Lathe Turnings

This platter was turned from walnut and measures about 14 inches in diameter. You only need 4 turning tools for this project. The blank was about 1 1/2 inches thick. Follow along at the link to see how it was turned.

This is a project gone wild due to a lathe in the shop. What happens when you try to build what could have been a simple kitty condo in a shop with a new lathe? 18 columns, a total of 158 beads and 19 balls, among other spindle fanciness, highlight the excesses resulting from a near total lack of design control. Let is hope the cats are impressed.

Follow along and make a lazy susan on the lathe. Here is now to do it...

My first shot at turning a Sphere on the Lathe was time consuming but it all turned out well in the end, just a matter of checking and rechecking everything and doing it often!! I spent a lot of time drawing everything out before putting tool to wood, I hope this all helps.

I love how a custom handle feels and works in MY hands: fit to my grip, my turning style, and a length that gives me proper leverage.

This is a link to a Google 3D SketchUp drawing for a turned darning egg. You will need the SketchUp software to download this drawing and its freely available online. We do not provide support for this software. Not all drawings have the measurements displayed but you can use the measurement tool in SketchUp to easily and accurately determine the dimensions of each lumber part. Most drawings do not have instructions, its assumed you can build it based on the completed drawing provided.

Australian Woodsmith is a practical magazine for all woodworkers. From Issue 21. (Australia)

Here are several tools made from allen wrenches, nails and screwdrivers. They are easy to make and quite effective.

Australian Woodsmith is a practical magazine for all woodworkers. From Issue 43. Pattern only. (Australia)

Follow along at the link and make wooden lids for your mason jars using your lathe.

This Magnifying Glass/Needle Threader/Necklace would make a delightful gift or an affordable extravagance for someone who sews. It is quite simple to make, as the turning is little different than turning a pen. It does require a little mix and match of kit parts and drilling a hole in the key chain mechanism.

The lure of turning green wood has been the cause of a great deal of frustration among novice and advanced wood turners.

Courtesy of Hands On, Nov/Dec 1980 - For most of us, it was our first woodworking project - turning a bowl on a lathe. But afterwards we went on to bigger and better things, and forgot about that simple bowl that once had us basking in the glory of our own accomplishment.

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.

Learn how to turn your own set of darts. Perfect for someone who loves to play the game.

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.

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

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.

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

A great project for the woodturners.

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

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.

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

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.

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

Diagram only with dimensional information. This, a recent topic of the Whats Up section, is my first plan made entirely with the Segmented Project Planner.

The Concord Table, also known as the candle stand table, is a traditional American Favorite. Our version lends itself to being a gift project because, by using a lathe duplicator, you can easily produce multiple spindles.

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.

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.