Lathe Turnings

Aren't these tree and snowman earrings fun!! This project requires a lathe but would be great for gift giving. Follow along at the link and make a few pairs for friends and family.

Isn't this a smart idea!! Get your lathe tuned up and make these tops to turn drinking glasses into vases. Great for a gift too.

This 3-point scrap plywood bowl is quite beautiful but you will need a lathe to make this project. Follow along at the link to see how it all comes together.

This captive ring baby rattle is a project for all you woodturners. You need a lathe to complete this project but just look at the end result. Follow along at the link to see how to do it.

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.

Cute right? If you own a lathe and enjoy turning then perhaps this project is for you. You can now turn a set of bears using the free woodworking instructions at the link. The contrasting wood used in these bears makes them awesome.

Follow along at the link and make this beautiful rolling pin using your lathe of course. This project includes a stand on which to display your beautiful new rolling pin.

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

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.

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.

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.

How fun is this!! If you are a woodturner, here are the free instructions to turn a few spin tops on the lathe. For this project a fine-grained wood such as birch, maple or cherry is the best option.

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.

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.

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...

Here I will show you how to design a leg profile and then turn a prototype you can use as a template for a set of four legs.

This is a link to a Google 3D SketchUp drawing of a finial to be used on a headboard or footboard. 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.

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.

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.

Secure the blank in your scroll chuck with the grain running parallel to the lathe bed. Use your drill chuck in your tailstock to drill a 16mm hole 1 inches deep in your blank. Next,...

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

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

Turn a birch vase by following along with these instructions. Be sure at the end of page 1 to click on -next- to continue to follow along.

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.

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

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.

Follow along and see how to turn a mallet on the lathe.

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

Ever thought of turning your own wooden spoons? At the bottom of the page at the link, be sure to click on the NEXT button to continue the process.