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As Pete says, paper towels can be pretty good - or at least might save your fingers should anything catch. When I started turning I just figured that it was wood, so just took the same approach as I had with everything else, which basically meant that most things got a wipe with oil, or just...

Paul, Hard to tell really, but I wondered if they might be oak and cherry in the second pic. Dod

Tam, That goblet is fantastic :D Cheers, Dod

Chris, Just as everybody else has said, that really is a stunning piece of timber. Pete - given your comment, presumably not all eucalyptus looks anyhting like as good as that. I've never used any myself. Cheers, Dod

For small and/or detailed stuff I would look for anyhting that feels hard and heavy (i.e. dense). I have certainly found softer woods like lime and poplar difficult to finish, which I attributed to softness rather than general incompetence. Dod

Think I have a new one for the list. Environmental Chemist, with a popular regulator. Cheers Dod

Just to add my tuppen'orth to the debate, the only time I've injured myself with a table saw I was using it unguarded. That's not to say I haven't used it safely on loads of occasions, but that's not the point is it. I agree with Scrit on the guards issue, its more an issue of having a...

Hydrogen peroxide burns as well :shock: Clearly Gavin was right, keep those gloves on. Cheers, Dod

Mrs S, I would heartily recommend sycamore, I find that it is a joy to work on or off the lathe. Don't forget the possibilities of non-purchased wood, some of the nicest stuff I've turned so far was hawthorn. I've never seen it available commercially, but understand that it's a bit like the...

Seymore, I would certainly build the supporting structure out of something that will last. Being closest to the ground it may be most likely to rot, and it is not the part that you will want to have to replace. The whole idea is to kill the bugs that would otherwise be eating your timber...

My solution to this would be PU glue, and to hold things in place whilst it set. Obviously this won't do too much for improving the looks of the piece though. Cheers, Dod

Brad, I also went last year, and don't really feel that it inspired me for a return trip this year. That said, I woudn't say I've entirely ruled it out. Cheers, Dod

There may be a good reason for just leaving them on the ground to rot. I know that around here therer are concerns that because we do not tend to leave much deadwood the assortment of creatures which rely on it for their existence can become soemwhat threatened. Certainly our local...

Agenthank, I try to get the angle between the tool and the wood such that the bevel of the tool is lying against the wood which has just been cut. Not sure that this will make much sense, but it is how I seem to achieve the best cuts. It is more difficult on the inside of a bowl because the...

Blister, Much of my woodturning knowledge was gleened from Rowley's book, but I did find that, at least when it came to gouges, his advice on sharpening was pretty useless. Not having any joy I bought a Sorby Fingernail jig, but still didn't find things entirely satisfactory, even though I had...

Andrew, A great demonstration. I too am curious about the "wet sanding". I often finish with oil. Presumably I can therefore wipe on a coat of oil before starting on the fine sanding (once tool marks gone?). Does the abrasive not just get all clogged up? Do I need to use wet and dry paper...

Nads, I spent a couple of days using a Jet lathe whilst on a course, which I think must the be a close relative of the M900. It seemed to be a very capable machine, and quite a good selection of speeds towards the low end compared with my basic Record. Cheers, Dod

Chas, I think that reading that page some time age inspired me, when I built a bench for my little Record lathe, to put some sand inside a hollow top. The bench essentially has a shelf and a top which are torsion boxes filled with sand. I think that the principle is that the sand in the top...

Fantastic stuff, very Heath Robinson :D

I think that the kay consideration when buying planed stock is the difference in relative humidity between where the boards were planed and where the furniture ends up, cupping of some boards might be a problem. Cheers, Dod