It was starting to look like wood turning was to be the next big thing for Annie's Phalanges. So a bigger lathe was got. This is the Powermatic 3520b, which I got used in an unbelievable deal. Don't you just love when things fall together like that? It makes all this feel so 'meant to be.'
Let me take you on a stroll through some of the features. See that face shield? It keeps junk out of my eyes. And when turning, there is plenty of junk flying around.
Earmuffs are not so dreadfully important when turning, as that is a relatively quiet activity. Sanding, however, is another matter altogether. But these earmuffs are so easy on the ear I just forget to take them off.
The red apron is made specifically for turning. It comes up into a turtleneck so as to keep shavings out of my shirt, and from there to my bra. Many times in my pre apron days there would be a goodly amount of shredded lumber spilled out of there. And there are pockets! My friend Anna Troxler custom made this for me, so it is all kinds of comfy.
And this brings us to the grid arching over the workspace. Wood is unpredictable at best, and outright dangerous at worst. A piece that you have worked on for hours will suddenly turn on you (pun intended) and flat out explode. This happened to me once.
And here is the bowl that did it.
It's walnut, it's heavy, and it was seconds from being finished when it blew up. Lesson learned. LISTEN to the still small voice when it tells you to stop for the day and finish tomorrow. IGNORE ego when it insists that you can take it home to show Chris in just a few minutes more.
That was mid September, and it is now mid November. The swelling is gone, but there is nerve damage that may or may not resolve. You just never know with nerve damage.
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