I just completed writing my review of a new video from Alan Lacer. The review is
writted for More Woodturning, but I feel the review is worth posting here for
the many newby turners who may read this newsgroup and don't read More
Woodturning. I present it here for the benefit of the newer turners who want to
know so much and in some cases do not even know what questions to ask. Here it
is:

Woodturning: Getting Started Right!, with Alan Lacer is just available in both
tape and DVD. Price is $30.00 for the tape or $35.00 for the DVD plus a %4.00
shipping fee within the United States. Order directly from Alan at:
Alan Lacer
299 Plainview Drive
River Falls, WI 54022
TEL/fax: 715-426-9451
E-Mail:
This 105 minute video is for the beginner. It is designed to answer all of those
questions that beginners have, like, “What is a headstock, a tailstock, a
faceplate, what is this tool and what does it do, etc.?”
If you’re an experienced turner, you probably will not get much out of this
video, because it was not designed for you. It was designed and put together for
the benefit of people wanting to start woodturning or who have just begun and
don’t understand all of the terms bandied about by experienced woodturners.
Alan is to be commended for producing such a video and it is my hope that news
of this video can be carried forward to help the many newby’s who are just
thinking about buying a lathe or have just bought one and starting to turn.
These are the people this video is made to serve.
Alan begins the video with a brief history of lathes in action starting with the
bow lathe, a spring pole lathe, a great wheel lathe, and a treadle lathe. Then
he gives tips on buying a lathe and shows features that are attractive to both
beginners and experienced lathes. Alan has a shop full of lathes to use in
illustrating features. Never once, that I can remember, did he ever mention any
brand names. But in many cases, the brand name was very prominent on the lathe.
For an experienced turner, most of the lathes can be identified at a glance. He
showed both a small Oneway lathe and a large Oneway lathe, a Stubby Lathe, and
the Jet Lathes. There were other lathes that I could not readily identify from
the brief look we were given. In this section, he goes through a lathe
identifying each of its components: the tailstock, the tool rest, the headstock
and motor, and the stand. He showed how speed is changed using belts and also
how it is changed using variable speed systems. He gives a description and shows
how the Jet changes speed using the age old method of the Reeves Drive which
works by changing the drive pulley to make it effectively larger or smaller and
thus change the driven speed. In this section, the talks about the types of
lathes; i.e., the small lathe or mini-lathe; the standard lathe for use with
both faceplate or between centers work, and the bowl lathe which does not have a
tailstock. He shows how one lathe can be converted into a bowl or shortbed lathe
by moving the headstock along the bed so that the turner can stand at the end of
the lathe and turn bowls. An interesting discussion of the lathe and very useful
for the newcomer to this craft. He also presented some guidelines to use when
buying a lathe. Most newby’s who have already purchased their lathe can likely
get much of the information presented in this part from their lathe manual, but
not the information about different lathe features that are important to know
when buying a lathe.
From the discussion of the lathe, he turns his attention to the least understood
tool by new turners: what is each tool designed to do and what is it called. If
a person tool woodturning in high school many years ago, they likely only used
scrapers, because scrapers are easier to use and are effectively less dangerous
in the hands of a teenage turner. For this reason, Alan begins with a discussion
of the scraper as the first type of tool that he discusses. From there, he goes
to the cutting types of tools, parting tools, skew chisels, and gouges. He
divides gouges into two types: the shallow flute and the deep flute. He defines
the first as normally used for spindle turning and designated as the spindle
gouge. The deep fluted gouge, he breaks into two parts: the roughing gouge,
which is also a spindle turning tool, and the bowl gouge. Alan specifically
mentions the reason why the roughing gouge should not be used for bowl turning.
Noting the weakens of the shaft at the tang.
He suggest a basic set of tools, which will include a couple of scrapers, a
shallow fluted gouge, a roughing gouge, and a 1/2” bowl gouge. He notes that the
1/2” bowl gouge will handle most bowl turning tasks. He then tells you how to
sharpen the various tools and what angles he recommends.
He then presents some examples fo what turners make to give you some idea of
what that lathe can do for you.
From there, he goes into an area of great importance for all turners and
especially for beginners. How to work safe! If you’re not working safe, this
section may well be for you!
He then talks about tools and mechanisms for mounting the wood to the lathe:
i.e., drives, centers, faceplates, and chucks. Not just the commercial chucks
but also things like the jam-fit chuck and methods of reverse turning to finish
the foot of the bowl.
Finally he includes some demonstrations of turning to make you want to head for
the shop.
Alan Lacer has been turning since 1976, has served as president of the AAW, and
is an Honorary Lifetime Member of AAW.

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