Introduction 1 Choosing the right lathe *Lathe types, small to large *A brief history of the lathe *Saving money: Making your own spring pole lathe *Sizing up a lathe, new or used *Saving money: Building a shopmade lathe stand 2 Finding good tools without breaking the bank *The three families of turning tools *Tools for spindle and faceplate turning *A short course in steelmaking *Tools for spindle and faceplate work *Saving money: Grinding your own scrapers *Saving money: Make a chatter tool, and your own tool handles *Saving money: Making a scraper from a screwdriver *Measuring and marking tools *Finding good used tools *Tools you can't live without *A short lesson in heat-treating 3 Be smart about sharpening *The basics of grinding and honing *How to choose the right grinder and wheels *Using handy grinding jigs *Sharpening a spindle gouge *Sharpening a bowl gouge *Saving money: The Heiple Sharpening System *Honing: The final step to sharp tools *Whetstones and slipstones 4 Finding wood without spending lots of money *Finding free or cheap wood *Understanding wood movement *Spindles: Splitting and riving, then turning *Turning green bowls 5 Holding the wood on the lathe *Commercial chucks *Saving money: Making your own faceplate and steady rest *Making your own chucks *Saving money: Making a jam chuck and using it to turn a box *A typical bowl-turning session 6 Simple, inexpensive finishes *Build a durable finish with shellac *Saving money: Mix your own shellac *Polishing with carnauba wax *Safe oil finishes *Saving money: Making your own oil/varnish finish 7 Good woodturning setups for three budgets *Tight budget/basic setup *Medium budget/All-around setup *Large budget/Upscale setup Appendix 1: Schools and Programs of Study Index
Ernie Conover has written seven best-selling woodworking books including Woodworker's Guide to Dovetails (9781565233874). He is a frequent contributor to Fine Woodworking magazine and has produced several videos and DVDs on woodturning. Ernie also teaches at Conover Workshops - a craft school founded by his family near their home in Cleveland, Ohio.
The timing of The Frugal Woodturner could not be more appropriate
Today,much of our focus in making has shifted to our finished
products rather than the value of the time and the methods we use
to make them. Conover's thesis is to reclaim the value of being
problem solvers as we relearn to make the things that allow us to
make the things that fill our lives with joy. The tools, the jigs
and the methods of making - it's all here.
The overriding idea here is that woodturning is actually
affordable. The cost of lathes, tools, and accessories has made the
pastime seem expensive but Conover proves it need not be. A
longtime author of woodworking books and a teacher at Conover
Workshops, a craft school founded by his family, he compares
woodturning with many other lost arts and proposes, through this
book, that it needn't be lost to commercialism. He shows you how to
set up an affordable workshop (three different budgets offered),
have woodturning fun on a budget and how to do so with greenwood,
firewood, and discarded lumber. Along the way, the craftsman
achieves a heightened appreciation of the process of turning
itself. The marvelous, and large, color photos seem to bring the
reader right up to Conover's work bench.
This do-it-yourself book from Ernie Conover shows how to get
started on three different budgets: The Tight and Basic Budget in
which readers learn how to make their own spring pole lathe and
tools: the All Around Budget which teaches how to buy quality used
equipment; and the Upscale Budget for readers who want to purchase
new equipment. For experienced turners, Ernie's advice on making
your own gouges, scrapers, and chisels is invaluable. He also
provides instructions for making your own faceplates, chucks, and
more, plus he shares insider secrets on where to find cheap or free
wood.
If you are hesitating about taking up woodturning or you feel that
you are being held back in your development in the craft because of
cost, this book offers a host of interesting ideas. Ernie Conover
is one of America's foremost woodworking educators. He is a regular
contributor of articles to woodworking magazines and a highly
experienced teacher. His family owns and operates Conover Workshops
which offers a range of courses in woodworking and boasts graduates
from all over the US and Canada. The Frugal Woodturner covers
topics such as Choosing the Right Lathe and finding Good Tools
without Breaking the Bank as well as Sharpening, finding Wood
without Spending Lots of Money and Holding Wood on the Lathe. Each
chapter provides general information in a concise and easily read
format, plus notes on innovations that can assist with both saving
money and increasing enjoyment of woodturning. For example, the
chapter on tool care includes a description of a home made
sharpening system while the chapter that deals with holding wood on
the lathe contains notes not only on the making of a number of
different styles of chuck butalso their use. The book ends with a
description of Simple, Inexpensive Finishes and examples of
complete woodturning set-ups based on three budgets - Tight, Medium
and Large. Since The Frugal Woodturner is aimed at helping
woodturners get more out of the time they spend in their workshops,
it should appeal to everyone from the beginner to the more advanced
'turner. The internationally renowned woodturner, Dale Nish, says
of it that 'anyone wanting to invest in a wonderful and fulfilling
hobby will find this book a gold mine of information'.
Woodworking hobbies can be costly, but this book helps take the
edge off expenses. Conover (Woodworker's Guide to Dovetails) offers
original advice on making better purchases, making tools or using
existing tools, and finding inexpensive materials. This specialized
book works well with other titles on wood turning and lathe work.
Recommended.
Ernie Conover is no stranger in the woodworking fraternity. He's
the co-designer of the now out-of-production Conover lathe, author
of numerous books, frequent contributor to multifarious woodworking
magazines, and he operates his own woodworking school. Which, I
suppose, accounted for the high expectations I had for Conover's
new book. The focus of the book is, as stated in the subtitle, to
show readers how to 'Make and Modify All the Tools and Equipment
You Need'. The first chapter of the book focuses on three topics:
the kinds of lathes that are currently available; how to make a
spring pole lathe; and what to look for when purchasing a lathe.
Conover's overview of the different types of lathes is
disappointing. His two page overview is much to sparse, and he
fails to describe the benefits and limitations of each type of
lathe. His contention is clearly that 'big is better': "Full-size
lathes are the best buy in the end if you are going to pursue
turning to any degree". Certainly pen turners, furniture makes
looking to turn custom hardware, and hobbyist turners whose
interest might be in turning small bowls and the like would be well
served by a benchtop lathe. Conover, however, lumps mini and midi
lathes into the same category, while virtually dismissing them as
viable options: "Bench-top lathes have nearly disappeared with only
a couple of models on the market". I think that Delta, General,
Jet, Penn State, Shop Fox, PSI Woodworking and other manufacturers
might take exception to Conover's assessment. I felt that the
inclusion of plans to make a spring pole lathe somewhat out of
context placed, as it is, between the discussion of the types of
lathes available, and what to look for when choosing a lathe. It
seems better suited as Appendix material. Making a pole lathe can,
I am sure, be an enjoyable project, but, realistically, how many
people are going to make and and use it for their day to day
turning? I doubt if Ernie does. The section on what you need to
know before selecting a lathe is very good. He covers all the
basics here, and, to my amusement, includes the plans for a lathe
stand, which looks ideal for a benchtop lathe. The following two
chapters are filled with useful information on what to look for
when searching for used turning tools and accessories, and tips for
sharpening your tools. I like his recommendation to buy a few tools
(used, preferably), develop some proficiency using the tools, and
then buy (or make) additional tools as required. There is some very
good info here on the different types of turning chisels and what
they are used for. Conover does recommend that carbide insert
cutters be avoided, as they are "actually designed for
metalworking". However, a number of companies, such as Easy Wood
Tools, are now making turning tools with carbide inserts, and
turners, particularly novice turners, are finding them a viable
alternative to conventional HSS tools. Dismissing them at this
stage seems somewhat premature. The chapter on finding free or
inexpensive wood is somewhat sparse, though he covers wood
seasoning, wood movement and turning green wood. Finally, at the
fifth chapter, we start to get to the meat of the book - making and
modifying tools (though really the focus is on accessories).
Conover describes how to make two turning tools (scraper and
chatter tool), handles, sharpening jig (though he doesn't use this
jig in his chapter on sharpening), a faceplate, screw, jam and
pressure chucks, locking nest, tapered mandrel, drill pad, soft
jaw, steady rest and a vacuum chuck. You'll find lot so good ideas
here, and novice turners should be able to easily make all of these
accessories. The book ends with a short chapter on finishes, and a
recommendation for lathe setups for three budget configurations.
Conover is a very good writer, and the book is an easy read. The
photos are good and the illustrations well done (though many seem
to be much larger than warrant). Overall, the book is
disappointing, though the chapter on making and modifying tools is
very useful.
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