Lathe Turnings

This makes a neat holder for a ball of crochet cotton. The diagram at is one-half full size, making it simple to pick off all essential dimensions.

FIRST, turn a prototype leg. Place your prototype leg directly behind the blank for each final leg. By sighting along the upper horizons of both pieces, you will simplify the process of repeating specific shapes.

At the link you will find videos as well as full instructions with pictures for turning a bottle stopper.

In the old days the column was turned into the round on a lathe, then the rope design cut with wood rasps and sanded smooth a very time-consuming chore. The Revo makes the chore quick and easy, taking about an hour to complete the column. Search the page for the project.

By Bill Kaufman - As a new turner I needed a project that I could use to practice technique. This brief article describes the basic steps to create an ornamental bird house from a tree branch. Turn a few of these for the gardeners in your area. It sure beats throwing the branches in the landfill.

This unusual Saueracker shell was turned using two inch thick material, but it is possible to use thinner stock. Here is how it was done...

Brush up on your segmented turnings skills and create this beautiful party platter, time to serve up something special!

Piggy Bank...makes a neat turning project. The wood stock is maple. Feet are painted black; ears and nostrils are touched with pink. The two front legs fit holes drilled in the body; back legs are cut to conform to curve and are nailed and glued in place, as shown.

At the link you are taken through the step-by-step process of turning a wooden key chain.

This plan can be used to construct a simple cup that uses a Segment Design to form a dramatic ring around the cup. Of course, it is not that simple when you consider the total number of pieces involved. The total is 384 pieces if the Segment Design is built from all of its individual parts. It is only 204 pieces if you take advantage of the design to use fewer parts.

Here is a really nice old-fashion set of lathe turned dolls that are quite easy to make.

If you have never tried multi-axis turning, there is a whole new realm of design possibilities waiting for you to explore. I will introduce you to the joys and challenges of multi-axis turning with a simple project - a lidded box.

Create handles fit for a craftsmans tools by gluing blocks of scrap wood and turning them on the lathe.

Despite also owning a few high-tech yo-yos, this homemade yo-yo is the one I use most often. The size and shape are all custom fit to my hand. Most importantly, the fact that I made it incorporates a level of satisfaction to yo-yoing that a manufactured yo-yo cannot match. This is a simple and classic project that also makes a great gift, and you will not believe the functionality that you can create.

Get started on this beautiful segmented bowl using these step-by-step instructions.

First we will mount a waste block on the screw chuck. You could also use a small face plate, but I find this less time consuming, and this Glaser screw chuck works real well.

With its tapered inner walls and expansion slots, this shop-made compression chuck will hold round pieces for finish-turning or drilling.

People like mushrooms. I am not sure why, but they are a steady seller for me at craft fairs. One of the reasons is that I turn a lot of small ones to sell at about $3.00 each.

Diagram only with dimensional information. I thought the Inlaid Cup was a little bit much as my first project using Segment Designs, so I simplified it, constructed it, and you can see the result...

Get your lathe out and follow along to turn this fun drink koozie with a bottle opener in the bottom.

A great project for the woodturners.

If you have a lathe and want a new project, perhaps this hat and coat rack combo is for you.

Here is a different way to turn a platter. By Johnny Tolly.

Follow along with the free instructions including lots of pictures and turn your own wooden scoops.

To turn the handle of this ice cream scoop a hardwood is recommended.

Follow along at the link to see how to make a captive ring baby rattle on the lathe.

Turn your own custom cabinet knobs using this free tutorial as a guide.

Our house is like a cabin in the woods. We are in a commercial district on the edge of town and ten minutes from the malls, but the deer come through the back yard and there is a ruffed grouse who thinks he owns the place, especially a few female ruffed grouse. My wife decided, and rightly so, that plastic planters are out of place here so I decided to turn a couple.

You will need a lathe and router for this project. At the link you can follow along to see how it was done.

Follow along with the step-by-step instructions and get your lathe ready to create a rolling pin.