Turning newbie in Texas

Hi Jenny.

Where in Texas are you? There are some great turning clubs in the state, and some really great people that would probably welcome you with open arms.

Our club in San Antonio has almost 60 registered members. The Houston club is bigger than that! Austin has about 40 (I think) and there is one in Corpus Christi, a huge one in Dallas.

Post me here and I will try to help. This email does not work.

Robert

Hi Robert,

I am in Houston, northwest to be more specific. Let me know if there are any URLs that you might be familiar with as well.

Thanks!

I'm not Robert, but if you look at my sig line and follow the URl for the AAW and then go to local chapters, you'll find all the ones near you.

Dave in Fairfax

Welcome SpiffyJ, I don't think there are specific tips applying to the minis that don't also apply to standard and large lathes - speaking as a mini owner from the beginning of my turning chapter almost 4 years ago. One thing that you should read up on - being new to turning with novice skills - is a steady rest to keep the long spindle from flexing, vibrating and "whipping" near the unsupported center of the stick. Folks with tons and tons of practice and developed skill can get away without them but for the rest of us they're nearly invaluable to a good finished result.

A spindle steady doesn't have to be expensive or fancy - mine are just assemblies of scrap wood with independent clamps that hold UHMW (a very slippery plastic) against the wood to keep it supported.

I'll see if I can snap a couple pics tonight and post a followup with the link in a little bit.

Hmmmm. Not sure what that wood might be. I would first look at what wood will be used for the table top and apron and match the legs to that. If the legs are to be painted then I'd go with birch, maple or poplar - poplar being the softest of the 3 but less expensive.

I certainly don't want to burst your entrepreneurial bubble but don't be discouraged with your first pieces. Practice, practice, practice and then practice some more. For the first dozen or two pieces just turn the wood to shavings without trying to make a finished piece. The basics will come to you fairly quickly - especially if you can grab on to a mentor to lead you through the first steps. I wholeheartedly agree with the other comments about finding a turning group in your area. There will certainly be someone there who will be eager to pass on his or her knowledge and show you the ropes.

SJ:

We're neighbors! I am only three short hours away in sunny San Antonio. I have family there and also do custom woodwork there when the $$$ is right. I am there frequently.

I have met some of the turners in your club at the Texas Turn or Two get togethers and you have some truly talented and just plain nice folks in the Houston group. And boy do they know how to have good time!

They were affiliated with Woodcraft last time I spoke with one of them, and you might call both stores to see who might know when they meet.

You have a lot of other resources, too. You can check these guys out for a fast track start:

$12 bucks an hour for hands on instruction isn't very expensive.***********************Then there are the classes supported by the city: ***********************Heard good things about these guys (maybe for your furniture)***********************Then the biggie club:***********************But that isn't close to all you have at your fingertips. There aremany gallery turners, and many independent "artists" as well as"traditionalists" that turn lots of really neat stuff and go to theshows they have in Austin, Bastrop, etc. to sell their wares. I haven't met a real snob turner yet. I am sensitized to that since I am a career woodworker with 30 years of it behind me, most of it self employed. I have a hard time sometimes with weekend/evening/hobby book educated woodworkers and their "master craftsman" attitudes, but I would really be surprised if you had any problems with the folks in the wood turning community.

In fact, I only got started again with the lathe about 8 or 9 years or so years ago, and had not turned since high school. I had the extreme good fortune of meeting a couple of the turners that were in the club that were some of the nicest wood workers I had met in a long time. Instead of feeling out of place since I had not turned in so long, I felt right at home with these folks by the break of the first meeting.

I would encourage you to seek out the turning guys and women in Houston, and check out your local chapters and organizations and see which ones you want to involve yourself with. In fact, the Gulf Coast Club even had a mentoring program last year for one on one help. How cool is that?

Robert

Thanks guys, for the information.. When I was first turning on the mahogany/eucalyptus, I was thinking... "It's going to take me a while to get used to this again!" I had an opportunity to use a lathe when the shop teacher let me make pieces for sculptures in art class... I am guessing that that was a much more powerful unit! But, I am gradually increasing speed, and seem to be making progress. I definitely need to get into a local group.

Again, thank you for all the information, I am going to check it out!

Jenny