| Wood turning projects give ideas for what to make | | | | - parting the piece from the lathe |
| and contain information as to how. In order to say if | | | | Second we need to determine a project that |
| a project is successful, one must first ask why it is | | | | incorporates the needed skills. I like a couple of |
| being made in the first place. If the object of the | | | | criteria here. |
| exercise it to make a maple what not and a maple | | | | |
| what not results then all is good. On the other hand, | | | | 1. the practice piece should be inexpensive to turn |
| many projects are done to learn a new skill so as to | | | | 2. it should be much easier than the final piece else |
| be able to progress to other, more complex pieces. | | | | why bother with the intermediate step? |
| In this case, there are other considerations for | | | | 3. all the necessary skills should be involved |
| success. | | | | For our example I might pick a simple shop mallet. |
| First of all, examine the desired complex piece to | | | | - it can be made from local hardwood firewood so |
| ultimately be turned. For the sake of example let us | | | | cost is minimal or free |
| consider a common table lamp. While it could be | | | | - the larger head is turned to a smaller handle |
| made from several pieces and glued up to full size, | | | | - the curve of the head and handle must both be |
| for argument's sake let us consider that it will be | | | | smoothed |
| created from one block of wood. We would like it to | | | | - the head should be crowned to sit properly on the |
| have a base about six inches in diameter and a | | | | bench top |
| curved column ending in a slightly crowned surface | | | | - it needs to be parted from the lathe |
| for the electrical fittings and the harp to be attached. | | | | Finally, the practice piece should be practiced. That is, |
| Now we know that the skills that are to be | | | | being smaller and simpler it can be repeated as many |
| developed are those of | | | | times as necessary to develop the required skills. |
| - roughing a block of wood to round | | | | Then the larger and more complex piece can be |
| - turning down from a large cylinder to a smaller one | | | | reduced to what are now basic skills for the |
| - smoothing a curve over a known distance | | | | practitioner of wood turning projects. |
| - turning a crowned surface at the end of a piece | | | | |