mkirby Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 i just got my most recent order form Axminster and instead of the 3" square i ordered they had mistakenly put a 60 degree live revolving centre worth substantially more than the square in. Picking that up and wondering what on earth it was has now awakened the want for a lathe Man this hobby is going to bankrupt me. I am going to be sensible and wait until im comfortable making square things 1st. What was it that triggered the wood turning bug for everyone else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billboard Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 Right after I started my wood working hobby about 5 years ago, my father went to a craft show and watched a guy turn a bowl. He called me and said he picked up a cheap lathe and wanted me to get the info on what we needed. I researched the matter, we picked up a chuck and watched a ton of you tube videos and we both started turning. I soon bought my own lathe and have been turning wver since. I have made a lot of bowls and recently pens. I want to try table legs soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimV Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 For me it was the need to turn legs for an endtable I made. I actually had to use my father's lathe but that was enough for me to want one. At first, it started off with legs and spindles that I needed for other items and it progressed down the slippery slope from there. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlehikoinen Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 It was the apparent "instant gratification", which wasn't instant until I learned a few things. Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaBear Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 It was the apparent "instant gratification", which wasn't instant until I learned a few things. Lol Ditto, although still a long way from 'instant' for me. Great way to make LOTS of sawdust quick though ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbarton22 Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 MAN!! What perfect timing! I am in the exact same position. I want to get a lathe so bad right now. My desire came from a pottery class I took. One of the steps is to flip the bowl (or whatever) over and shape the feet....pretty much just like a lathe. Once I figured out how fun that could be or the creative avenues possible, I had to get one. I spent last weekend with my mentor with him showing me how to operate one. Now, I'm just waiting for the financials to line up, then a-lathing I will go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave H Posted May 19, 2011 Report Share Posted May 19, 2011 My itch started in woodshop class back the dark ages(70's) and I was able to suppress it for 40 years and now I'm loveing it. your don't have to spend a fortune for a lathe I bought mine from Grizzly G0462 it's a full sizzed lathe, with a 2 horse motor for $545+SH I love it. You can spend 4-5 x's that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jHop Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 My parents operated a craft-fair business selling ornaments. My father cut out the ornaments on the Dremel scroll saw, using what was then called "aircraft plywood," and turned the Shaker pegs on this tiny lathe that could fit in your lap. While I haven't been able to acquire those tools from him, I do remember spending hours watching him work at both ornaments and doll houses (that put Barbie's Dream House ® to shame... larger but without the elevator). I spent hours attempting to duplicate the Shaker pegs when I was younger. Never managed to get two pegs to match, though. Now I have both my first major tool purchase (a lathe from Rockler) and my grandfather's lathe, and I'm thinking I need a bigger shop... My grandfather's lathe is an unpowered model. It has the bed (nearly four feet long) and a set of three pulleys, but no motor. This is cast iron, don't know the manufacturer just yet (it's in "temporary" storage while I find it a home... and a place to mount everything), and does not have a lot of capacity. But the motor still works, and before I moved it into my home you adjusted the belt by lifting the motor (hinged mount) and physically moving the belt. Oh, yeah. It doesn't have a switch. Fortunately, Grandpa thought of that, too. Funny thing is, I never pictured my Grandfather as a turner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawrence Brown Posted May 27, 2011 Report Share Posted May 27, 2011 My mistake was walking into a Rockler store for the first time because I had some time to kill and was curious. Unfortunately, the first isle I walked down was the pen kits. A couple weeks later I had a tiny lathe on my apartment balcony, which retriggered my memories of shop class, and it's all been "downhill" since then No more free time for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suiciedchild Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 i watched a couple videos online about makeing pens and bowls, thought it looked fun , then i convinced my wife it could help with some extra income to help buy more Coach purses. Well i haven't sold more than 12-13 pens cuz i just keep giveing them ,i used it on makeing a bunch of bowls and a few table legs and other random projects, definatly the most "fun" tool i own. but i did have to buy her a new purse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted June 26, 2011 Report Share Posted June 26, 2011 A few years ago I was at a yard sale with my father. Sitting on the ground was a beat up old craftsman king-seeley 9". I walked by it a few times thinking it was probably junk and generally turning my nose up at it. Just as we were about to leave I asked Dad to have a look and tell me what he thought. He slid the tailstock up to the spindle and the bedrails seemed pretty well aligned. The guy running the sale came over and said it was 40 bucks, and that he had a motor and a bucket of parts to go with it. Sold. Then it sat in Dad's basement until last fall. We were cleaning out his basement and I came across it and pulled it out to the garage, cut a hole in an old workbench, bolted it down, screwed and glued a hinge below the bench for the motor, and flipped the switch. I grabbed a chunk of 2x2 pine and a chisel and went to work making my first, um, ...thing. Over the next few weeks, I had it completely apart a few times to replace collars and set screws and belts, and get everything nice and oiled. Probably should have thought about the oiling from the get-go, because I can now feel a tiny bit of play in the headstock. Not sure if it was there all along and I only noticed it after degunking everything, or if the first few uses just after mounting it wore on the brass bushings a little much. Haven't used it in a couple months due to more and more stuff filling up the workshop and need for a full overhaul and reorganizing, but even with the play it does put out some decent little bowls and spin tops. The bushings will be replaced before my next lathe project for sure. I've since picked up a bunch of decent tools (and made some), and a nova chuck. The stock spindle is MPT1, so some doo-hickeying is in order to get the chuck on there Happy turning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DenHammer Posted July 15, 2011 Report Share Posted July 15, 2011 David Marks' wood working show got me turning. Saw him do it once and that was it several hundred bowls and numerous other items and I am just as happy flipping it on today as I was the first day I got one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.