean. $20 permit lets you harvest all the
deadfall you can carry for a year, and some of that stuff is like
solid gold bricks out there! Don't have the fruit trees or exotics,
though. I'd sure like to have some hedge apple or boxelder, but I'm
too far north for those. We get the odd cherry or willow tree here
and there, but that's about as exciting as it gets.

argggg... you suck.. lol
We have so many pine, fir and sequoia trees in this area that you feel like
you're in the Donner Party.. you can get 6 cords of that a year with a $60
grounded tree permit..

Chaz has been telling me about the hardwood forests in New York... sounds like
turner's heaven! On the left coast, we tend to picture NY as a big city that
covers the state.. *g*

He's offered to send me some samples and I'm really looking forward not only to
turning things like cherry, but just looking and feeling it..
that would sound sorta kinky in "public", but I think most wood workers can
identify with that..


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 18:21:09 -0400, RandyD wrote:

Welcome Ed

I'm also a fairly new turner 1 1/2 yr.

3 things that I would consider a must.

http://aroundthewoods.com/ Great site !! build the Oland tool.

Bill Grumbine - Turned Bowls made easy.DVD

Alan Lacer - The skew chisel DVD

I read the suggested books but theres nothing like seeing it done.
Watch them first and avoid bad habits.

TTFN

RandyD

Great advice, Randy...
I'd add that with DVD/tape you watch them several times, especially Bill's
DVD...
As you learn, progress and get experience, different parts of the videos make
sense or are understandable.. where the first time you watch them, you're just
looking for the "how do I do it" part and not really noticing the technique,
tool position, etc...


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 08:27:16 -0500, Prometheus
wrote:


I'd sure like to have some hedge apple or boxelder, but I'm
too far north for those. We get the odd cherry or willow tree here
and there, but that's about as exciting as it gets.

You're definitely not too far north for box elder, aka "Manitoba
Maple." As the common name implies, box elder (acer negundo) grows
quite a bit farther north than you are, and, like other maple species,
is noted for its resistance to cold.. Other than for shade, though,
it's not a commercially valuable tree, so people don't really go out
of their way to plant them or harvest them.



--
Chuck *#:^)
chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
Anti-spam sig: please remove "NO SPAM" from e-mail address to reply.


September 11, 2001 - Never Forget

----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

"Chuck" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 08:27:16 -0500, Prometheus
wrote:


I'd sure like to have some hedge apple or boxelder, but I'm
too far north for those. We get the odd cherry or willow tree here
and there, but that's about as exciting as it gets.

You're definitely not too far north for box elder, aka "Manitoba
Maple." As the common name implies, box elder (acer negundo) grows
quite a bit farther north than you are, and, like other maple species,
is noted for its resistance to cold.. Other than for shade, though,
it's not a commercially valuable tree, so people don't really go out
of their way to plant them or harvest them.


http://sis.agr.gc.ca/cansis/nsdb/cli...ess/intro.html

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/

Show Acer negundo as an indicator species for zone 2b.

This is not, however, the full story. Where competition exists, A negundo
is much less common. Here, though we're zone 3 or thereabouts, it grows
only near the lakes, where the temperature is moderated by the water.

George,

Zone 3!? Do people actually live that far North??

TomNie

"George" George@least wrote in message
...

"Chuck" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 08:27:16 -0500, Prometheus
wrote:


I'd sure like to have some hedge apple or boxelder, but I'm
too far north for those. We get the odd cherry or willow tree here
and there, but that's about as exciting as it gets.

You're definitely not too far north for box elder, aka "Manitoba
Maple." As the common name implies, box elder (acer negundo) grows
quite a bit farther north than you are, and, like other maple species,
is noted for its resistance to cold.. Other than for shade, though,
it's not a commercially valuable tree, so people don't really go out
of their way to plant them or harvest them.


http://sis.agr.gc.ca/cansis/nsdb/cli...ess/intro.html

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/

Show Acer negundo as an indicator species for zone 2b.

This is not, however, the full story. Where competition exists, A
negundo is much less common. Here, though we're zone 3 or thereabouts, it
grows only near the lakes, where the temperature is moderated by the
water.

On Tue, 02 Aug 2005 16:31:33 GMT, (Chuck)
wrote:

On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 08:27:16 -0500, Prometheus
wrote:


I'd sure like to have some hedge apple or boxelder, but I'm
too far north for those. We get the odd cherry or willow tree here
and there, but that's about as exciting as it gets.

You're definitely not too far north for box elder, aka "Manitoba
Maple." As the common name implies, box elder (acer negundo) grows
quite a bit farther north than you are, and, like other maple species,
is noted for its resistance to cold.. Other than for shade, though,
it's not a commercially valuable tree, so people don't really go out
of their way to plant them or harvest them.

Perhaps I just haven't gotten lucky yet- I've been looking for
boxelder for a while, and nothing. The turnings I've seen from it
look great, with nice contrasting red and white. The field guide I've
got says they like lowland areas near water, but no luck so far, and
I've hiked around a whole bunch of sawmps and ponds out in the forest.
I'll keep looking, though.

In article , Prometheus
wrote:

Perhaps I just haven't gotten lucky yet- I've been looking for
boxelder for a while, and nothing. The turnings I've seen from it
look great, with nice contrasting red and white. The field guide I've
got says they like lowland areas near water, but no luck so far, and
I've hiked around a whole bunch of sawmps and ponds out in the forest.
I'll keep looking, though.

They're a very common tree here in Saskatoon, and throughout the
Canadian Prairies.

I got some lovely burl a couple of years ago from a fellow a couple of
blocks over who took one out to build a garage. I still have a lot of
it.

Samples:

http://homepage.mac.com/balderstone/PhotoAlbum2.html
That one went to the family I got the burl from.

http://homepage.mac.com/balderstone/PhotoAlbum6.html
These went to my mom, and my dad and his wife.

--
~ Stay Calm... Be Brave... Wait for the Signs ~
------------------------------------------------------
One site: http://www.balderstone.ca
The other site, with ww linkshttp://www.woodenwabbits.com

Tom Nie wrote:
George,

Zone 3!? Do people actually live that far North??

TomNie

"George" George@least wrote in message
...

"Chuck" wrote in message
...

On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 08:27:16 -0500, Prometheus
wrote:



I'd sure like to have some hedge apple or boxelder, but I'm
too far north for those. We get the odd cherry or willow tree here
and there, but that's about as exciting as it gets.

You're definitely not too far north for box elder, aka "Manitoba
Maple." As the common name implies, box elder (acer negundo) grows
quite a bit farther north than you are, and, like other maple species,
is noted for its resistance to cold.. Other than for shade, though,
it's not a commercially valuable tree, so people don't really go out
of their way to plant them or harvest them.


http://sis.agr.gc.ca/cansis/nsdb/cli...ess/intro.html

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/

Show Acer negundo as an indicator species for zone 2b.

This is not, however, the full story. Where competition exists, A
negundo is much less common. Here, though we're zone 3 or thereabouts, it
grows only near the lakes, where the temperature is moderated by the
water.




Try Zone 1 and we're all surviving. Maby not the happiest come Jan &
Feb, but Thats About To Change. Lotus land here we come (Canadian Version).

Hi Prometheus

We have lots of box elder up here in south-west Ontario, it's looked
upon as a weed tree, not my favorite wood, usually there is no red
streaking in them, it seems only damage to the tree will trigger the red
coloration, a lot of the trees do have some burl or figure in the wood
though.
As for you looking for the trees in the forest, I would say that's the
wrong place, they don't seem to do well in the competition of a forest,
around here you will find them mostly in corners of peoples back yard,
fence rows, open waste places etc.
So maybe if you look at some different places you might find some, or
ask some of the highway crews or county road department people, they
would know if there is some around I would think

http://homepage.mac.com/l.vanderloo/PhotoAlbum12.html

Have fun and take care
Leo Van Der Loo

Prometheus wrote:
SNIP
Perhaps I just haven't gotten lucky yet- I've been looking for
boxelder for a while, and nothing. The turnings I've seen from it
look great, with nice contrasting red and white. The field guide I've
got says they like lowland areas near water, but no luck so far, and
I've hiked around a whole bunch of sawmps and ponds out in the forest.
I'll keep looking, though.

"Tom Nie" wrote in message
...
George,

Zone 3!? Do people actually live that far North??


Yep, where there's still a picking of peas for today, and it's August. Of
course, tomatoes are a different matter.

On Tue, 02 Aug 2005 22:26:16 -0400, Leo Van Der Loo
wrote:


Hi Prometheus

We have lots of box elder up here in south-west Ontario, it's looked
upon as a weed tree, not my favorite wood, usually there is no red
streaking in them, it seems only damage to the tree will trigger the red
coloration, a lot of the trees do have some burl or figure in the wood
though.

Ah... if that's the case, perhaps it's not worth looking for it
specifically. I figured the red was something akin to the nice
double-grained (for lack of a better term) bits in Birch and Beech.
Here, in Wisconsin (at least where I'm at) Maples are the weed tree,
though the ones that survive the lawn mowers and grow to a respectable
size are still appreciated by most.

As for you looking for the trees in the forest, I would say that's the
wrong place, they don't seem to do well in the competition of a forest,
around here you will find them mostly in corners of peoples back yard,
fence rows, open waste places etc.

Good tip, I'll keep that in mind. I just mainly use the forest with
my deadfall permit, and keep visiting the trees I like after each
storm to see if they've been struck down. Getting on to people's
backyards and fencerows seems like either a good way to make friends,
or to get punched in the eye. Not knowing how any given person might
react to the idea of a stranger cutting down a tree makes me just kind
of avoid it, though I've made exceptions when there is a tree that is
obviously blocking a driveway or road. Sometimes people appreciate
that kind of help.

So maybe if you look at some different places you might find some, or
ask some of the highway crews or county road department people, they
would know if there is some around I would think

That's a good idea. I'll also check the public hunting grounds- IIRC,
the phesant fields have a couple of narrow rows of tree cover.

We have an abundance of box elder here. It is truly a weed tree. I hate
it. It grows in the cracks in the pavement, behind the shop, next to the
house. But, if you like I can try to send you some seeds when the come up
again. But, my recommendation is to just stick with regular maple.

I chopped some of it up at my parents' new house and of the 3 - 14" trees,
only one had red in it right below the fork. Other than that, it was just
plain, boring and soft.

Plus, the Box Elder beetles suck. lots.

We have been clearing the box elder to make way for their black locusts to
grow. Gotta love selective culling.

They do, however, have an oak on the back corner that is probably 6 feet in
diameter. Huge ass tree. Just amazing.
And they have some large elm trees (2+ feet) at the street line. One is
dead and barkless. I am waiting just a little while longer to cut that one
down. When I do, I will let you guys know and offer some of you guys near
here.



"Prometheus" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 02 Aug 2005 22:26:16 -0400, Leo Van Der Loo
wrote:


Hi Prometheus

We have lots of box elder up here in south-west Ontario, it's looked
upon as a weed tree, not my favorite wood, usually there is no red
streaking in them, it seems only damage to the tree will trigger the red
coloration, a lot of the trees do have some burl or figure in the wood
though.

Ah... if that's the case, perhaps it's not worth looking for it
specifically. I figured the red was something akin to the nice
double-grained (for lack of a better term) bits in Birch and Beech.
Here, in Wisconsin (at least where I'm at) Maples are the weed tree,
though the ones that survive the lawn mowers and grow to a respectable
size are still appreciated by most.

As for you looking for the trees in the forest, I would say that's the
wrong place, they don't seem to do well in the competition of a forest,
around here you will find them mostly in corners of peoples back yard,
fence rows, open waste places etc.

Good tip, I'll keep that in mind. I just mainly use the forest with
my deadfall permit, and keep visiting the trees I like after each
storm to see if they've been struck down. Getting on to people's
backyards and fencerows seems like either a good way to make friends,
or to get punched in the eye. Not knowing how any given person might
react to the idea of a stranger cutting down a tree makes me just kind
of avoid it, though I've made exceptions when there is a tree that is
obviously blocking a driveway or road. Sometimes people appreciate
that kind of help.

So maybe if you look at some different places you might find some, or
ask some of the highway crews or county road department people, they
would know if there is some around I would think

That's a good idea. I'll also check the public hunting grounds- IIRC,
the phesant fields have a couple of narrow rows of tree cover.