Brian A
Just want to say the response to this has been a great learning experience for me. I would not have known what to buy without asking and it was all so confusing once I sat down and started to think about what was actually needed. Here is what will happen for now only because of all of your help. I will buy a cheap set and grinding wheel and learn how to sharpen my tools well. Until that part of the process is mastered, I will be happy learning how to turn.

Last weekend a friend got me hooked on to turning. I mastered a small cherry trunk and turned it into a log with no bark ~ so far. He said that was the hardest part of turning. Now I'm hooked. Think I will make a peppermill out of it. Over the past week, the electric company cut down an ash tree, and had a good find for some walnut and various other woods on craigslist. So the story has begun.

Thank you all for your help. It was confusing wondering what it was that was actually needed to start turning. I will also seek out other turners to learn with including this forum.

Brian