First attempts

[ro]

I've been working through "Woodturning: a foundation course" and done lots of practising on softwood so, I thought it was time to try actually making something out of hardwood.

My first attempt at something that wasn't a cylinder of pine is this goblet made out of Sycamore:

The outside turned nicely and didn't need too much sanding, but the inside was a bit of a state and needed a lot of work with 60 grit to smooth out the tear out, maybe I need to get better at sharpening my spindle gouge (or make a round nose scraper).

Then I thought I'd try my hand at a bit of bowl turning. I found a random offcut of something (I don't know what it is) and took a trip to John Davis woodturning to get a bowl gouge. While there I saw some potpourri bowl lids and thought that this would give me a great excuse to make a bowl with nice, thick walls

Both the inside and outside required a fair bit of sanding to reduce tearout. But, overall I'm quite happy with the result.

Next project is an 8" thinner walled bowl in spalted beech.

 

[tekno.mage]

Wow! I wish the first "real" object I turned was anything like as good as your sycamore goblet. It's a really good shape. Don't worry too much about having to use the 60 grit to get rid of tearout at this stage - practise with sharp tools will soon enough minimise rough cuts. Sycamore can tear easily when hollowed out - although it's a hardwood, it can be quite soft. The trick is to make light finishing cuts with very sharp tools, or take very very light passes with a freshly sharpened scraper.

Pot Pourri dishes aren't really my thing, but again you've got a good shape there.

Look forward to seeing your next pieces.

 

[CHJ]

Very well done ro, don't worry about the sanding to finish, the important thing is to end up with a well finished piece.

The tool control and less need for sanding will come, and judging by your progress so far that will come quite quickly.

You did extremely well to complete a goblet so early in your turning experience.

 

[gnu]

The goblet has the great simplicity and a modern stlye and design that any seasoned professional would be proud of.

 

[George Foweraker]

A very good start.
Well done .

Regards George

 

[Bodrighy]

A flying start I'd say. Goblets are not something most new turners would try and definitely not as successfully as this. The potpourri bowl is also challenging, getting the lid to fit is in itself not exactly newbie territory. Both look as though you got the finish sorted in the end, how you achieved it is not important. Possibly it is just a case of tool technique and / or sharpening but both will come with practice.

Pete

 

[Turn It In]

Hi RO,
As has already been said I wish my first pieces had been as good but practice makes perfect ( as well as some artistic firewood on the way).
Keep up the good work and remember if your grindstone is 80 grit that is the coarseness of your cutting edge and therefore using coarse abrasive is to start removing tooling marks is quite acceptable and necessary to finally achieve a good finish.
Regards,
Ian

 

[gasmansteve]

Lovely stuff RO, just starting out ?????
Steve

 

[Paul.J]

Great looking start RO
Will look forward to your next attempts.

 

[Lightweeder]

Lovely pieces ro.

 

[WoodnDesign]

RO, Well done, 2 delightful pieces, the goblet as a 1st, excellent the shape is just right, Keith Rowley would be right pleased with that, the potpourri bowl is beautifully done, nice flowing shape and lovely grain, it should be prized by whoever the new owner is, even if you keep it.

Keep practising, things will get better, or just ask on here, have you considered lessons, its good for sorting the errors out and pointing you in the right direction.

Will watch for the next piece, try that new bowl gouge.

David

 

[miles_hot]

RO

Excellent work; especially the goblet - I'd be proud to do that (I haven't tried yet as I'm not sure Im ready - which says a lot about your skill and ambition).

The use of the "60 gouge" is annoying when you're starting but as others have said the finish off the tool will come - I'm starting to see that I'm doing less sanding which is a lovely way to see progress. In addition to sharp tools consider the following:
- when you've nearly got the shape you want start the finishing cuts which will be ultra fine - you're looking for hair like shavings
- ignore the "real turners don't scrape" rubbish - taking those fine shavings can be a lot easier with a scraper, just make sure it's sharp - maybe hone after every 3rd or 4th pass if you can see that the tear out is starting to disappear
- use the oil that you're going to finish with as a lubricant - on the final passes damp the surface with the oil. Note that you can also use this on the final sanding to get a better finish (build up a "slurry" of wood dust and oil)

It'll come in time but you've got a good eye which is much harder to learn.

Looking forward to more

Hi RO,
Keep up the good work and remember if your grindstone is 80 grit that is the coarseness of your cutting edge

Ian - I can see how this is true of something presented directly to the wood - say a scraper - where the 80 grit will have created 80 grit teeth on the blade but when using a gouge in say a shear scraping mode is this still true?

Miles