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A good starting point for beginner turners.
Thank you for viewing my Woodturning Galleries I do hope you enjoy them. If you
are new to woodturning and wish to give it a try please read some Basic woodturning principles:
Safety First:
Get into safe habits.
When trying new techniques start on soft woods and small pieces.
Wear (eye protection at the least) a face shield, and even a dust shield when sanding.
Do not have loose clothing near turning spindles
it can very easily get caught and pulled in.
Do not wear gloves you need to be
able to feel the tools and the wood. When you have some experience and begin
to work on larger pieces you may wish to wear a
glove to dampen any vibration or bounce from the
tool to the hand.
Turn the lathe by hand before turning on the power to check for possible contact points between the work and the lathe.
Stand aside when first turning on the lathe - just in case you forgot to tighten something or a piece that did not appear loose turns out to be.
If the piece comes off the lathe it generally shoots backwards or forwards,
not to the sides.
Do not use large rags to buff or apply finishes on the lathe - paper towel works well for this or if you must use a rag, use very small pieces. (The
beauty of using paper towels is that if it does get caught up "AND IT WILL"
then paper will tear. Cloth will not!!)
Be aware of the lathe speed. It is easy to forget and turn
on the lathe when it is set at high speed and the work mounted is meant to start at slow speed. I always start the lathe in a low speed !
When using the tailstock continually tighten it
unless you have a lathe with a locking mechanism the
grip can work loose.
Designs, Shapes and Form: Woodturning transforms chunky wood into their artistic
and usable forms. The process often includes the use of a lathe, which is a piece
of stationary equipment that holds the wood or the work piece. It spins or turns
while the wood is being shaped or crafted. There are two methods in achieving
artistry in wood spindle turning and faceplate turning. Both of them
require coordination between the operator, tools and the lathe. In fact, the
body should be positioned in a certain way in order to obtain the desired design.
For instance, the feet have to be close to the lathe so every part of the
wood can be accessed without leaning.
Generally, woodturning requires bare or raw wood. These wooden chunks or pieces are
commonly called woodturning blanks by woodworkers and craftsmen. There are different
kinds of wood that can be used in woodworking and they usually come in various shapes
and sizes. They can be made into goblets, bowls, pool cues, plates, baseball bats, pens,
tops and other wooden articles. Typically, it is up to the woodworkers to use their
imagination so that a piece of wood can be converted into its intended shape or form.
It needs an accurate approximation, and proper usage of the tools.
The woods most commonly used in woodturning include beech, cedar, ash, oak, birch, lime,
apple, acacia, hornbeam, sycamore, maple, cherry, elm, London plane, spalted beech, yew,
rippled sycamore, American walnut, mulberry, English walnut, pear, laburnum, apricot, myall,
ironwood, lancewood, vine tree, and wilga. However, woodworkers usually prefer rare species
of trees that often have rigid and well-structured fibres.
Generally, there are standard cuts for woodturning blanks for specific designs, shapes and forms.
However, there are stores that offer non-standard sizes, or sizes according to your customization.
Also, make sure that the wood blanks are fully dried before buying or using them.
Note: You can view a
bigger version of the wood turned items by placing your mouse curser on the
image and click. A new window will open with the larger image. When finished
viewing, just close the window and come back here to view the others.
Colour and markings may differ in
appearance slightly in your finished turning from the one's shown in the photo's
depending on wood used at the time they are turned. Each item is handcrafted
individually, so slight variances should be expected especially if ordering more
than one item. The sizes listed are approximate. They may be a couple of
millimetres taller, longer, wider or little shorter, etc.
Commissioned works - Why not have that special one off piece crafted by a
professional turner.
I am available to make commissioned pieces for any special occasion, to your requirements . To discuss your requirements contact
me
Here
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