Don Stephan
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Michael
Congrats on succumbing to the lure of woodturning and welcome to the forum. This is a tremendous source of information and support. The Internet can be an overwhelming collection of written and video information, but unfortunately some is inaccurate, ineffective, or even unsafe.
One of the most effective ways to learn and develop effective and safe lathe experience is through a local woodturning group. Most have a list of pre-qualified mentors, many offer classes and workshops, allow one to see and ideally test drive tools and accessories before buying, and so on.
I am not comfortable offering up specific solutions without some awareness of one's prior experience, equipment, budget, and short and long term goals. What's your experience and skill level with spindle gouges, bowl gouges, skew, and scraper. What is the size of your lathe and what accessories and tools do you have. What is your sharpening experience and equipment? Is your immediate interest things like spinning tops, childrens toys, speaker gavel and base, and solid and hollow holiday ornaments (spindle work)? Is your immediate interest bowls, cups, and platters? If unsure, by all means join a local woodturning group to gain some knowledge and exposure before maxing out one or two credit cards (lol).
If you want to start with spindle work, a steb or 4 spur drive center for the drive spindle, a live center for the tailstock, a spindle roughing gouge, 3/4" bar diameter spindle gouge, and 1" skew are common tools.
If you wish to start with bowls, cups and platters, different work holding accessories and tools are common. Typical initial ways to hold bowl blanks include flat or screw faceplates (perhaps in conjunction with glue blocks) and four jaw chucks. Basic bowl tools can include a 1/2" or 3/4" bar diameter bowl gouge and a 1" scraper with a curved left edge.
Some may suggest carbide tipped tools as a way to immediately begin spindle and/or bowl work without taking the time to learn how to sharpen, and move more traditional gouges and scrapers - I have no experience with them and cannot offer any comment.
There are perhaps three easy ways to get frustrated with initial lathe experience. One might be only to practice tool presentation and movement for hours on end without making something. Another might be to immediately suffer catches and poor quality results from trying to make projects too quickly. A third, with bowl work, might becoming overwhelmed by the different approaches, such as a four jaw chuck, a faceplate, even a vacuum chuck, too early.
For beginning spindle work, 2x2 stock from a big box store or lumberyard is extremely economical and easy to turn, if you stay away from knots. Once some tool comfort and expertise is developed, thicker poplar is excellent turning stock if one has a local source and the equipment to break down a 2" or thicker board into appropriate sized blanks. For beginning bowl work, 5 1/2" squares of 2x6 again from a big box store or lumberyard is very economical, easy to work, and economical if one uses a faceplate and glueblock. With any of a number of different appropriate finishes, a 2x6 bowl can be a very serviceable cereal, snack, or daily utility bowl.
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