O.K. now that I have your attention; I’m just beginning a woodturning session at the local junior college as part of a full ww semester. 7 weeks with two 2 1/2 hr. sessions per week on the title lathe. I’ve done a lot of metal turning in my career as a machinist and tool and die maker and some amount of woodturning on a Sears metal working lathe (vintage 1940’s). I’m going to be doing all faceplate work and it will be bowls/platters from, say, 6″ to perhaps 12″. I would also like to try some vase/deeper hollow-vessel work, time permitting. I have a very decent knowledge of tool use (e.g. what tool for the operation) but find little information so far on SPEEDS to use. I am assuming (possibly a lot) that this will vary according to blank size, material (pretty much all dry and/or laminated ((I know green is easier to start on!)) ) and operation performed. I mean, so far, that I’m finding the terms “medium speed”, “higher speed” and such without r.p.m.s indicated. I have read all of the pertinent posts on this site and thank all of you for the wisdom that you have posted regarding other questions here. I intend to buy Raffan’s D.V.D. and other mentioned books (along with what I already have) but could use some quick advice on turning speeds.
Any information will be greatly appreciated…DWW
Edited 1/25/2008 1:33 am ET by Danceswithwoods
Replies
Are you ready for some pretty ambiguous advice?
It is all based on how it feels, that is why a completely variable speed control is so useful on a wood lathe. Fast enough to cut cleanly, (remember, rub the bevel!!!!), slow enough to not have to much vibration. I tend to think of wood turning as being much more like working at the potter’s wheel than being at all like the precise work on a metal lathe. It is the thing I love about turning, it’s freeform and there are not many rules.
To paraphrase Bill Grumbine on lathe speed: "As long as the lathe's not shakin' and you're not shakin', you're good."
Regards,
Dick
Thank you both! That's pretty much what I've found from the experiences I've had and only one piece was enough weight-off-center to shake a bit at the start. I was more afraid of killing some bearings than anything else.
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