Turning 101 syllabus please

[JosephP]

My related background: I used a lathe in school shop class 20-25 yrs ago. I have been doing other woodworking for 15+ years (just to show you that I know where I am/what I have stepped in, let me say it for you: "what is this 'other woodworking' you speak of?" ). Always wanted to get a lathe to play with, but never had the proper justification...

Well...yesterday a friend gave me a lathe he bought for $4 at an auction. Again, I understand...this may be the most costly free thing I wll ever get! It is a Wilton Mini Wood Lathe model 99177.

so....where do I start? I don't have anything specific I need to do...thought it would be cool to make a chess set for the kids after a little practice (maybe checkers first). I just want to mess around a little for now. So, in line with the thread title, I am not looking for an all inclusive everything I need to know, but topics I need to study and resources to reference. I went 10 pages back in this forum and read anything that sounded like a beginners thread. Good stuff.

Oh, and I am on a tight budget...

Specific questions that I do have:
The lathe is missing the face plate but after cleaning a little surface rust, it is otherwise in great shape. So help me get the right face plate.

I read the "quality lathe tools" thread. I am of the mind "It only hurts once when you buy it"...rather than buying cheap then up grading a little, then buying the one I should have started with...but I don't have $300 to spend now. Is it a bad idea to buy 1 or two quality tools (which ones?) plus the 8 piece set at Menards for $20 just to have a starter set?

Finally any info on blanks would be helpful. I have regular access to chunks of wood...I just need to know what to keep or toss. I just put some root burls from an ornamental cherry in a friend's firewood pile. I will take those back next time I drop off a load of wood...

[hairy]

Good info: http://nealaddy.org/node/39

[®smpr_fi_mac®]

^^^^^ +1

[AHill]

Neal Addy's site is a good one. One thing I'd start with, is what he asks in his first question: What projects do I want to do? Your lathe sort of limits you in that regard, due to its size. Mini-lathes are perfectly suited to pens, tool handles (ice cream scoops, screwdrivers, rehabbing chisel handles, pizza cutters, etc.). You can turn small bowls, etc. Once you've decided on the projects you want to do, then you can start with tool selection. Tools are more than just your cutting tools. I'm not sure what you inherited in the way of chucks or work holding, but it's important that you find the right work holding for the types of projects you wish to make. One nice thing about pens is that you don't really need a fancy chuck to do them.

Good luck in your quest to get back into turning! It really can get addictive.

[badwhiskey]

Welcome to the:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqROBTVgL6A

Another vote for Neal's site. A few observations of my own from a relative newbie:

It is almost impossible to learn turning from a book or text. A video is the minimum, but you are strongly encouraged to join a local turning club. Hands on is the best way to learn.

Buy an inexpensive turning tool set before you spring for any expensive ones. The Benjamin's Best or HF red handled ones get recommended often here. You can turn almost anything except hollow forms with a basic set.

Once you learn where to look (and ask) there is tons of free wood available. I buy the occasional burl or exotic, but 95% of what I turn is from wood given to me or rescued from the firewood pile.

[MichaelMouse]

I've seen the $20 sets at Menards. For spindles they should be just fine. I'm still using the stubs of my "came with" tools after 30 years, in spite of buying other peoples' recommendations for large dollars. What you do with and prefer is what counts. Might as well use the "couple of good tools" budget to get a live center and maybe a chuck. Then you can figure out what "good" means to you.

http://www.turningtools.co.uk/wtintro/wtintro.html BEST place to start.

http://www.cnew.org/tips_techniques/spindle_turning.pdf
http://nickcookwoodturner.com/articles-spindle-tips.pdf

Both have some good stuff. Assuming you're a lightweight given the price.

[ChuckO1234]

Don't forget about sharpening whatever tools you get. An inexpensive 8" grinder can be had for under $100 with new white wheels that will work fine, for a while.

I eventually upgraded to a boron nitride coated wheel for about twice the cost of my grinder. You'll need a jig for aiding in consistent sharpening, unless you are gifted and willing to sacrifice some steel in learning to get a consistent grind profile.

It's not the cost of the lathe or the lathe tools - it's the cost of the other accessories that add up over time.

Welcome to the vortex that captures your entire hobby budget.

[EightFingers]

Look into joining a turning club. At least you'll have some understanding people to show your injuries!

[Steve K]

You already have some good advice. I would add that I would start out with the cheapest tools I can find. Only because of the learning curve associated with sharpening them. You will waste a lot of steel until you figure it out. It makes a lot more sense to learn on 20 dollar gouge than it does on an $80 one. It's the one time I would go for cheap in lieu of quality. My first bowl gouge was a Thompson and it was an absolute mistake for me to buy it.

[Mike67]

Congratulations on the new toy. For a faceplate you can probably get something for under $20 at Penn State Industries. Make sure you know the spindle size and thread count for your lathe and get a faceplate that matches. It'll be a diameter followed by the thread count - something like 1 inch x 8 threads per inch. Given the size of work you can do on that lathe I'd think a 3 inch faceplate would be plenty. A faceplate that's too big can get in the way. Another option is to get a small chuck with a woodworm screw. That'll be more expensive but will also give you lots more options when turning.
As for blanks, you can turn just about anything. Soft woods tend to be pretty smelly. Even if you like a little scent of pine, it can be overwhelming when turning it. Maples, cherry, and some woods considered by most to be junk like box elder turn nicely.
An inexpensive set of tools is probably a good idea to get started but don't drop much on sets. They always have tools you'll never or rarely use. And like others have said, you need to be able to sharpen so some of your budget will probably go for a grinder and some kind of guide set-up.
Good luck!