Ok, so I've been turning for several years in a utility sense. That is to
say, if a job needed a specific part replaced or duplicated, I could do a
decent job of it. Lately I've gotten into doing some turning as hobby (or
dare I even evoke the A word?... as art.) FWIW, I've found a wealth of
educational stuff on youtube. Assume I'm a novice. What books have y'all
found worthwhile? Which ones are "must haves"?

Ed

On Oct 11, 3:55 pm, "Ed Edelenbos" wrote:
Ok, so I've been turning for several years in a utility sense. That is to
say, if a job needed a specific part replaced or duplicated, I could do a
decent job of it. Lately I've gotten into doing some turning as hobby (or
dare I even evoke the A word?... as art.) FWIW, I've found a wealth of
educational stuff on youtube. Assume I'm a novice. What books have y'all
found worthwhile? Which ones are "must haves"?

Ed


If in fact, you were a novice, my book "The Woodturner's FAQ Book" was
recommended as "required reading for all new turners" by one fellow, a
Phd, who purchased the book and then e-mailed me to let me know how
useful he had found the book. The book was published by Linden
Publishing in California and is available from my web site. To order a
signed copy go to may web site. The book was inspired by this
newsgroup and my several thousand posts to it. The book is done in a
Question-Answer format and was designed for beginning woodturners.

I have also written two books published by GMC Publications in
England: "Making Screw Threads in Wood," and A Guide to WorkHolding on
the Lathe." I have written another book for beginning turners that is
only available on a CD-ROm or a download from the internet. It is
called "The Turning Process," and is sold on CD-ROM as "Two Books In
One," which includes The Turning Process and my other book, "Making
the Chinese Ball or Five Concentric Spheres." These latter two are
only available from my web site.

Fred Holder
http://www.morewoodturning.net

Ed - watch out on that "art" business. It is a dark side of turning
that can actually lead to not having much fun with it anymore.

It seems a while back that many have forgotten the beautiful
simplicity of nice clean lines of a turned piece, or the functionality
of good wooden bowl.

I like a little decoration, but the pieces I see now that are
airbrushed, stippled, woodburned, painted, toned, carved, and on and
on.... well, they leave me a little cold. There have two or three
times the amount of time decorating the wood than they did turning
it. In many cases, the wood no longer even looks like wood.

That's fine, and certainly if someone wants to pursue woodturning in
that fashion, more power to them!

I liked a lot of that stuff initially, but at this point I really
don't care for the "art" aspects of turning unless it is making the
most out of a fine piece of wood.

There are several books out there that do a good job on describing
different turning procedures and ideas. I don't think any of them is
"the" book. If I were you, I would buy a couple of standards (Fred's
book is a great place to start) and go to the library and the half
priced book store in your area and look to see what particular styles
you are interested in developing.

This can give you a leg up on the shapes and designs you are
interested in turning, as well as stretching your $$$. Hey... turning
books are expensive!!

Not all "art" is "art". And while I have no doubt that many of the
turnings that I see that are acclaimed as artful masterpieces are
beyond my turning abilities, I wouldn't want to learn to make them
myself.

As always, just my 0.02.

Robert

wrote in message
...
Ed - watch out on that "art" business. It is a dark side of turning
that can actually lead to not having much fun with it anymore.


Robert,

I read the whole thing but I'll throw my reply in here... by "art" I mean,
"non-utility". It's one thing to turn a baluster to replace a broken or
rotted one and a whole 'nother thing to turn a piece for the sake of making
it. Hopefully that makes sense. Bowls, mortar and pestle, mallets, mallets
for carving chisels, etc. Stuff that isn't part of a paid job. I guess
"play" could be sub'ed for "art".

I learned to turn by doing it. Well, I had the normal woodshop courses back
in highschool but most of what I know has been from just doing it over the
years. I've probably developed some bad habits and I'd like to see if there
are better ways to do what I do.

I appreciate the advice.

Ed



It seems a while back that many have forgotten the beautiful
simplicity of nice clean lines of a turned piece, or the functionality
of good wooden bowl.

I like a little decoration, but the pieces I see now that are
airbrushed, stippled, woodburned, painted, toned, carved, and on and
on.... well, they leave me a little cold. There have two or three
times the amount of time decorating the wood than they did turning
it. In many cases, the wood no longer even looks like wood.

That's fine, and certainly if someone wants to pursue woodturning in
that fashion, more power to them!

I liked a lot of that stuff initially, but at this point I really
don't care for the "art" aspects of turning unless it is making the
most out of a fine piece of wood.

There are several books out there that do a good job on describing
different turning procedures and ideas. I don't think any of them is
"the" book. If I were you, I would buy a couple of standards (Fred's
book is a great place to start) and go to the library and the half
priced book store in your area and look to see what particular styles
you are interested in developing.

This can give you a leg up on the shapes and designs you are
interested in turning, as well as stretching your $$$. Hey... turning
books are expensive!!

Not all "art" is "art". And while I have no doubt that many of the
turnings that I see that are acclaimed as artful masterpieces are
beyond my turning abilities, I wouldn't want to learn to make them
myself.

As always, just my 0.02.

Robert

On Oct 11, 6:55*pm, "Ed Edelenbos" wrote:
Ok, so I've been turning for several years in a utility sense. *That is to
say, if a job needed a specific part replaced or duplicated, I could do a
decent job of it. *Lately I've gotten into doing some turning as hobby (or
dare I even evoke the A word?... *as art.) *FWIW, I've found a wealth of
educational stuff on youtube. *Assume I'm a novice. *What books have y'all
found worthwhile? *Which ones are "must haves"?

Ed

Hi Ed
I have found that "Turning Green wood" by Michael O'Donnell is one of
those books that every turner should have, IMO
It gives the basic of a tree and how the planning and taking of a
blank can/will the outcome of your turning, even before you are
starting to turn.
Turning, drying and sanding of green wood, is al clear and well
illustrated.
I do have turning books by the usual, Raffan,
Darlow,Child,Nish,Spielman,Connover,Hunnex and more,but find the
O'Donnell book has the things most new turners need to know and it
gives a good basis to start turning more than just pens ;-)))

Have fun and take care
Leo Van Der Loo

Reputed to be the best book ever written for newbies is "A Fundamental
Course in Woodturning " By Kieth Rowley.

I have a copy of this myself and I can vouch for the fact that it covers
just about everything a rookie turner needs to get going.

I knew Kieth myself ( he is the founder of the woodturning club I got to)
Sadly he died over about 2 years ago. By the way his Myford Mystro
lathe is up for sale if anyone is interested.

Tom

wrote in message
...
On Oct 11, 6:55 pm, "Ed Edelenbos" wrote:
Ok, so I've been turning for several years in a utility sense. That is to
say, if a job needed a specific part replaced or duplicated, I could do a
decent job of it. Lately I've gotten into doing some turning as hobby (or
dare I even evoke the A word?... as art.) FWIW, I've found a wealth of
educational stuff on youtube. Assume I'm a novice. What books have y'all
found worthwhile? Which ones are "must haves"?

Ed