Basics on How to MASTER Your Wood Lathe

If you’ve ever wondered how to use a wood lathe, you don’t wanna miss this instructables. This instructable goes through all the basics of how to transform a piece of wood into a beautiful object of your choice. To make beautiful parts is not a race it as a labor of love. hope you enjoy the instructable.

Step 1: Mounting

Cut a "X" pattern in you wood block so it can mount on the the lathe chuck. Then you can start forming your wood

Step 2: Rough Shaping

Using the big gouge you can rough down the square block it to a cylinder. Run the backside of the tool along the wood to see if it is smooth

Step 3: Final Shaping

Using calipers transfer the dimensions from the paper to the wood using a parting tool and the calipers. Then add the contours and beads until you have the shape you want.

Step 4: Sanding

Remove the tool post before you start sanding. You can wrap sandpaper around a dowel rod to the curves. Do not put pressure on with your finger it will heat up and burn you very fast so BE CAREFUL.

Step 5: Make More Stuff!!

Now you can use this to make char legs or chess pieces. Just practice a lot and take your time don't rush though it.

Comments

[LakeCitiesCraft]

Nice discussion of turning techniques. The tips on getting a perfect radius will be helpful in my turning practice. I would just want to add the note that traditional lathe tools(as used in your video) work best when they are just slicing through the work. This is opposed to a carbide tool which rubs and shears the fibers.

The difference in cutting mechanic informs a difference in cutting technique. A carbide tool is run straight into the work pointed at the axis of rotation. Traditional tools on the other hand start a cut with the bevel riding on the workpiece and the edge not yet engaged. The toolrest is used as a pivot and the handle is lifted until the edge engages to take a thin shaving.

Tool geometry and the way the edge interacts with the wood to take a shaving is something that even master turners(in who's ranks I cannot claim membership) put consideration towards. This becomes especially important in bowl turning where there is a great deal more material to be removed.
Last comment, for beginning turners, a green wood blank can give a nice indication of when the tool is interacting well with the wood. Green wood likes to make nice long shaving much more than dry wood does. Whenever you come across a video of someone sending shavings across the room like silly string, you can bet that they're using a blank that's only recently been separated from its tree.

[Penolopy Bulnick]

Lathes look like so much fun! You can make so many things with them :)