11 Wood Turning Tips I Didn't Learn Watching YouTube 

The roughing gouge is properly called a Spindle Roughing Gouge because it's ONLY used for spindles. If you use it on a side grain bowl, it will catch and could possibly kill you. Never use it on anything but spindles.

I have had a lathe and have turn about as much as one man can in 60 years. I knew when I started to watch your video that I would have several things you missed and know all the things you showed. I was wrong! Some of your suggestion have never crossed my mind? Good video and anyone whether they are starting up or have been into turning many years should watch it.

00:36 ''Chucks are numbered'' lol, I just discovered that fact a few days ago, having re-assembled mine. It didn't open and close well, then I remembered there were numbers, and had not previously considered what significance they might have... then ; 💡💡 😄

Great tips and inpspired me to start looking for a lathe. Loved it, and liked it. Thank you

Great tips thanks. I'm in UK and same here....local clubs full of seasoned turners, pattern makers and tool makers with decades of experience. Use it, learn from it and they love passing on their wisdom. Some will provide lessons at very sensible prices and you'll learn so fast with 121 high level tuition. One tip I was given was only to buy tools made in Sheffield England (like your roughing gouge) or some (and I'm not sure which) from USA...avoid anything from the far east. I'm sure Japanese tools will be some of the best but clearly a number of cheap Chinese etc not worth the time. I also eventually bought a forced air helmet thing and it is great. Ear defenders are vital as well esp with extraction going. In UK we advocate never wearing gloves or sleeves below the elbow unless really elasticated onto the wrist....RU-vid is full of people wearing gloves and sleeved shirts. Think what a chuck and piece of wood spinning at 1200rpm will do to your hand when it grabs your glove or sleeve and drags them in.....not good.

Sir, Your video was Spot On…it’s the folks Like You - that help Compliment all these Tutorials! Thankyou - Sincerely for taking the time to film this. And Yep - I learned a few more tips - because of You !

I'll second that about the dust mask being useless. I bought a Trend Airshield Pro, and I love it. First time using it, I was literally covered in wood chips but not a single whiff of sawdust. Worth every penny!

I've been turning a dozen years and I agree with everything you say. The 3M air shield might be a little expensive but it saved me about €10,000 in facial reconstruction. 😮

Great info. Ty

Love the no BS high paced, info with a little humor tossed in. I started like you did and now need to look at my chuck jaws. Always more to learn. Subscribed and good on you for starting this channel. I've got the same Revo 1216 you have and also use the RS roughing gouge as my "go to". Nice website too. Hope things work out well for you.

Thanks for putting this out there for those of us trying to find our way in this journey!!

All of your tips are right on the money and presented in a very concise manor. Thanks. I've been at this for around forty years now and am one of the old guys. In my case and most others, finding a club is very high on the list. Meeting and talking with other turners will open up the joy of turning to anyone. As a group there are very few jerks in the turning community and most people are happy to share tips and insight. If there isn't a club in your area the American Association of Woodturners is the best organization to join with online content and a journal that comes out several times a year chock full of great info and how too stuff. It's a good idea for those in clubs to join this also.

Actually, there is one chuck with no numbers on it, the Easy Chuck. Interesting chuck, but none of the jaws are the same as my Vicmark chucks. I did wear out 2 of the David Ellsworth signature swept back gouges, and don't use them at all any more. While they are a tool that will do a lot of things very well, the specialty tools, the 40/40 and a BOB (bottom of bowl) gouge work better. #1 safety rule for me is to stand out of the line of fire.

Thank you for your plane honesty Brother✊🏽‼️

Everything you said is spot on especially with small bowls I make small jewelry boxes and very little room for error

Definitely earned my sub. Fantastic video.

Thanks for the info! Got me to subscribe! I haven’t been turning very long and you brought out some good points! 👍🏻 Thank you for sharing!

All excellent tips. I too had to learn these on my own. I also bought my 3M PAPR system on Ebay for a bargain. I don't use the battery & blower. I use a HVLP blower and tubing connected to the helmet tubing since I stay in the same area while turning and get much better flow. I would suggest using a piece of paraffin wax rubbed on the bed ways and other sliding surfaces. But I use bees wax on the headstock spindle threads. I only use paste wax when doing a major cleaning because the paraffin is so quick, and I have lots of surfaces I can hit in seconds with a piece of paraffin wax. I joined a turning club several years after I started, but cannot overstate how important it is to join a club.

Good job, well put.

thanks for the tips

Thank you!!

Thanks for the tips

I have the Sorby spindle roughing gouge you showed and a cheap metal gouge from from Harbor Freight I turn a lot of rolling pins from hard maple that take me about 30 min. The cheap non high speed steel will always do it at least 5 min. faster. they both have the same 40 degree bevel. The flute is a little more mellow on the cheap one.

Very helpful thanks

Thanks!

Great tips. Especially the mask. I've got one it works great. Happy turning 👍

Awsome job!

Thank you!

You can't overstate the value of joining a local club, or guild.

Great video, subbed

10-4 potner . U got my sub and a thumbs up 👌

Yep, really good points well made and nicely presented…Not sure how people haven’t figured it out for themselves though🤷‍♂️ Organic common sense after week one. I’m a month in knee deep in Xmas trees, Acorns, Chess pieces, bowls and wands 😂 anyone thinking about it -Trend air shield pro is a must👌

All solid points. I wish Covid hadn't doubled the price of PAPRs though.

Nova Technatool has released clarification that only the threaded profile chucks need to be matched to the index. As long as the jaws are in order, it does not matter which jaw is aligned with the chuck index. They have doubled down on this by removing the index numbers from the exterior visible space of the jaws (inside is still indexed as the scroll plate teeth need to be aligned). Renaissance wax just might be the most expensive solution to preventing rust on the ways. Even though it's not cheap, Boeshield is cheaper than Renaissance wax, and does an incredible job at protecting bare steel on the ways and under side of the banjo.

I actually have been using my 3M 6800 mask while turning. Not as good as a forced air, but cheaper (and I already had it) and I can blow all the air at me that I want to keep cool. Nothing is getting in my eyes, which I had with just a regular face shield and a fan. It's not too annoying to wear, but understanding me when I talk is a challenge.

Nicely done. There are many more I never heard. Finishes can be put on top of each other; thinned shellac makes a great base coat. Food safe means different things to people. There is nothing wrong with scraping; it has been used successfully for many, many years. Standing trees have never read the rules on safety; even easy ones can present dangers when felling. Bandsaws are very dusty buggers. Clean the floor around your lathe frequently for safety reasons and to help find the chip or piece of bark you want to glue back into the piece. Woodturning is expensive and worth every penny of it. Thanks, great video. It made me think and laugh.

Another tip for most is to buy m42 tool steel for your gouges.. I started 55 years ago using high Speed steel and they get dull pretty fast. about 12-15 years ago m2 steel was used to make gouges.. This steel stay sharp longer than high speed steel.. Finally about 7 years ago Carter and son came up with m42 gouges.. These gouges start sharp way longer than m2.. My point here is don’t waste your money.. Most gouges coast the same with about 10-15% variance.. M42 is amazing and sharpening time is about the same using Wolverine sharpening system.. Don’t use crummy steel..and have fun..☺️👍

I did initially attend wood turning meetings, but the old retired guys had expensive stuff that I would never be able to buy, and their work was so advanced. Also got tired of everybody telling me what to do, so I quit going. Learned everything with common sense and safety. No internet. Started around 2000 and it was intense for many years, but now the lathe sits idle and I have many boxes with some awesome experimental pieces that I never saw at the old guy meetings. And lots of wood in my shop some new turner needs to get before it meets the wood burning stove. And then there was the old guy who constantly nagged us about the toxicity of every wood on planet Earth. Got it, Pops. My lathe had a massive vacuum line over it to keep my lungs happy. Thanks for your info, sir. -- North Central Florida

excellent ! concise, informative and a thoughtful well presented video. Not too sure about your favourite platter though, sorry 😉😂

You overlooked SHARPENING. A good sharpening system like a Tormek is essential.

Lots of good stuff here. I’ve been turning for a long time and just got a peke safety respirator. One of my best purchases ever. It’s $500 and change but what are healthy lungs worth?

Not all Chuck’s jaws are numbered

Face guard is good for dispersing the energy, but a high velocity object can still get through it. Best to wear guard and glasses. We only get one set of peepers 😉

40/40 grind for life boi

You mentioned dust masks and fumes in the same breath. It's important to note that a dust mask does not protect against fumes. You need to make sure that you're using the correct type of filter for the job at hand.

Thanks for the tips, I agree, a lot of those I have not seen either. I am hitting subscribe to see some of your work also. I should have a new video out soon, so if you have time, I would appreciate your comments on my videos. Keep on turning.

How do you like the powermatic? It is upgrade time for me.

Some good points that you have deduced from beginning your turning experience, but like everything I take it you drive a car (or maybe not) but if you can I would imagine you had a lesson or two to pass the test. One of your tips could have been, maybe get a lesson from a professional turner or a competent amateur ( although there is no test to you need before being allowed to turn) and I know you said about the turning club but that should have been the first tip. Lessons from competent people is the way to learn, and money, because the lathe is the easy bit albeit pricey. All the rest of the stuff you need could be far more expensive for your hobby. ie: Take up scuba diving, flying, golf, shooting and on and on there is a cost. Thanks for the video was an interesting watch

good tips. Good presentation. Thank you.

Great tips. I might point out that the MicroClimate Air, originally designed as a covid mask, now has an impact resistant face shield and retails for around $300.

"Cheap" - I like the cut of your jib, sir! None of this 'inexpensive' bull manure...🤣

You earned my sub. Good info, and I like your style. Thank you.

How well does a cheap Chinese metal lathe work for wood turning?

What about the gouges? What brand? Where did you get them? Any specifics?

You got my sub. Thanks for the tips.

First buy quality HSS tools. If you don't have quality tools turning is not fun. Second when you decide you want to keep turning invest in a tool sharpening system. I have a ONEWAY WOLVERINE system and I recommend it. Turning for me is the most fun I have in the shop.

Well done... I would add: learn to sharpen those tools...if it’s almost sharp, it’ll almost cut!

All good tips! However, I'll push back a little on face mask vs. safety glasses. It's important to wear *both* -- a face shield alone is not sufficient to protect your eyes.

As a machinist, the numbers on the jaws aren't as critical as you might think. The jaws are machined as one piece and then cut into quarters. The numbers are more important to OCD people. Another point is that the bowls "squarish" like a dog bowl and are much harder to turn/sand. Go for one continuous curve.

Awesome tips, but the thing that stops me from turning is the sharpening. Haven't found a system that works without costing as much as my lathe. Once I crack that nut I can begin turning.

Renaissance wax???

While I agree with what you are practicing I would like to say something in reference to the chuck and jaws. Your mention of the numbered jaws and jaw slides being a good practice is not necessary for the great majority of wood chucks that have jaws that interchange with screws onto the jaw slides. The jaw slides are numbered as they need to be inserted to the scroll in sequential order, to maintain their equidistance to the center. The jaws are aligned with a curved groove that matches the curved tenon on the jaw slide. The curved tenon is created on the jaw slide when the jaw slides are tightened against a solid bar at their inner tips. As long as the jaw slides are inserted sequentially correct into the scroll, the curved tenon will be equidistant to center on all jaws. Where this is critical to match the numbers is on a "machine lathe" four jaw chuck as the jaws and the jaw slides are usually one piece. As such they require to be inserted into the scroll in the proper sequence as labeled on the chuck face and jaws for proper orientation to center. Of course there are exemptions to this as far as any specialized tooling is concerned but for the most part, a wood turner using off the shelf chucks and jaws that go with that particular chuck this is true.

tytyty

Guys I bought the lathe first I know money càn be a problem while pointing at a 5thousand dollar lathe

Mostly bullshit why buy two lathes when starting off

Pay a professional for some proper lessons instead of perpetuating youtube nonsense. You will be safer, better informed make better progress. No one ever regrets buying quality, good luck & enjoy your hobby safely.

quick rubbing paste wax in your hair, it ain't working!

Some of these comments are worrying... wearing a mask is not a great tip! ... its like saying wearing a seat belt is a great tip.

Awesome Video and exactly what i have found. Thanks for sharing and look forward to your future videos. Liked and Subbed Aston @IWMS