How I Got Started
After an accident in 1998, which left me disabled. I used to sit and watch TV all day which can eventually have an effect on your sanity. One day while watching the Discovery channel I saw a programme on Woodturning and realised that this was something I could do sitting down.
After having a small workshop built, I bought my first lathe in 2004. A year later its limitations became apparent and a new lathe was purchased, along with all the associated equipment.
Woodturning, I have found gave me the challenge I required.
Now three and a half years later, 2 chop saws, 3 bench saws, and various other tools, too many to mention, are at home in my small, cramped workshop.
It has been a long and sometimes painful journey due to my disability to get where I am now, but it was worth it.
There is a couple of things I now realise that I did need, i.e. Good friends and an accommodating wife and lots of patience, which I do not possess, but on my good days it is not too much of a problem, but on my bad days the workshop is best left locked.
My first turnings were of one piece construction, bowls, spinning tops, etc.
This did not satisfy my creative mind, and seeing the amount of waste ending up as shavings on the floor prompted me to look for something different.
My son, who also designed and built this site, suggested I look on the Net, and at that time the Net to me was something used for fishing. However, he showed me how to search the web and that is when I came across segmented turning. (See my favourites sites), and my initial enthusiasm was kick-started again.
Segmented turning does not, to me, seem to waste as much timber, but I suppose by the time you have dimensioned the timber, by sawing, planing and cutting the initial segments it might work out about even, but the enjoyment factor is second to none.
Sad to say that looking through different web pages, most of the segmented turners seem to be in the USA, and the woodturning magazines seem to bear out that fact.
When I can, I try to go to woodturning shows and there is a distinct lack of segmented turning, and I am sure I cannot be one of the few.
To be continued...........
