First time turning questions

[Will Bradbury]

Ok, so I got my lathe set up (thanks Jay) and started messing around just a little bit with scraps of wood, nothing serious. I turned a fresh piece of Box Elder that I picked up after a large limb broke off a tree in town the other night. I didn't have any design in mind, just getting a feel for the gouges and how everything works together.

After turning a few shapes, I have noticed that the wood looks kind of rough when done. Is this due to the wood being somewhat green still (although it has been sitting around for a few days in small pieces and seems pretty dry) or the gouges needing sharpening (I thought they came pretty sharp from Grizzly)? I also turned a piece of dry spruce, again just playing around and it came out smoother but there was still tear out in the curves or deeper cuts.

Thought it might be the soft woods I am playing with (and of course the fact that I have about 15 minutes total time on the lathe). What do ya'll think?

 

[Gotcha6]

"D" All of the above.
Green wood will finish coarser. Many bowl turners rough out their work & then store it in a paper bag with the shavings for 6 months to a year letting it season.
Dull chisels will make for a rough finish. The first thing one needs to learn for turning is an effective method of sharpening and maintaining chisels.
Differing wood species will also turn rougher. Typically, a coarse grained or soft wood will require more to finish than one with dense growth rings - same as flat work.

 

[Nate Davey]

What Gotcha6 said and tool presentation to the wood. Ensure you are riding your bevel. Also try some scraping or sheering cuts with you gouge. For a final cut, I always put a fresh edge on whatever tool I'm using then do the final cut. Also ensure you are cutting on supported fibers, cutting into the grain will leave tear out. Practice, practice practice.

 

[jcz]

Most chisles seem sharp out of the box but they still need to be sharpened. Sharpening is my weekness. Good sharp chisles can make all the difference in the world when turning. BUt you are also fighting an uphill battle with green wood. As a rule of thumb wood needs to dry a year for every inch of thickness.

Keep at it and keep learning. You will get better with every turn.

 

[aplpickr]

I suggest that you join a woodturning club. I believe that your closest is http://www.woodturnersguild.com/sites/wgnc/
The money you save from knowledge will more than repay any dues you pay! It is extremely difficult to finish well any of the softwood needle woods. However, rip a 8 foot 2" x 4" down the center , cut into 12" lengths. Turn away to learn what your chisels will do.

 

[Will Bradbury]

Thanks for the advice guys! As far as sharpening goes, what type of stone is recommended?

 

[Nate Davey]

what type of stone is recommended?

I think you will find a grinder is the way to go for sharpening. You may be able to get away with a stone on your skew and spindle roughing gouge, the complex shape of the bowl and spindle gouge need the grinder. Hopefully, Mike Davis will weigh in on this.

 

[ScottM]

Check out the Woodcraft August Sales ad. They have their 8" slow speed grinder on sale for $89.99.

 

[CaptnA]

Of all the suggestions you've gotten, and there are some good ones, I'd suggest finding a turning club, or a local mentor that can work with you. There isn't enough time to type or read the things a good turner can teach you, and correct with you in a matter or minutes.
Wood selection starting out is tough! The cheap wood syp etc that is readily found often is not a good choice for a beginning turner. Exotics while gorgeous are expensive and present their own problems.
Green wood especially cherry is a great choice for learning. While it is so tempting to run out to the shop and try to make something, new turners need to learn what each tool does and can't do well.
There are hours/days/weeks of video for free on youtube. That doesn't mean all of them are technically correct or promote safe turning practices...
WoodturnersResource.com offers a mentor program. I'm not sure where your location is - NC is a long state. Good assistance early on in the best thing I can think of to spend some time or money on.
Lots of turners have walked away from turning primarily due to dull/improperly sharpened tools, poor technique, and the mindset that their first piece wasn't museum quality so it isn't for them.
Be patient and expect a learning curve.
I try to keep these two thoughts in my head every time I turn on a lathe. Every piece is practice. If it isn't fun, you're doing something wrong.

 

[aplpickr]

Re: Sharpening

You can sharpen with just about anything. I started on a 1" x 42" belt sander, then a a slow speed grinder, then added jigs, now a Tormek and have added a BGM-100 to my bench grinder so that I can use Tormek jigs for fast removal. All methods have good and bad points. Learn to use what you already own. Sharp is much better than not, no matter how you got there. Jigs are better than free-hand. Jigs yield repeatibility without wasting metal. Expense, fast, slow, quality of edge, all are considerations. I hone with a Lacer diamond hone ~$90). I go to the grinder half as often as I used to.