I was introduced to turning in grade 7 shop by a teacher who was missing a couple of fingers due to a lathe accident (it involved the injudicous wearing of a neck-tie while turning). The school board discovered in October he was also missing his teaching certificate and our shop time ended, but I had seen enough to be enamoured with the way shapes changed before my eyes. Fast forward about 30 years and I finally had a 'lathe' of sorts. It was some cheap version made of tin-foil and taught me only frustration. Jump another couple of decades, to about 15 years ago, when I bought a used Gerneral 160 then to a Oneway 1640. I now like the end products but still really like the way shapes change before my eyes.
- Rob Stewart