Hi all

I am new to woodturning and am looking for basic woodturning projects anyone
got any plans they can send me. I have not made any on the lathe yet what is
the first thing i should turn. I need all the help i can get my hands on.

James

when I started turning I needed some projects that were cheap in
materials but which taught technique.

A simple wood rolling pin is a nice project. Turn between centers,
rough ot from square stock and some detail work on the handles.

For faceplate work cheeseboards or any shallow bowl is good.

Some of the first items I made were simple candle sticks and though I
sold at craft fairs, five years later i still had these original
sticks. Lo, this past spring I had an individual looking for something
"special" and I invited them to my house to select from a greater
variety than available at a show. Of cousre, you can guess, they picked
these candle sticks (now nice and dry after 5 years) and thought these
were so special.

So have a go, it matters not what you make. Its your eye and as you can
see above, it only takes one person to think what you did is specal "to
them"

I'm still at it 5 years latter and still learing and trying to become
better

Hello James,

When I first started turning, I was also doing blacksmithing. I first made a set
of tools or what I thought a set of tools should look like. I turned the first
handle, using the tang of a woodworkers rasp that had a bevel ground on it and
the edge sort of skewed. I put my newely forged and heat treated skew chisel
into the new handle, and used it to make the other five handles. The handles
were made out of wood salvaged from my firewood pile. I think they were Alder,
but they could have been maple. I had some of both.

Now, with a full set of tools, I converted a lot of firewood into piles of
shavings. I turned them round, turned beads, turned coves, made "V" grooves,
etc. Then I made my wife the set of table lamps that she wanted. I turned a lot
of spinner tops, they help give one tool control. I turned a lot of weed pots,
these are little vases with a hole drilled down their center in which dried
flowers could be displayed.

I don't really recommend turning any particular thing to start with, just learn
how the tools cut, how to sharpen them, and make a lot of shavings out of cheap
or free wood. When you can sharpen your tools where they will cut nice clean
shavings and you've learned how to make the tool do what you want it to do, then
and only then, find some simple project to make and make it several times to
prove that you have your tool control the way you need it. I think someone
recommended a rolling pin. That is a nice project to begin your project turning
with. But remember, learn to sharpen and use the tools first!

At that point, you'll be ready for a project book. I recommend you subscribe to
Woodturning magazine, published in the UK and buy Keith Rowley's book. Richard
Raffan also has several good books, his Turning Wood with Richard Raffan is very
good.

Welcome to the world of woodturning.

Fred Holder
http://www.fholder.com/

In article , James Williams
says...

Hi all

I am new to woodturning and am looking for basic woodturning projects anyone
got any plans they can send me. I have not made any on the lathe yet what is
the first thing i should turn. I need all the help i can get my hands on.

James

Hi James,

You don't say where in the UK that you live. There are lots of woodturning
clubs around where you can talk to turners for freely given advice. At my
club, The Oxford Woodturners, we have frequent demonstrations by
professional turners and 'hands on' evenings where you can have a go. The
best way forward is to WATCH, MIMIC and PRACTICE. See how the demonstrator
gets a particular shape, go home and mimic how he achieved it and then
practice what you have learned. There are always members willing to help
'newbys'.
Just make shapes to start with, coves, beads etc,. The rest will follow.
I usually go to my lathe and just have five minutes making shavings before I
start a project. This then gets me set up mentally for the job in hand.
When you start turning, keep your first pieces of work so that as you
progress in proficiency you can look back and reassure yourself that all the
practice has been worth it. Turning is a very therapeutic and rewarding
hobby so persevere,don't worry if things don't always end up as you had
hoped and welcome to the world of woodturning.

Charlie

--
----------------------------------------
Mr Charlie Jones
Student Workshop Supervisor
Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
Oxford University,South Parks Road
Oxford, OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom

tel. (44) 1865 275441
or (44) 1865 275168
fax (44) 1865 275410
mob 07833392589
----------------------------------------
"James Williams" wrote in message
. uk...
Hi all

I am new to woodturning and am looking for basic woodturning projects
anyone
got any plans they can send me. I have not made any on the lathe yet what
is
the first thing i should turn. I need all the help i can get my hands on.

James

I would like to thank all for the replies i have received i will just have
to practice now well i am of to my shed. I live 12 miles from Edinburgh.
"James Williams" wrote in message
. uk...
Hi all

I am new to woodturning and am looking for basic woodturning projects
anyone
got any plans they can send me. I have not made any on the lathe yet what
is
the first thing i should turn. I need all the help i can get my hands on.

James

My suggestion comes from teaching begining turning to two of my
granddaughters. Turn a vase! There is no shape that is really ugly and
there is lots of room to experiment. After they get the piece in the round
I encourage them to make a drawing of what is possible within the dimensions
of that round and then go for it! Afterwards I drill an appropriately sized
center hole, line it with water resistant varnish, and we thus have a work
of art.

Bob Moody

James Williams wrote:

Hi all

I am new to woodturning and am looking for basic woodturning projects anyone
got any plans they can send me. I have not made any on the lathe yet what is
the first thing i should turn. I need all the help i can get my hands on.

James

Sounds like you'll not be needing plans for a while so here are some
ideas for simple to semi-simple spindle type turning

tops
christmas tree ornaments
finials
MAGIC WANDS!

Kids love magic wands, what with Harry Potter being all the rage.
You can turn the handles on even a pen making lathe, the wand
can be rough rounded with a block plane or a pen knife for that
matter then chucked up in a hand drill or drill press and sanded
round. Two holes, one dowel and some glue gets the two parts
together. You'll get a lot of practice turning beads, coves, ogees
etc. AND probably develop some bad habits you'll later need
to unlearn.

Find a book or two on the type of turning you think you want
to do, or better yet a tape or DVD. Find someone who can
show and tell, maybe join a turners club.

This is a slippery slope so be prepared to drop a chunk of
change on what may become an addictive obsession.

This may give you some ideas.

http://home.comcast.net/~charliebcz/...stThePics.html

charlie b
budding Rotationiste