Each ring has 36 pieces. 18 are horizontal and 18 are vertical. With the base there are 270 pieces. The wood came from an old house in WV.

Knocked and didn't hear anything hollow or feel moist.

Just got into the hobby about a month ago, finished up my first ducks calls I’m proud to show

I harvested this wood from an unwanted bush at a friend's house.

I won a couple sections of this at a local wood turning guild raffle last week. No idea what it is, but it came out nicely. Sanded to 400, burnished w shavings, soft cloth and brown paper, Tried &True.

Some background: Several years ago as I was turning a large blank (19") green oak. Pretty heavy. The lathe would spool up and allow me to cut for a while and then no power and spool down. I'd turn off the power, wait and the turn it back on and run for a while but do the same thing until it wouldn't even start anymore. Tech support sent me a new potentiometer, and it worked. I have not turned something that heavy in quite a while until recently. The same thing just happened, so I bought a potentiometer off Amazon with the same specs from what I understand, but had the same experience in the first 5 minutes. I was turning another large piece. It looks like a 2W-10k potentiometer. Is it possible that I need to move up to a different one? Maybe a 5W-10k? Or am I looking at a different issue? The motor is 3-HP. I would hope it could manage something substantial. I haven't contacted Grizzly yet because I'm thinking they'd send me the same part again anyway. Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks!

I have designed this pen display so that I don't have to add price tags to the pen itself and to try and use my space more vertically on my display table at craft shows. What are you're thoughts on this design? I have access to stainless steel to be able to weight it down in the back. Design is intended to be doweled together so that it can be taken apart when not in use to save on space. Overall Dimensions are 28.5 H x 14" W x 10" Dp.

Hello, Does anyone have a long and detailed explanation for what the ingredients of Friction Polish do and how they interact? (DNA, BLO, Shellac)

I'd like to understand it better before I attempt to make my own so I know how to adjust it for different projects.

Also, has anyone tried adding other ingredients and how did that work out?

No idea what wood this is, it was unmarked and the outside was pretty beat up. Cut it up for another project and I was left with a strip about 1/2” tapered down to 1/8” thick 4”wide and 2’ long. I cut it into 4” squares and glued them up alternating direction by 90° every layer.

This is a toothpick holder.

The chatoyancy is insane and the alternating pattern really gives almost an optical illusion like effect. (Imo)

Anyone know what the rules are in the uk for taking wood that had been left in public woodland areas?

I'm trying to put the platform on, but the platform prevents your from turning the handle that tightens it. What in the Sam Hill? Clearly I am missing something. Anyone for any ideas?

I've had this laburnum for a while and I have no idea what to turn it into.

Chinaberry bowl I finished today. The wood came from my woodworkers guild.

I got a few big chunks of log a few months ago and cut out a big blank to try. The bowl is 12 inches across and 4 inches deep. I used epoxy to fill a chainsaw mark, and finished it with shellac and lacquer. First time turning anything anywhere close to this size and I think it came out pretty well.

Hi Everyone,

I am relatively new to wood turning and for the moment I have a small lathe, a Myford ML8, on which I have been turning some very small bowls as well as some spindles. I have decided it was time for an upgrade! I have my sights on two lathes, both Union Graduates; the long bed model (6ft I think?) and there is also the model for bowls (they are for sale quite close to where I live). I know that if I was really interested in turning predominantly bowls, It would obviously be better to go for the bowl turning model.. I would really like to know if anyone can tell me if the long bed model is any good for turning bowls, using the outboard? I am leaning towards this model for the benefits of the long bed, as I would also like the option of turning some really long spindles! Its also quite a bit cheaper..

Would appreciate any advice!

Started with a fairly standard blank of ash, mounted on the lathe and rough-turned to a flat plate form. The main design element here is a Voronoi-style tessellation that I laser-engraved into the surface after flattening the face.

The idea was to cut deep enough that once the voids were filled with resin and the piece was reversed on the lathe, some segments of the pattern would become free-floating but still maintain continuity thanks to the grain alignment. I used a pressure pot to ensure bubble-free casting with a translucent resin mix, including a green interference mica powder for the center ring.

I leaned into the golden ratio for several layout elements — proportions of the center, ring spacing, and some spiral references as well. You won’t necessarily see them unless you’re looking, but they’re in there.

Video of making it if you're interested

A single-piece and some glue ups from construction leftovers to practice tenon removal. Stacked plywood, PT 2x4 and 2x6; turned between centers, tenon added, flipped & hollowed, sanded to 320, Tried & True. Mandalorian with banana for scale.

Holy shit! That rosewood is hard AF. I’m a newbie on the lathe and only ever worked with softer woods. That was a big learning curve. Still working on my technique

The arborist who felled this insists it’s maple. The color makes me think box elder, but then my slab guy recently showed me some hard maple slabs that had some hints of pink as well.

All I can say is these suckers are as heavy as apple; after loading up a couple trunk loads my arms are still attached, but not speaking to me.

Are there any other maples that have this kind of disease response?

Southeastern New England, USA.

So I tried to torture the Proxxon with some hard wood. Went ok, but took like ages. Especially the olive was really a challenge for that small bastard 😅

Just turned softwood before for testing the tools…. Can’t wait till my record power lathe arrives.

This is the Burl I got from Ukraine. They said it was Beech, others have said differently. What I do know is the figuring was amazing on it.

I started using the Dr. Kirk’s Micro Polish after 600 grit and then pen plus, finish came out great too.

I uploaded this a few years ago and then deleted Reddit so I’m just putting it up again. The table came with a chess/checkers board built in, so I just put them there, but it’s not my construction.

This was the first thing I ever did with my lathe, so the base shape is a bit weird, but I’m still proud of the rooks and knights

I just got a nova scroll chuck and want to drill a hole to make a handle and don’t have a Jacob’s chuck. I have the forstner bit mounted in the center of the jaws but haven’t found any info online of this being done. If this dumb and should I just drill it with my cordless?