Turned spindles

One of the pieces of equipment I was most excited about (that ironically took the longest to get set up) in the workshop is the lathe. But with it finally up, it's been time for the Gnome to learn a whole new set of skills. I've been fascinated by lathes since I was a kid, but this is the first time I ever got to actually use one. 

It's been a trip so far, and I'm really enjoying it. It's maddening, and frustrating, and magic and rewarding. I learn new things every time I put tool to wood. 

First, of course, PPE! Always always always. Earpro, face shield, and heavy apron at the least. Any time I'm doing something totally new, or that I'm unsure of, I add the extra layer of goggles. Because a lathe spinning at 3600 RPM can throw things really hard. And holy crap does my dust collector sound like a jet engine. But I can listen to music through my ear protection!

Because you have to start somewhere, and the heck not... I dove right in and the first thing I tried to turn was a goblet. It... shockingly didn't go as badly as I might have expected. I got here...



Which has flaws, but really isn't bad. Then I tried to carve it out. And I learned why when you do goblets you do them with the grain running top to bottom.

Oh bother. 

Well then. Still learned a lot, right? Yep. And got some neat stuff done before flinging things, right? Yep. Cool! Huh... that's a disk right there... I wonder...

Oh hey! That looks kinda familiarish, doesn't it? Maybe if I put a hole in the center... and then if I like put a stick in there, sand and polish it up, add a coat of finish... maybe a bit of wire...



HOLY CARPS! That almost looks like... maybe... a... spindle? I mean... it kinda looks spindle-esque, right? It could just be looking like a spindle though, right? I mean, there's only one way to know...

 That... that looks like it's spinning! Stably!  WHAT IS THIS SORCERY!? Did I... dude I totally just made my first turned spindle! With a cherry whorl and walnut shaft. 

Wow. This is cool as hell. So... I guess I turn spindles now? Watch this space as I explore more things I can (and can't) do with this thing, throw more wood across the workshop, and generally make one hell of a lot of wood chips!

That's all for now!

~The Gnome