Author Topic: New to turning, Tools ?  (Read 2686 times)

Offline Halfsqot2

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New to turning, Tools ?
« on: December 04, 2019, 10:53:41 PM »
I have come across woodturning and have found myself watching tons and tons of videos on making bowls and pens etc. I am a builder by trade so have a bit of a knack with using my hands and so i though i would give it a go! however after skowering the internet in search of where to begin i have come up with nothing :/ i dont want to spend a fortune on tools and a lathe as i will only be making vases, bowls and little cups for family and friends.
I was hoping someone would be able to direct me in the right direction as to what to get for starting out.
What type of lathe
Tools required
extractor or no extractor ?
Grinding stone for sharpening and anything else that you guys think i would need to make my first bowl! i have a wood turning shop not far from me but they said £1500 to get started -_-
Im 22 and dont have that kind of money at the moment.
Any info would be a muchly appreciated! Thanks Callum :)

Offline Dave Brookes

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Re: New to turning, Tools ?
« Reply #1 on: December 04, 2019, 11:09:05 PM »
Hi Callum,
Others may echo my advice but the best thing you can do is pay a visit to a local club.  Have a look on the AWGB website and find one near you.  There will be a wealth of experience and advice available and maybe lathes you can try your hand on.  I wouldn’t go spending any money until you have done this as it is likely to be cash unwisely spent.

Dave
"Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds nineteen shillings and six pence, result happiness."  (Wilkins Micawber)

Offline GBF

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Re: New to turning, Tools ?
« Reply #2 on: December 04, 2019, 11:18:21 PM »
Where do you live and what is your budget   Regards George
The man that never made a mistake never made anything

Offline Halfsqot2

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Re: New to turning, Tools ?
« Reply #3 on: December 04, 2019, 11:41:12 PM »
Where do you live and what is your budget   Regards George
As i said i do have a woodturning place near me on the AWGB website and ive been today but didnt seem very helpful.
budget would be 500-800 i think ?

Offline Twisted Trees

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Re: New to turning, Tools ?
« Reply #4 on: December 05, 2019, 12:03:46 AM »
Start Here https://www.awgb.co.uk/clubs/ find your local club get along see what is available in your area.
Second hand lathes exist if you have a van to pick them up, as do sharpening systems and tools. Some time at your club will hopefully get you a hands on and a better idea of where you want to jump in, and maybe even a link to local second hand kit to get you started.

I would hate to sort out how much I have spent on Woodturning over the last decade, but it has been money well spent mostly thanks to the local AWGB and some local turners that let me play with their toys before I started collecting my own.

But as a starter for you...

Any lathe will do, but size weight, motor power will depend on what you want to make, I would recommend that you get a variable speed version but that has been pretty common for over 20 years now so lots to choose from.

Some form of jig based sharpening system will be handy especially in the early days, but a cheap 6" grinder will do with practice.

You will need a Roughing Gouge, a Bowl Gouge, a Spindle Gouge a Skew (19mm oval is my main choice) and a parting tool. Expensive ones are great but as you will be learning to sharpen them the first set wont last as long as the second set!

You will need safety glasses and when sanding a dust mask, you can start with the paper ones but...

You will need abrasive and polish, it is important that some of your early work looks great, this helps the addiction take hold.

Once addicted the cost will be met, tools will accumulate and time evaporates.

Over time you will find yourself the owner of a chain saw, bandsaw, extraction system, a drawer full of finishing products, possibly an air brush, pillar drill, and.... but you will be happy  :)

TT, AKA Pete, but that name is taken :-)

Offline Twisted Trees

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Re: New to turning, Tools ?
« Reply #5 on: December 05, 2019, 12:11:07 AM »
Where do you live and what is your budget   Regards George
As i said i do have a woodturning place near me on the AWGB website and ive been today but didnt seem very helpful.
budget would be 500-800 i think ?

Arrive early, chat let people know you are new and looking for a helping hand, many club meets are centred around the demo leaving little space for introductions. If you say where you are probably find you can start chatting on this forum as we are from all over the place.
TT, AKA Pete, but that name is taken :-)

Offline Wood spinner

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Re: New to turning, Tools ?
« Reply #6 on: December 05, 2019, 03:48:54 AM »
Hi Callum and welcome

One thing to remember , You cant just walk into a Club and exspect all the established member to drop everything and concentrate on you , Take your time , Get to know the members and become part of the Club
I would hold off buying a lathe for now until you are sure turning is for you , Book a few leasons with a pro turner and see how you get on , Then if you are sure its what you want to pursue , Then buy you kit , Buy cheap = buy twice
Best off buying used and some ]time you will see a add for turning kit being sold re changing hobbies , Berevment sales etc

Have fun

Offline GBF

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Re: New to turning, Tools ?
« Reply #7 on: December 05, 2019, 08:14:10 AM »
Where do you live and what is your budget   Regards George
As i said i do have a woodturning place near me on the AWGB website and ive been today but didnt seem very helpful.
budget would be 500-800 i think ?

I do not understand why Members seem reluctant to say where the live it would be helpful to know as somebody near by might be able to help you

Regards George
The man that never made a mistake never made anything

Offline The Bowler Hatted Turner

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Re: New to turning, Tools ?
« Reply #8 on: December 05, 2019, 12:03:13 PM »
Where do you live and what is your budget   Regards George
As i said i do have a woodturning place near me on the AWGB website and ive been today but didnt seem very helpful.
budget would be 500-800 i think ?

I do not understand why Members seem reluctant to say where the live it would be helpful to know as somebody near by might be able to help you

Regards George
I agree with this George, no need to give out your address but a county or town would be useful.
Callum if you look on the forsale posts on this website very often there is plenty of tools and machines to get you started. The reasoning behind asking your budget is most of us realised as time went on that we should have invested a bit more wisely than we did. I would say to you, when you get to buying your tools buy the best you can afford.

Offline bodrighywood

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Re: New to turning, Tools ?
« Reply #9 on: December 05, 2019, 12:37:07 PM »
As said a general location would help ius help you as would a basic budget. Also, as said, buy quality rather than quantity. You can manage a lot with just a few tools and a decent lathe. Cheap tools and equipment will just frustrate you.
Turners don't make mistakes, they have design opportunities

Offline Maca

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Re: New to turning, Tools ?
« Reply #10 on: December 05, 2019, 01:49:56 PM »
I started turning just over a year ago so won't try to give you advice but I will tell you what I did, and what I think was right and what was wrong. 

Firstly I bought a lathe which wasn't suited to what I wanted to do.  It was a good machine and worked the way it should have but the slowest speed was too fast to do bigger bowls and the swing over the bed wasn't enough.  It had spindle capacity of 1000mm  which is fine if you want to turn spindles but I didn't, I'm more for the short stuff.  I ended up selling my lathe and buying a second hand one from Paul Hannaby (AWGB).  Just having the right lathe made a massive difference to me. 

I bought a chainsaw.  If you are processing your own logs I think this is essential.  If you are buying blanks it isn't.  Personally I've never bought a blank, all my wood comes from local sources around where I live.  I also bought a Triton Superjaw clamp which is brilliant. 

I bought a small bandsaw which at the time I thought was sufficient as a friend had a bigger one and he said I could use it any time I want but you soon feel awkward asking all the time so ended up buying a bigger one which was second hand off gumtree. 

As for chisels, I only own two bowl gouges, 3/8" and 1/2" Axminster ones, and a parting tool.  I tend to use the 1/2" one most.  Sometimes the 3/8" one on smaller stuff and tighter concave faces.  For sharpening I bought a cheap bench grinder with Aluminium Oxide wheel which I want to upgrade as its sometimes hard to get the chisels sharp without getting lines on them which then transfer to tool marks on the wood.  And I bought sharpening jig from a guy on ebay who makes them himself.  Think it was about £30.

I have the grinder close to the lathe and sharpen the chisels multiple times while turning a bowl so I would say for me the essentials are the gouges, grinder, jig and lathe.  I couldn't do a bowl without them.  All my other tools are for getting the wood to the lathe.

Offline John Plater

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Re: New to turning, Tools ?
« Reply #11 on: December 06, 2019, 12:04:19 PM »
Hello Callum
I always find it difficult to offer recommendations whilst operating in a "vacuum" but there are recurring themes which one comes across very often. 1)Find a local club and ingratiate yourself ! 2)Find a professional turner and try your hand first. 3)Please don't believe everything seen online, you need experience under your belt before you are able to make a judgement on the stuff you are watching. Woodturning is fun and addictive and a gateway to a caring and sharing woodworking fraternity but there is also a lot of potential for hurt, both mental and physical.
ATB John
If I had a better lathe, I would be able to show my ineptitude more effectively.