Scary New

[firewhatfire]

This titled as best I can come up with. I am so scary new that my lathe is still boxed up sitting in my shop floor. I turned on small stick from a big stick on a lathe about 25 years ago that took about 5 minutes. I saw a lathe being used again this week and went out and bought one(Rikon VS) from the local woodcrafters for $299. Hopefully with the info here and a local pen turner that I know a pen is in the near future.

So any help that anyone is willing to give, it will be gladly appreciated. If I can turn something that looks half as good as the masterpieces on this site I will be pleased.

Phil

 

[LarryDNJR]

Welcome from Columbus, OH.

Definitely read up as much as you can here, ask questions. There is so much to learn.

Looking forward to seeing what you make.

LarryDNJR

 

[OOPS]

It sounds like you have everything you need but a little confidence! I too had a little "break" between my turning experiences. The best thing to do is to unpack the lathe, read the directions, and play! I got some good advice when I restarted, and that was to use found wood, cheap wood, etc. instead of buying expensive blanks that you would worry about ruining. It is fun even now to try cheap wood and just experiment. You got a good lathe, and even if your skills are long gone, believe me, they will return. If you're rusty at first, then make sure you turn something every day, even if its just 15 minutes. That will build your skills with the tool.

Good luck and welcome.

 

[el_d]

Welcome from Texas Phil.

Hang on to your wallet.....Theres alot more to get.

 

[firewhatfire]

so let me ask the first crazy question. I bought the mandrel to turn pens on also, can I turn wood on it without having the brass tube inserted?

 

[Andrew Arndts]

Welcome from Michigan, Phil

Pens won't turn themselves if the lathe is in the box. :biggrin:

There are classes you can take at most retail wood outlets like woodcraft or Rockler. Search for places that sell exotic woods.

 

[Andrew Arndts]

Welcome from Texas Phil.

Hang on to your wallet.....Theres alot more to get.

Yeah no kidding, and it never, never ends.... MUAAAHHH MUAHHHH MUAHHH!

 

[Longfellow]

Welcome

Welcome from Sunny St. Cloud, Fla. Home of beautiful Florida wood.

 

[rherrell]

Welcome!

 

[nativewooder]

Welcome from Florida and remember: The only dumb question is the one you don't ask!:biggrin:

 

[Daniel]

Hang in there Phil. The members of this group are great about walking you through any questions. If you are going to start with a pen. I suggest you go with one of the larger but less costly style like the cigar. Next choose a nice softer type of wood with some clear straight grain. it will give you fewer headaches as you get comfortable with the tools. finally. Sharp tools will make the experience far more enjoyable. I would suggest Yellow Heart as a first wood to turn. very nice cutting wood for me.

Beyond that just make sure everything is set up and locked down tight, when you think you are ready to turn on the lathe. check everything is tight again. Go with a high speed for a small turning but cut as slowly as you need to to feel in control.

Lat but not least, Photos when you are finished. We love photos.

 

[Boz]

Phil,
Welcome to the madness. There are many online videos that can show you how to get started. That is how I learned at first. Also on your question about do you need a brass tube. My opinion is yes. The mandrel is sized for a tube to go over it snugly. The 7mm hole you bore is larger. The resultant play could damage the mandrel. I suppose you could mic out the diameter of the mandrel then find the correct drill bit. But why go thru all that? Glue in the tube, turn the wood who knows you just might have your first pen. Good luck.

 

[Jim15]

Welcome Phil.

 

[Edward Cypher]

Welcome Phill from Colorao.

 

[omb76]

Welcome from Georgia! I have this visual of your lathe sitting on the floor and you poking at it with a stick like it's going to jump out at you. LOL! :biggrin: Hang in there, we'll get through this together!

 

[G1Pens]

Welcome from Georgia. I had never turned anything before. I bought a lathe in October/November and just started turning. So just jump in and do it. You will find more information here than you can absorb. Everyone is willing to help.

 

[glycerine]

so let me ask the first crazy question. I bought the mandrel to turn pens on also, can I turn wood on it without having the brass tube inserted?

Welcome, did you buy any pen kits as well? You COULD turn just wood on a pen mandrel, but I don't see why you would. The mandrel is made to use bushings on and the bushings are made to fit the inside diameter of the brass tubes. But if you just wanted to turn wood, then I'd drill a hole that the mandrell would fit through and make sure the wood is long enough for the brass nut to tighten up against or use other pieces of wood as bushings. It's a whole lot easier to turn wood between centers though... even pens for that matter, you don't NEED to mandrel, but that's a whole other conversation.

 

[asyler]

i understand,,i took my lathe out of the box, but it sat on a bench for almost a year,, but once i started it sure is fun to make square blocks ,, round one. enjoy!
allen

 

[DrBills]

Welcome from Atlanta, GA!

I was where you are in turning, not - but ready to, at the beginning of the year. Its been challenging but great fun, helped by the great folks here on IAP.

Good luck and don't hesitate to ask questions.

Bill

 

[SGM Retired]

Phil,

Welcome from North Alabama. To answer your question you can turn wood without the tubes but can't put the pen's togeather till you have the tubes unless someone knowes a different way to do things.

Gary

 

[firewhatfire]

Someone has been looking in my window at me with my stick. Seriously thinking of unpacking it today and making a mess

Phil

 

[IPD_Mrs]

Good to have you on board!! Open up that box and start having some fun

Can't say much about mandrel turning - been turning between centers way too long - I think I've forgotten how to use a mandrel :wink:.

There are a lot of video's in the library that will help you get started and should help answer some of the questions you have. If you are wanting to do something that you don't want to glue the tube into your wood (IE JUST PRACTICE??) just drill the wood and put the tube in so that the bushings will catch up with the tube to stabilize it (since the bushings are made to seat into the tube). Don't glue the tube to the blank. That way you can practice on really cheap, junk wood that you don't plan to put on a pen and get a feel for turning the wood round. When you are done pop out the tube and toss the junk wood.

When you are really ready to make that first pen - go at it proper and you will be amazed at your results!

 

[Ligget]

Welcome to the IAP Phil.

 

[Fred]

Greetings, Phil, and Welcome to the Forum. Glad to have you join in the fun and excitement.

 

[ctubbs]

Phil, the quick and dirty answer is No, you do not need to use the tube for practice. The "A" mandrel takes a 1/4" hole to fit snugly over the mandrel. You can then use your bushings to space the blanks so the nut will tighten down on the wood. you will however, need to square the ends of the blanks for a good fit to the bushings/spacers so the wood will spin well. Do not over tighten the nut. If over tightened, two things will happen, the mandrel will bow and the bushings will be driven into the wood. Neither one good but both very not good. Now for my boiler plate welcome:

Welcome from far west Kentucky, to the addiction, sometimes referred to as the vortex. You mention that you have read some of the site, be sure to give the library a good bit of time. The link is at the top of the page. You will find an article called Library Index. This covers tutorials on about anything pen making you can think of. You will also notice that there are articles listed by year. Much good info there as well. When these fail to answer your questions, by all means post it here. I have never seen one go unanswered very long. Grab some wood, make some shavings and have fun all the while being safe.
Charles

 

[firewhatfire]

preciate the welcome folks. I have started making messes all over my shop and driving slow looking for scraps of wood at every turn. As one fella has told me be careful or you will become a wood collector.

Phil

 

[Lenny]

Well Phil, you are off to a good start already with the selection of the Rikon lathe.... by all accounts it's a good one!
Go you have some turning tools yet? If not the Harbor Freight HSS set for arond $50 is a good value and won't leave you crying every time you get a little too aggresive on the grinder.
Once you are ready to start turning pens consider using 5 min epoxy or Polyurethane (Gorrila) glue to glue your tubes in your blank. Often CA glue (super glue) is recommended but in my opinion it's better to save that for applying as a finish. The heat generated while turning CAN soften the CA glue and you end up with the tube spinning in the blank.
If you use a mandrel be sure to use a true 60 degree live center in the tailstock. The cup centers that come on most new lathes are NOT 60 degrees. Use caution and avoid exerting too much pressure with the tailstock on the end of the mandrel or with the knurled nut ... tighten just enough to keep the blanks from slipping and the live center spinning. This will help to avoid a bent mandrel and the resulting out of round pen.
Some good information on pen turning can be found here, Russ Fairfield's site, http://www.woodturnerruss.com/
and here, Don Ward's site
http://www.redriverpens.com/articles.htm

Most of all Have fun!