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