What a GREAT book. I am a new turner and am reading everything I can get my hands on about turning. This is my second overview book on the subject. I just picked one to start as I didn’t have any idea what book to try. I didn’t learn what I had hope to in the first one so when I saw Barry Gross’ book, I thought I would try it. Was I glad I did! Mr. Gross’ book, Learn To Turn, provides all the basic information in a CLEAR format. There are pictures to go along with the text and they are clearly label as are the parts of the machine, tools or safety measures he is writing about.
When he talks about “truing up” or other turning terms, he actually defines what that means in laymen’s terms so a true beginner can grasp what he is talking about. When he discusses the various tools, he pictures that tool on the page where is he explaining how to use the tool. This really helped me to learn which tool was which and just how they should be used.
Mr. Gross discusses finishes and shows four different ones so you can choose which you would use for which project. Of course, he has a section on safety and the pictures really bring home the point of the need for safety. There is also a section on tool sharpening and a detailed description of how each tool should be correctly sharpened. Sanding is another section and I learned about a sandpaper called New Wave and Abranet sanding screens. He tells how to make a jam chuck – another one of those turning terms – and explains how and why to use it and what it is. And not book would be complete without the glossary of terms and a company resources list.
In the final section of the book, Mr. Gross provides instructions for eight projects from a simple bowl to a wonderful Christmas Ornament. These eight projects will keep this turner busy for several months as I try to come close to what the author’s turnings look like. For $14.95, this is a book I would recommend to a new turner or for a turning instructor as a classroom text. I know my copy will become a well-worn text in my shop.
