Hello. I've been lurking around for a few days, and I thought
I'd stop and introduce myself. Without making it sound too
much like an AA meeting... My name is Bob, and I think I'm
about to become a turnaholic.

For the last 40 years or so (I'm 60.) I've had this bug in the
back of my head with wood and lathes. Five years ago we
moved from California to Maine, and while my wife was in
California moving our stuff out here I ran out and bought a
fairly complete woodshop. I won't say what her reaction was,
but while I was on this buying spree I had a short brain fade and
bought what you guys would probably call a cheap lathe and
a set of turning tools. This thing has been sitting in the back
of my wood shop for five years now. I never used it.

Why did I never use it? Fear. I have this terrible fear that
once I start using it I won't be able to stop. About two weeks
ago I glued together a couple pieces of 3/4" oak and actually
turned a fairly respectable candlestick. I impressed myself.

There's just something incredibly addicting about watching
those chips fly and the smooth wonderful shapes that emerge
from the wood. Wood is such an "honest" material. It is
what it is, and it's not going to change. I like it.

Anyway, I found a local guy who gives lessons so my present to
me this Christmas is a set of turning lessons. I hope to be off
and running early next year.

Thanks for listening!


Bob Becker

www.becker.org

Bob:

So yourself a favor... keep the first few things you turn. If you stay
with this, you will really get a charge out of them later.

Lots of good info here on this NG, and some have generously spent a lot
of time and effort to put up informative, instructive site dedicated to
turning.

Take a few lessons if you can afford it as they can help you decide
right away if you like this stuff. But the most important thing in my
mind would be to join a club. There are so many talented,skilled
people just turn for fun it will surprise you.

Most woodturners are usually generous with their time, knowledge, and
sometimes their wood, as long as you don't get to close to the private
stash.

Good luck, remember... Google is your friend and you can search these
archives endlessly for info.

Let us know how you are doing!

Robert

Hello Bob, Welcome aboard. Your fears are well grounded since you are
already hooked. Many here are turning nice work from roadkill wood on
cheap lathes, using home made tools and learning from net sites.
Everybody on this ng has something to contribute, so chip in and help.
Suggest you pay little attention to my advice and exercise caution with
most others.

I don't know any turners in Portland or Durham. Who is giving the
lessons? I love my little downeast Maine island & camp, except around
ice out and black fly time. After these many years, this Florida Cracker
is still from "away". Of course, they should close the state up after
Thanksgiving. Well, maybe after New Year's Day. Happy Turning, Bob.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings

Hi Bob,
Well you are pretty well doomed so you might as well accept it. The real
beauty of turning is not the bowls, the grain, the spindles, the shape, but
the lovely fact that you don't have to try and get the darn thing square!
Enjoy, and you are certainly doing the right thing by getting some lessons
up front.
billh

"Bob Becker" wrote in message
...
Hello. I've been lurking around for a few days, and I thought
I'd stop and introduce myself. Without making it sound too
much like an AA meeting... My name is Bob, and I think I'm
about to become a turnaholic.

For the last 40 years or so (I'm 60.) I've had this bug in the
back of my head with wood and lathes. Five years ago we
moved from California to Maine, and while my wife was in
California moving our stuff out here I ran out and bought a
fairly complete woodshop. I won't say what her reaction was,
but while I was on this buying spree I had a short brain fade and
bought what you guys would probably call a cheap lathe and
a set of turning tools. This thing has been sitting in the back
of my wood shop for five years now. I never used it.

Why did I never use it? Fear. I have this terrible fear that
once I start using it I won't be able to stop. About two weeks
ago I glued together a couple pieces of 3/4" oak and actually
turned a fairly respectable candlestick. I impressed myself.

There's just something incredibly addicting about watching
those chips fly and the smooth wonderful shapes that emerge
from the wood. Wood is such an "honest" material. It is
what it is, and it's not going to change. I like it.

Anyway, I found a local guy who gives lessons so my present to
me this Christmas is a set of turning lessons. I hope to be off
and running early next year.

Thanks for listening!


Bob Becker

www.becker.org

"Arch" wrote in message
...

I don't know any turners in Portland or Durham. Who is giving the
lessons?

There's actually quite a sizable community of woodturners here
when you consider the population Maine is only about 1.25 million.
I contacted a guy named Peter Asselyn who produces some
beautiful work. He gives lessons.

I love my little downeast Maine island & camp, except around
ice out and black fly time.

This state is not for the timid. I suspect there are as many woodturners
as there are because it's something you can do when that snow thing happens.

Not that far ahead of you in time but a lot farther down
the slippery slope of "tools and accessories" - the part
of turning you don't see when you get a lathe and a few
gouges and chisels. Then there's the stuff to keep them
sharp - white wheels, blue wheels, slow speed grinders,
special jigs for fingernail grinds, leather wheels,
stropping compounds, slip stones, diamond paste, . . .

If you have a fireplace or wood burning stove half of
each cord of wood for it will never become ashes -
piles and piles of chips and saw dust - but never ahses.
The guys who have wood lots will see you coming and
turn on the CLOSED sign -or begin making plans for
that vacation in the Bahamas they've been dreaming
about.

And catalogs will begin to fill your mailbox. Flyers
from a wood merchant in Indonesia will mysteriously
appear on your coffee table. Your e-mail in box
will begin receiving "For the descriminating turner"
messages.

You'll see trees, and even bushes, in a different way.
"If I 'prune' that branch right here . . .." At some
point a bandsaw will become a necessity and then
bowls and plates and Vahses begin to fill shelves and
table tops. Stuff that was metal or ceramic are
replaced by wood - spoons, salt shakers, pepper
grinders. All the kids in the neighborhood will have
Magic Wands. Every female you know with long
hair will have at least two nicely turned rosewood
or maple or cherry hair sticks. Every drawer
and door pull in your home will be replaced with
unique ones you've turned.

Sealed paper bags will begin to fill the sets of
shelves you built for turning books. Buckets,
pails, pots and pans will fill corners and drivewa
space - filled with a mysterious orange or greenish
liquid - something lurking just below the surface.

Every plant on your property will be surrounded
by fresh "mulch".

The cut offs you use to throw away or burn will
now be sorted by type and filed away in boxes
for some future project - a segmented bowl
perhaps.
You're wife will keep a picture of you "from before"
next to the back door so she'll know if it's you or
an intruder coming through it.

You'll start soaking chips from aromatic turnings
in alcohol and using it as cologne.

Jars and cans of witches brew - boiled linseed
oil / bees wax / varnish, 6 pound cut garnet
shellac, carnuba, candelia wax, lemon and walnut
oil, eye of newt, toe of frog . . . To be - or not
to be. What was the question again?

You won't have to worry about dandruf - "oh that's
just sawdust."

At some point you'll evolve into a Rotationiste, wear
a poncho, frayed khaki shorts, clogs and an ebony eye
patch. That's when an agent will find you. You'll develop
a taste for brie and fruity wines. Terms like "negative
space", "juxtaposition" and "asymetry" will work
their way into your everyday vocabulary. Before
you know it, turning will actually pay for itself.
Beware, however, for it can become a JOB!

THAT'S WHEN YOU TAKE UP PAINTING OR NEEDLE POINT.

Welcome to Turners Anonymous Bob. The coffee
and donuts are over there.

charlie b

Charlie, l laughed my ass off at your post. How true, how true.

I almost feel sorry for him.... almost.

And for me, the best thing about the whole woodturning thing is I don't
think I have ever met a nicer group of people in any club. He can have
a lot of fun, and really enjoy being part of a great community.

Robert

I think I've just run into rec.crafts.woodturning.poet.laureate.
This is an amazing description. I wish I could put words together like
that.
This should be saved and published periodically.
I'm going to save a copy to mount over my lathe.

Thank you for posting.



"charlie b" wrote in message
...
Not that far ahead of you in time but a lot farther down
the slippery slope of "tools and accessories" - the part
of turning you don't see when you get a lathe and a few
gouges and chisels. Then there's the stuff to keep them
sharp - white wheels, blue wheels, slow speed grinders,
special jigs for fingernail grinds, leather wheels,
stropping compounds, slip stones, diamond paste, . . .

If you have a fireplace or wood burning stove half of
each cord of wood for it will never become ashes -
piles and piles of chips and saw dust - but never ahses.
The guys who have wood lots will see you coming and
turn on the CLOSED sign -or begin making plans for
that vacation in the Bahamas they've been dreaming
about.

And catalogs will begin to fill your mailbox. Flyers
from a wood merchant in Indonesia will mysteriously
appear on your coffee table. Your e-mail in box
will begin receiving "For the descriminating turner"
messages.

You'll see trees, and even bushes, in a different way.
"If I 'prune' that branch right here . . .." At some
point a bandsaw will become a necessity and then
bowls and plates and Vahses begin to fill shelves and
table tops. Stuff that was metal or ceramic are
replaced by wood - spoons, salt shakers, pepper
grinders. All the kids in the neighborhood will have
Magic Wands. Every female you know with long
hair will have at least two nicely turned rosewood
or maple or cherry hair sticks. Every drawer
and door pull in your home will be replaced with
unique ones you've turned.

Sealed paper bags will begin to fill the sets of
shelves you built for turning books. Buckets,
pails, pots and pans will fill corners and drivewa
space - filled with a mysterious orange or greenish
liquid - something lurking just below the surface.

Every plant on your property will be surrounded
by fresh "mulch".

The cut offs you use to throw away or burn will
now be sorted by type and filed away in boxes
for some future project - a segmented bowl
perhaps.
You're wife will keep a picture of you "from before"
next to the back door so she'll know if it's you or
an intruder coming through it.

You'll start soaking chips from aromatic turnings
in alcohol and using it as cologne.

Jars and cans of witches brew - boiled linseed
oil / bees wax / varnish, 6 pound cut garnet
shellac, carnuba, candelia wax, lemon and walnut
oil, eye of newt, toe of frog . . . To be - or not
to be. What was the question again?

You won't have to worry about dandruf - "oh that's
just sawdust."

At some point you'll evolve into a Rotationiste, wear
a poncho, frayed khaki shorts, clogs and an ebony eye
patch. That's when an agent will find you. You'll develop
a taste for brie and fruity wines. Terms like "negative
space", "juxtaposition" and "asymetry" will work
their way into your everyday vocabulary. Before
you know it, turning will actually pay for itself.
Beware, however, for it can become a JOB!

THAT'S WHEN YOU TAKE UP PAINTING OR NEEDLE POINT.

Welcome to Turners Anonymous Bob. The coffee
and donuts are over there.

charlie b