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You can actually turn small stuff with regular wood chisels, as long as they are sharp. They act as short skew chisels. Better watch those catches though as you wont have much leverage. A block plane is a great way to turn a straight cylinder. A good set of turning tools will make things alot easier.
The roughness of the wood may be caused by the type of wood, dull chisels, or if you were cutting against the grain. Also, if the wood has been in your shed for years, it could be a little punky which would cause it to tear rather that cut. Lathe speed should be based on diameter of object being turned, stage of turning (ie, roughing or finishing) type of wood, and personal preference.
Watching someone else turn wood and then doing it yourself is the best way to learn.
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