You grow in your turning the same way you grow elsewhere, through challenges. Though I'm puzzled at the alleged difficulties with turning oak - drying another matter - I will say it's less forgiving of poor technique than other woods with uniform density. Now you've grown into the hobby a bit, have another go.
I think more of your problems with oak come from the large difference between radial and tangental shrinkage and the fact that it does not have interlocking grain, and splits easily- which is what makes it so nice as firewood. My hat is off to the guys who can do it well- they must have some really good voodoo dances, but for the rest of us slackers, it's too much trouble, and doesn't have that much visual punch when it's finished.
If you turn dry oak, it shouldn't ever be that much trouble- but most of us turn wet wood (I think- I do, anyways) and that's where the trouble and agonizing over drying methods comes in. My favorite woods have interlocking grain- meaning, there is an obvious grain, and then a sort of "subgrain" pattern when you look at it. Birch, Maple, Elm, etc. all have this in common. It's not only more interesting to look at, IMO, but it's better at resisting cracking. Some of them warp a lot, but I usually expect a bit of that, and plan pieces so that the warp is part of the design. With a bit of observation, it becomes fairly obvious over time which parts are going to move, and in which direction.
Paul, nice box. The wood is very bland though. It would look much nicer in burl. ;-)
More recently it's been a lesson in avoidance. My earlier attempts to turn smaller oak--white or red--forms was fraught with tearouts for which I had no explanation. My tools were sharp, I was approaching the wood very cautiously and correctly (to the best of my knowledge at the time), and the rotational speed was appropriate. Of course the tearouts seemed to occur near the end point of the turning tasks, which amplified the frustration factor. So I pretty much gave it up for easier-to-turn species. In all honestly I don't miss oak at all. I turned a small bowl--candy dish--for a friend who received it in a rather lackluster manner. After recovering from my injured pride, I turned her one of rather colorful tulip wood, which she received rather enthusiastically. Another nail in the oaken coffin.
Max
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