Leathing

gerald007 · Post by **gerald007** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 12:26 pm

I bought my Mark V at the Ca State Fair and very much enjoy it. The problem I have is when setting up the leath I cant seem to get the wood to not smoking, and most of the time I have the wood stop spending while the leath keeeps going. I have tried to keep it tight and that seems to make the smoke. I'm very much looking forward to the class that is coming up next month but would like to solve this issue. any information in this matter would very much be helpful.

Thanks

Gerald and Tiffani.
Yuba City,Ca

scottss · Post by **scottss** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 1:38 pm

Do you use a live center when turning on the lathe?

alancooke · Post by **alancooke** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 1:50 pm

Hey Gerald,

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your new purchase!

I'm assuming that you are using the lathe cup center which comes standard with the MKV to support the non-driven end of your turning. If so, that's what's causing the smoking more than likely. You can use beeswax on it to reduce the friction but the best thing to do is stick it in a drawer permanently and get the LIVE center to support your turning stock. This is part# 505602 and uses ball bearing construction which allows the tip to rotate freely with the stock.

Also, I wouldn't reccommend tightening your turning stock any more than neccessary to hold it securely, especially if you're new to turning. If you get a bad catch, it's better to have the wood slip than take a chance of messing up the headstock!

Lastly, make sure your turning tools are sharp and pay close attention to the lathe speed reccomendations.

Now, go have a blast making shavings!:)

gerald007 · Post by **gerald007** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 2:52 pm

Just to show you how new to this I realy am I had no idea what a live center was but thanks to you and giving me the part number I now have one on the way Until then I will try the bees wax idea and hope that works. I'm realy looking forward to the class and trying to have fun with it until then. I have all the options, ie Planer,Band Saw,Strip sander and the jointer I'm sure I'll have even more questions when I start get into these.

Thanks

Gerald

gerald007 · Post by **gerald007** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 3:00 pm

No I just got the starter kit isn't that a special order?

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 7:54 pm

Hi Gerald,

I too, highly recomend using a live center. Something else to keep in mind: Your chisels probably did not come to you sharpened, even if they look that way. You should either take them to a sharpener or purchase the sharpening accessories that are made for the ShopSmith. You may want to wait until you go to the Traveling Academy as the instructor, Rick Davis, will show you how to sharpen your chisels. You will learn a lot at his classes; bring a pad of paper and a pen to take notes!

james.miller · Post by **james.miller** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:08 pm

Another option is to see if there is a Wood Turning club in your area, they are willing to help someone new to turning. Once you get better at turning you will find that you have fewer catches especially ones that stop the workpiece or the spiral catches that send the tool skating across the workpiece. You may also try your local library to see if they have any books on wood turning, I especially like the books by Richard Raffen.

rkh2 · Post by **rkh2** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 10:17 pm

Welcome to this forum. I noticed that you plan on attending the TA, probably the one that is going to be held in Sacramento on Oct 19, 20 & 21. Being new to SS, I would highly recommend that you take all three days and especially the 3rd day which is usually spindle turning in the morning and bowl turning after lunch. I have never had Rick Davis as an instructor, but from what I read, he is outstanding. Like Al mentioned, take a notebook and take lots of notes. There is a vast amount of information to be learned and you will be able to refer back to it on many occasions. Also, I noticed that you are about 50 miles or so from Sacramento. There is a Woodcraft Store in Sacramento (9523 Folsom Blvd) (http://www.woodcraft.com/stores/store.a ... 0&nav=home) and I noticed that they offer several lathe turning classes. I have taken several classes like them at my closest Woodcraft store here in TN. Besides those and what I learned from the Travelling Academies, which I have attended numerous times, I have been able to do quite well in my turning and really enjoy it. It’s good that you are using your Shopsmith and doing so will get you more comfortable with it and before you know it you will be making all kinds of "sawdust". They are built to use and there is so much you can do with one. Again, Welcome Aboard. Also you may want to check out some of the archive "Sawdust Sessions" They may give you some more knowledge abut the use of the Shopsmith. http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/Archive_Index.htm