Thanks George, I now have an idea on what to read about when searching for
these tools. I usually get catalogues from ROCKLER or WOODCRAFT but I get
overwhelmed with the large selection of tools. I guess I should pick up one
of those books that John suggested but I just don't want to buy a "wood
turning bible" that will take me forever to read. THIS IS JUST A CURIOSITY
PROJECT. If I like it I might spend some money to expand.

BDY...the lathe I am building should be able to turn a piece of wood from 4
in. to 48 in. by max.4 in. thick.


Get one of the six or eight-piece sets commonly sold. They include at
least a couple of gouges, a parting tool, a skew or two, and two or three
scrapers. I'd get the one with the most gouges and least scrapers, as the
best thing to do after the initial learning curve is to modify them into
cutting tools anyway.

"Spindle" orientation is pretty much taken care of by these, which may be
carbon steel to save dollars or high-speed which resist heat damage
better. If you turn at slower speeds, there's little need for HSS, because
there's less heat. You can always buy HSS in the tools you use most or
heat most once you figure out what they are.

For faceplate work you'll want a "bowl" gouge, which any more is a longer
and deeper flute version of what sells as a spindle gouge. I like a
broad-bottomed U versus V ground flute, some don't. Goes by the way you
cut. One is enough, because all your other tools can be used as well,
even the chintzy thin scrapers if you care to. Just keep the toolrest
tight as possible. Second rule of turning, actually. First is stand out
of harm's way.

"Richard Holub" wrote:

Thanks George, I now have an idea on what to read about when
searching for these tools. I usually get catalogues from ROCKLER or
WOODCRAFT but I get overwhelmed with the large selection of tools. I
guess I should pick up one of those books that John suggested but I
just don't want to buy a "wood turning bible" that will take me
forever to read. THIS IS JUST A CURIOSITY PROJECT. If I like it I
might spend some money to expand.

Try your local library first.

"Richard Holub" wrote in message
...
Thanks George, I now have an idea on what to read about when searching
for
these tools. I usually get catalogues from ROCKLER or WOODCRAFT but I get
overwhelmed with the large selection of tools. I guess I should pick up
one
of those books that John suggested but I just don't want to buy a "wood
turning bible" that will take me forever to read. THIS IS JUST A
CURIOSITY
PROJECT. If I like it I might spend some money to expand.

BDY...the lathe I am building should be able to turn a piece of wood from
4
in. to 48 in. by max.4 in. thick.


Forty-eight is asking a lot. You'll seldom see more than around 40"
capacity without a second purchase. For longer you tenon things together,
normally.

Out of print, but the best book on turning - not just how to turn a blurfl -
is Frank Pain _The Practical Woodturner_ . Runs through the principles, the
tools, and how to apply them.

Then you will also be building a "steady rest" for your lathe. Not a
complicated accessory by any means but necessary for long, thin work.
You will discover that long, thin spindles are quite flexible and
without a steady rest may come flying off the lathe, with potentially
disastrous results.

J.


Richard Holub wrote:

BDY...the lathe I am building should be able to turn a piece of wood from 4
in. to 48 in. by max.4 in. thick.

On Sat, 10 Dec 2005 00:41:13 -0500, Richard Holub wrote:

Thanks George, I now have an idea on what to read about when searching
for these tools. I usually get catalogues from ROCKLER or WOODCRAFT but
I get overwhelmed with the large selection of tools.


Get one of the six or eight-piece sets commonly sold. They include at
least a couple of gouges, a parting tool, a skew or two, and two or
three scrapers.


Harbor Freight sells a set that are highspeed steel (HSS). It's not
usually in their stores, the set there is not HSS and in junk. But it
should be on their website if they still cary it. The HSS set has some
ugly handles, but tha's a good first turning project :-).

John,

Could you comment on this subject as far as "steady rest". My intention was
to weld a long pipe alongside the full length of the lathe. The tool rest
would flow on this pipe so that it could be adjusted to whatever size work
piece I have. Am I missing something here?

"John" wrote in message
...
Then you will also be building a "steady rest" for your lathe. Not a
complicated accessory by any means but necessary for long, thin work. You
will discover that long, thin spindles are quite flexible and without a
steady rest may come flying off the lathe, with potentially disastrous
results.

J.


Richard Holub wrote:

BDY...the lathe I am building should be able to turn a piece of wood from
4
in. to 48 in. by max.4 in. thick.

George,

The reason I am going with 48 in. is because my cousin wants to work on a 4
ft. x 2 in. staff (martial arts). I have no intention on doing anything as
far as
furniture with this lathe. The 2 x 2 in. metal frame bars I have are 7 ft.
long.
I figure that if I am going to have this tool in my workshop, it might as
well be ready to accept something up to 48 in.
BTW-although the frame is 7 ft. long it will only accept a 48 in long
working piece due to bearings, motor, etc.

"George" George@least wrote in message
...

"Richard Holub" wrote in message
...
Thanks George, I now have an idea on what to read about when searching
for
these tools. I usually get catalogues from ROCKLER or WOODCRAFT but I
get
overwhelmed with the large selection of tools. I guess I should pick up
one
of those books that John suggested but I just don't want to buy a "wood
turning bible" that will take me forever to read. THIS IS JUST A
CURIOSITY
PROJECT. If I like it I might spend some money to expand.

BDY...the lathe I am building should be able to turn a piece of wood from
4
in. to 48 in. by max.4 in. thick.


Forty-eight is asking a lot. You'll seldom see more than around 40"
capacity without a second purchase. For longer you tenon things together,
normally.

Out of print, but the best book on turning - not just how to turn a
blurfl - is Frank Pain _The Practical Woodturner_ . Runs through the
principles, the tools, and how to apply them.

"Richard Holub" writes:

John,

Could you comment on this subject as far as "steady rest". My intention was
to weld a long pipe alongside the full length of the lathe. The tool rest
would flow on this pipe so that it could be adjusted to whatever size work
piece I have. Am I missing something here?

Yes. The problem with this length is not that the lathe becomes
unstable (if you use trong stuff to build it), but the rotating
workpiece. A steady rest is a contraption that stabilizes the
workpiece with some rollers in mid-length.
See
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...330,49238&ap=1
for an example.

--
Dr. Juergen Hannappel http://lisa2.physik.uni-bonn.de/~hannappe
Phone: +49 228 73 2447 FAX ... 7869
Physikalisches Institut der Uni Bonn Nussallee 12, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
CERN: Phone: +412276 76461 Fax: ..77930 Bat. 892-R-A13 CH-1211 Geneve 23

Thanks Juergen,

That makes sense now. Boy, this hobby is going to get expensive!

"Juergen Hannappel" wrote in message
...
"Richard Holub" writes:

John,

Could you comment on this subject as far as "steady rest". My intention
was
to weld a long pipe alongside the full length of the lathe. The tool
rest
would flow on this pipe so that it could be adjusted to whatever size
work
piece I have. Am I missing something here?

Yes. The problem with this length is not that the lathe becomes
unstable (if you use trong stuff to build it), but the rotating
workpiece. A steady rest is a contraption that stabilizes the
workpiece with some rollers in mid-length.
See
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...330,49238&ap=1
for an example.

--
Dr. Juergen Hannappel http://lisa2.physik.uni-bonn.de/~hannappe
Phone: +49 228 73 2447 FAX ... 7869
Physikalisches Institut der Uni Bonn Nussallee 12, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
CERN: Phone: +412276 76461 Fax: ..77930 Bat. 892-R-A13 CH-1211 Geneve 23

Hi,

Another fellow already posted a link to a steady rest.

As for your welded-on tool rest or rest-support, consider that having it
at a fixed height and/or distance from the bed is only an advantage if
you're always going to be doing the same type of turning (e.g. table
legs of a particular diameter). Otherwise, a tool rest that is
adjustable horizontally as well as vertically is of more general
utility, and one that can be moved out of the way altogether would
permit you to sand or otherwise finish your workpiece while it is still
mounted between centers (and rotating). To avoid grievous injury you
don't want to be sticking anything between a rotating workpiece and a
toolrest or fixed toolrest mount.

Let your relatives know that you'd appreciate their buying you one of
the turning books for the approaching holidays. You'll build a better
lathe as a result of it and probably avoid a visit to the emergency
room, too.

J.


Richard Holub wrote:
John,

Could you comment on this subject as far as "steady rest". My intention was
to weld a long pipe alongside the full length of the lathe. The tool rest
would flow on this pipe so that it could be adjusted to whatever size work
piece I have. Am I missing something here?

"Richard Holub" wrote in message
...

That makes sense now. Boy, this hobby is going to get expensive!

Well, not necessarily. If your plan is simple, use home-made wedged
bodgers' rests. They work well, and don't cost like it.

On Sun, 11 Dec 2005 12:08:09 -0500, with neither quill nor qualm,
"Richard Holub" quickly quoth:

Thanks Juergen,

That makes sense now. Boy, this hobby is going to get expensive!

You misspelled "obsession" there, Richard.

P.S: Please don't top-post.


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On Sat, 10 Dec 2005 19:39:37 -0500, "Richard Holub"
wrote:

The reason I am going with 48 in. is because my cousin wants to work on a 4
ft. x 2 in. staff (martial arts).

Martial arts stuff is better done with a drawknife, not a lathe. Best of
all it's done with an axe and choosing the right tree to begin with.

The problem is short grain. You want the grain to be as straight as
possible, but given the usual constraints it's better to have a slight
wiggle in the surface than it is to have a smooth surface and weakness
from short grain. A lathe will happily make something that looks fine,
but snaps clean across when you use it.