Introducing Penny

[Penny]

There doesn't seem to be an introduction page, so I'll just say 'Hi' here.

I'm Penny. I've recently been invalided out of the Army after 20 years service. I have a tiny 8x10 ft workshop in my garden, but am upgrading to 10x16 ft in the Spring. I am new to woodwork but have found it to be great therapy for stress and anxiety caused by my military service. I shut myself in my workshop with Radio 2 and a few bits of wood to play with. I am also disabled due to a back injury. I have built my workbench a little higher than average so I don't have to bend so much, and also use a folding 'bar seat' so I can sit and work.

I am now wanting to learn to turn wood. I have a Clarke 1000mm lathe to start off with. I have made a few toys and re-engineered various bits of furniture to great success. My biggest project has been a fantasy headboard. Basically it's the view from an 8ft high arched castle window, with a silhouette of ramparts and towers with a background of a night sky with 200 LED 'stars' twinkling in it. All the 'bricks' were hand cut from MDF and I think that when it is finally finished and installed it will be fab.

So I am going to ask lots of stupid questions, ask for loads of advice and see how good I can get.



Oh, and one of my heroes is Norm Abram!

 

[IHc1vtr+]

Welcome Penny, sounds like quite a project, would love to see a pic when finished. I would also like to pass on my respects to a member of our armed forces...Thank you.

 

[themackay]

Welcome to the forum Penny,good place for plenty of advice.

 

[stevenw1963]

Hello Penny,

Plenty of useful info on here so ask away.
Also try penturners uk as there a couple of turners on there near to you. (I work in Bathgate but live in South Lanarkshire) they also turn other things than just pens lol

 

[Baldhead]

Welcome Penny

I was pensioned out of the fire brigade in 2010 after 24 years service also with back problems, I too find woodwork very therapeutic, I also listen to radio 2, I have also asked loads of stupid questions!!! Because of my 'problems' I don't spend a lot of time at the bench so I really like WIP pics to fill my days.

Take care

Baldhead

 

[jpw123]

Hi penny,

welcome to this wonderful site. As a newish member myself i can honestly say you will be made most welcome &
anything you need to know just ask. Somebody will be able to help or advise.

Cheers, John

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Penny,

Welcome to the site and ask away with any questions.

All the best,
Neil

 

[lanemaux]

Welcome to the forum Penny. You are going to like it here , trust me. I find the Hand Tools section to be very entertaining , drop in there and see for yourself. The reason I mention it is because with hand tools you can hear the radio , stop in the middle of most operations and scale back on some of the safety equipment (plane shavings seldom reach dangerous speeds). All of this taken together spells "relaxing" to me. I also have a bit of a back issue and so do most work just as you , sitting at a taller bench. Scrolling can also be very relaxing , and the scroll saw section features some great info ,might want to stop in there as well. But no matter where you go on the forum one thing is constant... great people who are willing to help on nearly any question posed to them. Oh , nearly forgot... as turning was also mentioned , look up past turning challenges and prepare to be wowed. We have some talented turners (I should get top marks for understatement for that one).

 

[AES]

Welcome Penny, from another fairly recent member who's also been away from here for a bit recently for bad back reasons.

I'll add my own confirmation to the comments above - there are a lot of people on here with highly impressive skills who also seem more than willing to pass on their own knowledge - just have a look around at the various sections and you'll see many, many instances of people offering huge amounts of help and encouragement no matter how "daft" the OP may feel the question was.

As others have suggested, do have a look at the various sections such as Hand Tools, Jigs, Turning, Scroll Sawing, etc, too.

I guess that at 10 x 8 your present shed will not allow it, but when you've extended it later on may I pass on a tip I got from the professional Physio's just recently? Try to have 2 benches (or even 3 small ones if possible!) each set at different heights, so enabling you to take turns between working at, say, normal chair height, high stool height, and standing height. Your lathe could of course be set up at one of those heights. The main point is that with a back problem one shouldn't spend too long in one height/position at a time. Since coming back from hospital after a back op I've tried 3 different heights and found that if I keep to roughly an hour at each position at a time that it's been a big help.

Good luck and enjoy this place, I'm sure you won't regret joining.

Krgds
AES

 

[Paul Hannaby]

Hi Penny,
I'm sure you will get plenty of advice on here. If you do get in to woodturning there are sit down lathes available but they aren't cheap so probably something to consider farther down the line if you decide you've outgrown your current lathe.

 

[Wildman]

welcome to the forum Penny, there are lots of non experts here and we all get loads of help from the professionals in one way or another.

 

[-Matt-]

There are other radio stations?

Welcome Penny!

 

[blackrodd]

Hello Penny, Welcome to the forum.
Sorry to hear of you're back problems, same here, an accident.
The different height benches mentioned earlier can be helpful, but it never quite goes away.
Double the workshop size will be excellent fun to fill up with "goodies".
In our neck of the woods we would be in Axminster Power Tool Shop or similar all day!!
Do you have any good tool and machine outlets near you?
There are some very knowledgeable members and you shouldn't have many problems unsolved on here
Regards Rodders

 

[n0legs]

Hi Penny, welcome aboard.

 

[woodfarmer]

Hi Penny

Glad to see you are not wasting any time. When I was invalided out in the mid sixties I turned the second bowl in my life at Haslar. I waited until November 2013 before I bought a lathe and turned my third.

 

[Eric The Viking]

Welcome from round here too!