I've been turning for about 30 years so I've made a few mistakes and learned a few things I can pass along.......
#1, to #100 Think SAFETY.. SAFETY... SAFETY !!!!
It's amazing how fast bad things happen with a lathe spinning at high speed. No jewelry, especially rings, or loose clothes !
Eye protection ! It's not an "if", it's a "when" that chunk of wood is going to split and fly all around the room at high speed. Wear a face shield !
Before you sand that thing spinning on the lathe, move the tool rest out of the way. Hurts like hell when your finger gets pulled in there and crunched (trust me on this)
Have dust collection and wear breathing filters, not the hospital type but a real filter. A surprisingly large number of woods can cause respiratory distress. Some (like Brazilian rosewood - don't ask how I know) can cause serious respiratory distress. Your dust collector can be as simple as a 2.5 gal shopvac with the long wide fitting zip tied under the tool rest.
Keep your tools as sharp as possible at all times. The sharper the tool the cleaner the cut and the less tearout thus less sanding and less dust.
Learn to sharpen your tools before you ever turn the lathe on.
And remember, the larger the item being turned, the slower the speed.
And a few things you might not realize immediately, flat tools for making curves, rounded tools for making flats. Heavy cuts go uphill, delicate cuts go downhill.
The best way to practice is to make custom handles for your tools - never buy a tool with a handle, a true turner always makes his/her own and adds a personal touch. (the highest quality tools are often sold sans handle just for this reason)
