Best books for learning turning

[Mengtian]

I am sure this has been brought up before. What books do you guys recommend for turning in general and pen turning specifically? You Tube is usually my go to resource but sometimes a well illustrated book is good. I saw this one (it is available in book form or PDF)

All New Turning Projects with Richard Raffan

All New Turning Projects with Richard Raffan(eBook) - Taunton Store

 

[stonepecker]

don't forget your public Library.
Also, a used book store might have some that you could find on the cheap.

Personally, I have found some on Craiglist that I couldn't find anywhere else.

 

[GaryMGg]

Not necessarily the best but Hamilton Books has good prices on books, DVDs, et al.
Here's 5 for woodturning:

Search Results - HamiltonBook.com

 

[J Michael]

Barry Gross has a good book, "Learn to Turn" for the basics, and Richard Raffan books would be another choice. For pens, "The Pen Turner's Bible" by Richard Kleinhenz will give you a lot to work with. Our IAP Library has a ton of information and links to more information elsewhere. Numerous wood turning groups have blogs/sites that have a lot of information ... you'll just have to make friends with Google. And, there is YouTube and your local library for free resources and those used book shops can have some amazing finds.

 

[Dan Masshardt]

I have quite a few of the books - most that I aquirered in group deals. . Most are okay but repetitive.

I've thought about selling them but most have just a couple ideas or projects that I think I might refer to to.

Overall I think video is most helpful for turning instruction.

 

[KenV]

Pen turning. Books by Don Ward, Barry Gross, and Rich Kleinhenz are all good. Don's book is more specialized, and would be #3 on my list only for that reason.

General books

There are many over the years.

Woodturning Fundamentals by Mike Darrow is very good for basics.

Raffin has several good books

Jim Rogers recently got a new book on the market that I have browsed and looked good.

And. Ernie Conover has good books for basics.

Doc Green has an excellent book on work holding. The best I have seen, and backs it up with a web site, with more information.

 

[dthayer]

As has been said, there is a lot of great info out on YouTube and in the great IAP library. I guess I'm a bit old school though and do also like to put my feet up with a good old fashioned print book.

I have Barry Gross' Pen Turner's Workbook which is a classic. I also have one by Walter Hall called Complete Guide to Turning Pens & Pencils which I really like. It is actually very similar in format to the Barry Gross book -- general info in the first part of the book and then a number of specific projects detailed in the last half. For some reason (that I just can't quite put my finger on) I like the project section in the Walter Hall book better. If you do order it, though, be careful. There is another book out there called Turning Pens and Pencils by Kip Christensen and Rex Burningham that (in my opinion) isn't nearly as good and is easily confused for the other (don't ask me how I know ).

 

[jttheclockman]

Books will get you in the ballpark but if you truely want to learn, the best thing is to see it first hand and up close where you can ask question. You can't ask a book a question. If there is a Turners club near you, that would be the way to go in addition to the written word.

 

[Mengtian]

Books will get you in the ballpark but if you truely want to learn, the best thing is to see it first hand and up close where you can ask question. You can't ask a book a question. If there is a Turners club near you, that would be the way to go in addition to the written word.

There is member about 3 miles from me that I PM'ed. He is willing to show me some things. I talked to him last wee but our schedules did not allow the time. I am going to contact him again this week.

 

[jeff]

Books will get you in the ballpark but if you truely want to learn, the best thing is to see it first hand and up close where you can ask question. You can't ask a book a question. If there is a Turners club near you, that would be the way to go in addition to the written word.

There is member about 3 miles from me that I PM'ed. He is willing to show me some things. I talked to him last wee but our schedules did not allow the time. I am going to contact him again this week.

Just curious... did you find him using our member map? If so, that's the first documented success of the map doing exactly as intended!

 

[Mengtian]

Books will get you in the ballpark but if you truely want to learn, the best thing is to see it first hand and up close where you can ask question. You can't ask a book a question. If there is a Turners club near you, that would be the way to go in addition to the written word.

There is member about 3 miles from me that I PM'ed. He is willing to show me some things. I talked to him last wee but our schedules did not allow the time. I am going to contact him again this week.

Just curious... did you find him using our member map? If so, that's the first documented success of the map doing exactly as intended!

Yes I did. Nice man. We talked briefly. He invited me to his home so I can see what he has and maybe turn something. I wish we had the time last week.

 

[JimB]

Books will get you in the ballpark but if you truely want to learn, the best thing is to see it first hand and up close where you can ask question. You can't ask a book a question. If there is a Turners club near you, that would be the way to go in addition to the written word.

There is member about 3 miles from me that I PM'ed. He is willing to show me some things. I talked to him last wee but our schedules did not allow the time. I am going to contact him again this week.

Just curious... did you find him using our member map? If so, that's the first documented success of the map doing exactly as intended!

Yes I did. Nice man. We talked briefly. He invited me to his home so I can see what he has and maybe turn something. I wish we had the time last week.

You don't have your location listed. Perhaps if you said where you are you would find others near you. The member map only has a small number of members on it right now.

 

[Drewboy22]

Books will get you in the ballpark but if you truely want to learn, the best thing is to see it first hand and up close where you can ask question. You can't ask a book a question. If there is a Turners club near you, that would be the way to go in addition to the written word.

There is member about 3 miles from me that I PM'ed. He is willing to show me some things. I talked to him last wee but our schedules did not allow the time. I am going to contact him again this week.

Just curious... did you find him using our member map? If so, that's the first documented success of the map doing exactly as intended!

The Map is very useful. I also used it to find a local. Member came to my house and help me A LOT!!! That map is a great resource!!

To keep on topic: I used YouTube for most of my learnin'. I did check the Halfprice book store but they did not have anything.