Why do you participate (or lurk) in this group?

I check in about twice a day. I enjoy woodturning and am still learning. New messages.

A regular lurker, I like to see more of "garage" woodworking shop, fixtures, projects and etc.

Keep on postings :-)

This group is interesting, in part because there are some pretty knowledgable turners who participate. And it's also interesting because folks who want to know how to do something, or advice on buying or making something - ask interesting questions.

And there aren't many dumb questions asked here because the asker has thought about it and tried to come up with an answer and hasn't been able to - and - wants to learn the anwer, or answers.

Sometimes a question can intentionally, or unintentionally raise other questions, or spark an interesting discussion.

For me, the group is a resource, a place where information is exchanged - freely (rare in these days when everything seems to have to be "monetized" it's value expressed in dollars worth) - and a pretty hospitable group as well.

And it's a pretty good place to pick up an idea that may become a turned piece - or not.

Cause we are addicted to making huge piles of wood chips. This is the only place I can find ALL the answers and get ideas for my turning. When I was working I was lucky enough to get my hands on all kinds of trim material ,now I need to use It up cause its piled up every where.One load was nine pc" 1x12x12 ft. of oak and a bunch of poplar and pine. If anybody is in the north east of Ohio area I am willing to trade oak for some turning logs. Jerry

I have regularly attended the "meetings" of this group for several years (ever since I first got interested in turning). It has been one of the many reliable sources of information I have used to improve as a woodturner along with videos, lessons and "logging" lots of hours on the lathe (pun intended).

At first I was a lurker. I read everything that this group had to offer. I suspect that is the case with lots of the group's members. But as time passed and I felt more confidence I decided to contribute from time to time.

Over the years I have seen some new names pop up every so often. I have also noticed some other names vanish. I am not sure why. I speculate that as some have used this group to become better turners they have become even more addicted, spend more time turning and have to attend shows to sell their pieces.

Whatever the case I believe that this group has helped a lot of people over the years. It still does.

Ted J

I'm a lurker too. I have been turning for a little over a year now. I do not typically have answers for people yet but will hopefully someday. The times I have actually known an answer, someone beat me to answering the question...

I lurk on a few other groups as well and this is by far my favorite.

I am really cheap and I gave up on tera-news because of posts showing up 3 days later or never. I realise that news posting are not instantaneous, but if a post takes 3 days, the conversation has left you behind.

I ended up here:

For $10, I get to download 30GB of content. I think I might have to pony up again in a year or two.

-steve

I am not so arrogant as to think that I know all there is to know about woodturning and neither am I a doomsday personality. I sure hope my comments don't come over either way.

Rcw is a great source for answers to woodturning questions, but down through the years I've learned as much as I need to know for the kind of turning I've settled into. The many "new ideas" presented on rcw are interesting, some even exciting, but they seldom lead to my following up on them at the lathe.

For me it's the pleasures of friendly and sometimes not so friendly give & take of diverse members with a common interest in woodturning that I enjoy more than what I learn about turning wood. It's that _enjoyment that has kept me active on the ng for years with posts by this "crotchety ole coot" that often could better be left unsaid.

I remember with happy satisfaction so many turners who have passed through rcw, each changing it for the better. Some I've heartedly agreed with and some I've heatedly disagree with, but we always ended up as net friends. Some have become leaders in turning circles, even becoming known internationally. Some have 'turned' to other groups and some like old turners "have just faded away". I'm probably about to join in that number, dammit. :)

I won't embarass any of my valued old net friends here with soupy maudlin commentary, but please know how much I appreciate each of you. As for the newest and relatively newest members, thanks new friends for keeping rcw going as an unmoderated friendly source for whatever each of you hope to get out of a woodturning news group.

And thanks for asking, Charlie.

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

"StephenM" wrote in news:WR9sl.27631$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe13.iad:

As a longtime lurker on the wrec, I came here when I began turning 2 years ago. I've had on & off ISP supplied usenet service and ultimately used tera-news. I've had the same problems as you, never knowing when and if my posts will show up.(We'll see with this one) Makes you look like a real putz when your post comes in days after the discussion is over. Maybe I also will invest $10 in your suggestion. Thanks.

Jerry

I lurk, therefore I am.

I've lurked here since Agent version 0.99c came out, which is probably about

1995 or so. I don't turn much any more. More into regular woodworking now. Still, this group has always been friendly and open, and quick to respond to peoples questions. Like rec.ww, it seems postings are down since so many ISP's dropped Usenet groups.

The two posters I miss most are Fred Holder and George. Fred was always helpful with any question people asked, and helped me out with advice more than once. He was a big proponent of making your own tools and accessories, something I like to do very much. I think he may still drop in once in a great while, but it has been a long time since he was a regular poster.

George sometimes seemed to have the knack to rub people wrong, which generated much spirited discussion and debate, some of it about the participants probable ancestry and personal habits. However, the group was certainly lively at those times.

Well, back into lurk limbo. Look for my next post in another five to ten years!

Regards, Roy

I started turning a few years ago and joined this group to glean some knowledge and ideas. I love all woodworking and don't talk much because I feel there are many more knowledgeable and experienced peeps in here than me. But I'm working on it!!

Well like others this was my first port of call after abandoning a lifetime of flat working and finally going round. Running cringing from the other flat newsgroup this one seemed to be more my style. I also like the no pictures. Nothing pees me off more than the constant "look what I've done" and "gee your good" format of other forums and groups. Now posting pics and getting good constructive criticism is another thing but unfortunately it's very rare. I also tend to shy away from the good ol' boys club networks, you know the ones where criticism is responded to with an unleashing of the hounds. I enjoy the pace and content of this group probably more than any other and just wish the spammers could be blocked out more effectively. There is another forum in Canada that I frequent a lot more because of personal contact through my local Guild and also they are all a bit more down to earth and realistic than some on other forums and groups. Yes this is a good place to be, very much a comfort zone in the maelstrom of politicking and advertising that is now thought of as wood turning. Thanks to all.

curiosity leaps to attention: said "another forum in Canada" would be ... ?

For the lurkers hesitant to ask questions - or answer questions:

Questions are one of the things that make this place interesting. Without someone asking a question, the answers never come out. And often and answer may spark a completely different question or interesting discussion.

So if there's something you want to know, have tried to find an answer but haven't yet - PLEASE - ask away.

There's also a value to a relative newbie answering a newbie question. Why the question was asked is fresher in your experience and you may be able to cut to the chase quicker and clearer than an old hand who has a range of possible answers, some way over the newbie's head.

As noted by others, one of the values of this group is the example set by folks like Arch, and Fred and George. They set the tone for the rest of us to follow.

Add Bill Noble to the Tone Setters of the group.

BIG oversight on my part.

OK: here goes, something I am afraid to try

How do you use calipers on a rotating piece: even if you round the edges, doesn't it still try to grab? I have seen people use digital calipers, and they have really grabby edges (in videos, so I could not ask how it was done). Thanks

Charles Friedman DDS Ventura by the Sea

On Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:10:42 -0500, Charles Friedman wrote (in message ):

I often use calipers on rotating spindle work, to tell me when I am approaching a desired diameter. The calipers are ordinary Sears and Roebuck steel calipers. Originally they had nice sharp contact points. i heated the points up to a nice cherry red and flattened them to a bit thicker than 1/16 inch. This also make the ends wider, which was useful. I used a file to reshape the contact points to a half-round shape. The points now glide nicely over the rotating work. I hold the calipers in my left hand, and my right hand is holding my parting tool as I make light cuts, approaching my target diameter. The calipers glide smoothly over the groove from the parting tool until they suddenly slip over the spindle. Use a light touch with the calipers and the parting tool. Experimenting will tell you how much oversize you are when the points slip over the turning spindle. One-handed tool use is not a good idea for serious wood removal. Once a good cut has been established with the parting tool, it is possible to control the tool pretty well with your dominant hand, making *light* cuts. Beware that you are reaching over spinning material (with your non-dominant hand, holding the calipers) that will grab your sleeve if it gets a chance - roll those sleeves up high and tight! This is a great opportunity for personal injury.

Now, in the context of bowl turning, you're talking a whole 'nother critter. Some turners will use a piece of stiff wire bent into such a shape as to allow the wire to reach into the desired area and touch the inside and outside surfaces - but I cannot imagine any of them doing this while the bowl is turning.

tom koehler

Hi Charles, Long time, no post. :) I suspect I'm preachin to the choir here. For calipering spindles, I find that lightly but deliberately riding the tip of the caliper's forward leg (the one nearest to me) on the leading surface of the revolving spindle, while keeping the back leg's tip up & free until it's _almost ready to drop down over the wood works for me. Think 'rubbing' the bevel and cutting downhill with a gouge or staying off the trailing edge of a skew.

Don't forget the value of a set of thick and cheap open end wrenches with the tips filed smooth and slightly wide for accurate and easily repeated specific diameters.

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

I've been lurking, pondering how to answer the original question and find the above is adequate.