Woodturning - A Need for Speed? 

Thanks for all your videos. I'm new to turning and like your humble style in sharing your experience and knowledge. I appreciate that you don't mind showing a mistake now and then, it helps me feel better about my own. Keep up the good work!

I just learned a lot and didn't loose any teeth doing so! Thanks Mike!

I think this is a great video thanks for doing it

Thanks Mike. Just got first lathe and been turning far to slow. But don't have speed control. Have to change the pulley ratio, Have seen all your beginners videos and found them all very helpful .

Very interesting video Mike. Unfortunately I only have a 3 speed belt change lathe, 450, 950 & 2000. So I'm reluctant to try things on a higher speed as I don't know what might happen. But I'll definitely be turning small items (pens, wands etc) at a higher speed than I am at the moment.

Great video Mike! As a new turner, this was invaluable.

Trivia: One blink of an eye is on average 1/8th of a second, or 125 milliseconds. In that time, a piece of wood that spins at 3200 rpm will spin 6 and 2/3 revolutions and you will hit wood (if you're rounding a piece) 26 times. Quite mind boggling, really.

Once again Mike. A great tutorial. Have started to turn a eucalyptus very very end of burl piece, That is so rough. Have tried to rough it out at 425 rpm. Its bloody horrible. Shall try it out at 625 rpm or maybe a bit higher. Have a manual belt change. Great advice.

Very interesting video Mike. However one thing that I think should have been stressed more is the relative size and weight of your lathe in comparison to a much smaller lathe like a 10 inch Jet for instance.

Thank you very much for this demonstration Mike, much needed for me. Cheers, Júlíus

Thanks for the great video! As a new turner, this is exactly the information I was hoping to find.

Excellent information Mike! Hope all is well on your end!

Very helpful for me a new hobby turner . Thanks Mike Stay healthy and happy 💐

Fantastic video Mike, this was always one of the unknowns for me when I started turning... I’m sure it will help new turners by showing them what to expect.

Nice one Mike !! All the best Andy.

Great video. Never enjoyed clunking at low speed and always end up rounding off for her when my daughter is turning because, as you say, it is not a pleasant experience. I'll definitely be experimenting with speed to try to do more turning and less "knocking the corners off" Many thanks

Great article Mike. When you put that 3 trunk piece on with the bad wobble at 450 I could only think of my lathe which has a minimum speed of 500. I'm getting used to my lathe wandering around with big off balanced pieces. I think there is a minimum speed we should ideally be looking to achieve on pieces to get that good cut. However what I don't agree with is when people answer in forums, just increase the speed to get a better cut. As Steve Jones demonstrated turning at around 1000-1200 he could get just as good a finish as going to over 3000 even with using the skew at different angles etc. Turning too slow especially when turning air can be more dangerous as you risk catches by the tool jabbing in the wood to much. The pdf you linked suggest 6000 rpm for a 1" spindle. Good finishes can be achieved at 1000 even on pens. The good thing you covered was going through the wobble barrier which I'm sure most new turners would ever think of. Great topic and ideal for beginners.

Thank you for such a great video. I have just bought my first lathe, without ever have make nothing on woodturning. So, your video have responded at one of my great questions on beginning. It helped me to be more confident, to be able to turn my first piece. Thanks!

Great video, Mike! Thanks. I’m going to share this with other members of my woodturning club so those who need to know can learn from it.

Thanks for another clearly explained and informative guide. I found this interesting as I only have space for a little lathe, which I expect is more prone to the wobble effects of the wood being off centre due to lathes lighter weight. Please keep all the tips and ideas coming. Thanks Lee.

brilliant Mike

Hi Mike. thanks for the video. I have learned a lot. Great. Greetings Joerg.

Recently having just bought a lathe, Nothing special, But good for beginner, Mine has pulleys to move the belt to, to get different speeds, A little annoying and time consuming but hey.. Anyway, I was spinning at 1250-1300rpm when Spindling, and was very happy with the results, especially concidering im very new to it.. BUT, cranked the speed to the next pulley, like 1600rpm, and WOW, my cuts got so much nicer instantly! I never knew faster spinning = cleaner cuts?!? Anyway, point of my comment is.. Now, I spin at the fastest speed i feel safe doing so. By which i mean, If the blank is a little off balance and not rounded, i will slow it down, But if its true and round, I crank the speed right right up :D by lathe has 4 speeds. 750rpm, 1300, 1600, 2100... Dont feel like the 2100rpm will ever be required though tbh.

Just seen this. Thanks for the explanations. I have a 4 speed pulley change lathe and realized quite quickly that even to turn a half log 12 inches dia. at my slowest speed of around 720 revs I needed to learn how to balance the wood as accurately as possible Usually by adjusting my face plate) That done, I have never needed to turns bowls, goblets etc at above 1200 revs as long as my tools are kept very sharp. One day, I may be able to get a lathe with an accelerator! Keep them turning Mike! Kevin (Worcester)

Cracking video, thanks Mike. Just wondering - do you discriminate much on the rev's you use according to what kind of cut you're taking? By way of example, I seem to find myself more comfortable with regular scraping at much lower revs than cleaning up the very same cut with the negative-rake... is this something you've found? Or perhaps certain other cuts/tools cause you to vary your revs?

Hi mike, thanks for the advice and I am fairly in experienced at working with a lathe but have done a few bowls and one set of legs for a coffee table. I like your teaching because you are very clear and I like your attitude on safety. thanks for taking the time to teach us all, seems to me that you do care and most of all you do answer comments. actually, I never leave likes or comments to people who never answer. hope you keep going with this. great. thanks. :)

Very interesting and informative vid Mike..........Regards, JenIan turning.

Thanks Mike, a really inciteful video for a new Turner like myself. I'm working on a little old Lathe at the moment that was given to me by my uncle a year ago. It's on a belt system so it just goes Slow, Fast and faster lol depending on which cog the belts on. I hope to upgrade my lathe some time in the near future. Have you any reccomdations on a good make?! 😉 lol. It Was lovely to see you at UKIWS again this year you've been very inspiring to me over the years. I've turned a couple of small goblets and would be honoured if you would have a look at them on my channel. I hope to post a new video soon. Many thanks Kristi.

Hi Mike, Good information, Initially when starting out new turners are a little afraid to increase speed for fear of the project flying around the workshop. I concur completely. , faster speeds equal better finish off the tool offset work excepting, until the required shape is attained. Your explanation is as usual very concise and complete. Regards Stephen

Hi Mike Firstly what a great video!! So informative I found the whole thing engrossing most people starting turning will tend to turn at a slower speed just through lack of confidence. Just a thought I had was.... does the floor your lathe is sitting on make a difference? bearing in mind there are a lot of new turners out there in wooden sheds with wooden floors ? Like myself,which has been an issue for me especially when turning a large bowl bank, but I guess it’s like you say just to use your own judgement, I’ve been turning for a couple of years so I think I have a pretty good judgement of speeds I can achieve in my old shed with a wooden floor without it falling down around my ears.... I hope new turners in their sheds just bear in mind what their lathes first point of contact is and how sturdy that is. Dunno Mike just a thought Still the best mate Cheers Sean

Great content as usual Mike. I must admit my Axminster vs1628 has the two pullies but have not gone to the higher speed one yet. Know where did I put that Allan key? 😝 when it comes to sanding and finishing, higher speed the better?

Thankyou for a very informative video Mike. I will try what you suggest but when you lowest speed is around 540 rpm I have fun chasing the lathe around lol. Saving up for a new one with electronic speed control. Your videos are so helpful thanks again. By the way the kettles still on. Cheers mate

Finally, an excellent demonstration of sensible turning speeds. For the record, I’ve been turning and teaching for 30 years and totally agree with everything you say. You’ve nailed it. I couldn’t have explained it better. Would only add for the non variable speed lathes to try a higher belt speed and switch on and then straight off again to test the outcome before anything gets too out of control. My friend and I have struggled to get our club members to turn at a sensible speed for years. A link to your video will definitely be in our newsletter from now on. Thank you so much. I just hope people are sensible enough to take this great advice.

Excellent video - excellent presented. Thank you very much for this comprehensive insight & overview.

Great video with excellent safety points. One point I have always been told when turning bowl blanks is that above 1000rpm should there be a problem the blank will go airborne, below that speed it will just drop to the floor and roll away, may catch your ankles but better than your head

Nicely put across Mike, i’m sure for a lot of new to intermediate turners, this vid will be of tremendous help. As you quite rightly state, safety first. This being the most critical part of turning for anyone regardless of overall skill level.

This video was a huge help and cleared up quite a lot. I have only been turning for a couple of months and now I know I have been turning too slowly. I have been watching all your videos and they are all very informative, easy to follow and clear. Thanks again.

HI Mike, great video again. I have , like many other new wood turners, started off with too slower speed. So many thanks for this valuable demonstration!

Good informative demo mate ! Cheers, Bram

I know when I first started turning on my Nova Comet, the higher speed scared the crap out of me. Nowadays, I only turn the speed down to sharpen my chisels and gouges (I have the grinding wheel attachment, so the lathe's speed is the grinder's speed).

What a fantastic reminder for the more seasoned turner. We all need to be reminded from time to time. SAFE TURNING, John

Again thanks a lot for the info on vibration and going through it or NOT.... I really appreciate your teaching moments for me and I am sure many others.

Thanks for the informative video. Just wish I knew metric weights/measures LOL!

Gooday Mike. A good video on turning at the right speed however it should be pointed out that length of timber in spindle turning is another factor that has to be considered. Another more important point is the soundness of the blank particularly with the prevalence these days of turning cracked and "interesting" stuff.

I really do like turning between dual steb centers. :-) On my punky little lathe, I find that keeping the tailpiece quill as short as possible helps to lessen vibration.

I put your demo to the test yesterday with a chunk of Pau Rosa and this dense wood was a nightmare at the lower speeds so I sped it up an yes the vibration stopped but it was a bit scary for a newby like me, turning at that speed but you were exactly right and it was less like turning a house brick!!

Thank you for great tips 👍🏼👍🏼

very informative Mike, but for new turners I would be recommending using a roughing gouge to take down to a cylinder. People are already confused with which tool to use for different aspects of tiurning

priceless. I've not got the luxury to dial in my speed working on an older lathe but this has encouraged me to take the time to go past the wobble and get a better cut. I came here by recommendation to gain some basics on sharpening up my tools but I can already see that lathe speed has much to do with the cut as a nicely shaped gouge.

Excellent video Mike Thanks very much I have learnt a lot from your presentation

Thanks for this Mike, very useful.

Mike, when you said an experienced turner may not get a lot out of this video, I almost passed on watching. But, even though I am experienced I always feel like there is more to learn so I watched. I'm glad I did! What I learned is, I turn much like Mike Waldt turns, at least when it comes to selecting a speed. What brought it home the most, for me, was when you had the odd shaped, out of balance piece between centers and you said you didn't feel comfortable trying to go through the wobble. Agreed! Been there, felt the same way. You should be a teacher! Very well thought out and produced video. I was thoroughly entertained. Thanks for another great video! Phil

Thanks for the information great video, Mike

Great video Mike,thanks for helping me to improve.Bob

Thanks for the video Mike, are the bowl blanks mounted on faceplate or in a chuck?

thanks you have answered so many of the questions i had , im new to turning and got my first lathe last week , again many thanks

Nice work Mike. I am "self taught" and I have been turning way too slow. I usually increase the speed until I start to get vibration, and then back off a little. I see now that one can go through the vibration safely with know problem. You CAN teach an old dog new tricks!! I am 74 and have been turning now for 64 years and I am still learning. GREAT! Thanks.

Great information and very well explained, Mike. I'm sure a lot of turners, not necessarily just beginners, will benefit from this! Very well done, my friend! Take care, …..Gord

Will centrifugal forces have any affect on how a piece of wood turns?

Mike , can I just add my voice and say thank you. I have essentially learnt to turn from your videos. I just bought a new lathe and the electronic speed control seemed to be faulty as the electronics seemed to allow the speed to wander all over the place once a gouge was put to the wood. It slowed down from about 300 revs to almost zero and then raced up to about a 1000 revs. I thought the lathe was faulty but in fact i think the problems were, a very unbalanced piece of wood, turning too slow and a steb centre. Following your video, i have more than doubled the speed to about a 1000 revs, used a face plate and the speed is stable. As you also say much more enjoyable as well. My question is - not easy I guess - but was the speeding up and slowing down of my lathe , without metal being held to the wood a fault in the variable speed control system or simply trying to turning the wood too slowly. Following your wonderful video I am now fairly sure it is the latter but would really appreciate your advice. Thanks a million, Marco

Very helpful and educational - thanks

Great video Mike. I hope you are keeping well mate. Cheers, Jim

Nicely demonstrated - thanks Mike

thanks mike very useful information.

Very comprehensive video Mike, and not just for beginners. It helped me to review and refresh my thoughts on all the variations you covered. I have some experience and I agree with everything you said. In cases like the crotchety branch, and where I have wood to spare, I bore a 15mm recess with a fostner bit to house the centres; then in the event of the drive slipping out, the branch won't come off the lathe. Thanks again.

Mike your shop is so well organized. How did you come up with your plan? It seems that everything is placed in such a meticulous pattern.

There have been many beautiful items turned at very low speeds on spring pole lathes.

The greater the speed, the cleaner takes. A lot depends on the wood.

A lot of useful points, Is that new lathe really that big or were you kneeling down? Thanks, Mike. James

Very good video and a lot of good info, thanks

Another great video, Mike!

Thanks Mike great info . Take care.

Lots of really good info in here Mike.

Great video. Every informative.

Nicely presented, Mike. Good points all... BUT, it is important to not be lulled into a false sense of security simply because you have the piece between centers. Holly Denney shared a video on Facebook recently where I turner was smacked in the face by a large piece being turned between centers shortly after he turned the speed up.

Love this video, come back to it often

Very helpful video Mike.

great tips , thanks for sharing

Well explained Mike, nicely done👍🍺

Just wanted to say thanks Mike! Started turning two years ago and your videos have been a true inspiration, very informative and easy to understand. Especially your videos on grinding and how to use different tools and catches. Anyway I’ll keep watching if you keep making them....very jealous of your workspace though! Thanks Mike Sean The Blackheath Woodturner

Thanks Mike, excellent info-video. I am new to turning and have to change to different pulley for different speed, but that was my choice. Bigger lathe or convenience of electronic speed control. I chose bigger lathe for bigger bowls with live-edge. Doesn't really take long to change the belt, just can't change speed on-the-fly. Makes it a little scary to possibly go too fast. 300 to 3000 rpm with 8-speed. I just keep my finger on the button in case it wobbles. Love your videos. Thanks and keep up the good work.

Very very interesting Mike. Good information taken in...... Love the Tailstock handle. Good idea. Thanks es 73 de MTG.

Very informative Mike. I have the plain Jane lever variable speed from 500 to 2000. Not the heaviest of lathes, And no Captain Eddie hero points for me. It gives me the Bejeezes when the machine wants to dance across the floor. Using your precautions and standing well back, maybe I should see what will push through the vibration.

Well done, Mike! A great, in depth, exploration of the topic. I makes me realize that I've endured far more "clunkety clunk" that has been strictly necessary. Starting slow has just been my routine approach and I hadn't thought much about it. Thanks for doing the thinking for me and demonstrating the process so well.

Hello Mike, It was so reassuring to watch it done in real time and listen to the clunk-bounce, clunk-bounce of slow turning on irregularly shaped wood, as opposed to the clinically smooth 5x rate with soothing background music, that so many RU-vidrs are obliged to use to shorten the upload to an entertaining length. By contrast, some of my turnings on roadkill wood have felt quite ugly to begin with, although it is getting easier as I am bumping up the starting speed. Even so, I've tended to only go as far as the starting vibration and then back off and so I shall experiment further. Thanks for the show. It's been a confidence booster. Regards, Glenn. :-)

Thanks again Mike. Always nervous for us beginners turning through the vibrations...thank you for the advice as always.

Great video Mike, I always appreciate your advice and insight. I am a very new woodturner, and I've learned a lot from your videos already. Two things I have going for me, I was a Machinist for 27 years, and I have common sense. I try to get by on that so I watch seasoned woodturners like yourself quite a bit and try to learn your techniques and tool presentation to the wood. Thank you for taking the time to post videos, they are always very helpful! Keep it rolling....

Thank you Mike for a video of such great value and as Alan Rouse has pointed out very helpful not only for beginners. I have a small coronet herald lathe and although a bit lightweight, your explanation was so well defined that I can transpose your information to suit what I have. As a beginner any vibration made me feel very uncomfortable and had to live with the clunkety clunk, till now! Have just tried a little experimenting with the speed and what a massive difference it has made, thanks to you, I really appreciate your efforts in all your vids but this one has really made my day!! Cheers to you, Tony.

Thanks for this, Mike. I would also like to know how you personally feel about limits when turning a bowl using a scroll chuck. In one Richard Raffan video, he turns the speed up to 1,800 rpm.

Hi mike Great video bbut I noticed that you have what looks like The record dx 1000 extractor How did you manage to fit the 4" hose to the small port on the beck of the bosch saw I have the same saw &extractor but with small hose I have the 4" hose attached to my bandsaw I would be grateful for any info All the very best John s/manchester

Very informative Mike! I learned a lot from this one. My first Ash turning was just a glue block and it nearly beat me to death 😜 I never considered spinning it up. Thanks for another great video.

Great examples. I had a peice explode into two pieces a few days ago barely got revs up and barely touched it and one part hit the sealing and the other stayed on the lathe thank goodness for my protection and fast reflexes but it still scared me a little bit and I took a day off because of it and continued to work yesterday and today on my project which is bowls that are 5 inches around and 3.5 ish inches deep. Plates 7 inches around and were one blank that was two inches thick. now they are around 1/8 inch ish thick but all is going well. I hope all is well with you and keep up the good work.

Thanks for the comprehensive look at speed control. I would be interested in knowing if your philosophy is the same for hollowing out your bowls. Great video!

Great video, and although I've only been turning a short while, I have developed similar responses to different sizes and shapes of wood that I turn. I had a piece that I turned from a hickory and I wonder up putting it on the bandsaw and " fine tuning it" until the limb I was turning reached a point to where I was able to safety finish turning it on the lathe as a spindle project.

Great vid and informative for the newbie I don’t have a spindle speed counter work a lot by feel and where I feel comfortable and like you always use the tail stock when possible. Thanks for showing Mike

A much needed video, Mike. I think we all treat speed as a constipation cure when we first start. Good advice to stay out of the line of fire when starting the lathe - better than getting a lump of yew in the gob. Nice use of stubs - hadn’t thought of that before. Great job all round.

Very nice video!

Always an interesting video Mike. This one in particular I found a great help. Started turning about 2 months ago, and this has given me the info I needed to deal with vibration.

Great info Mike

Excellent Video ! I wish we could talk in person. I'm so glad I found your channel..Thank You !