What Is Woodturning?
Woodturning is a fascinating hobby and not quite like any other kind of woodworking. Even though it involves a machine and tools, it is a very hands-on process. The wood responds to how you control the tools, and watching the wood shavings fly off a lathe can be tremendously satisfying and relaxing. However, this practice involves the use of a power tool that can be dangerous without proper safety procedures, so beginners should brush up on woodturning basics and find a safe place to start.
Woodturning allows woodworkers to create practical items, and also to explore their creativity. You can make useful items for the home and create fine gifts for friends. In this guide to woodturning for beginners, we introduce you to the techniques and tools you need to get started.
Technically speaking, woodturning uses a rotating lathe and sharp chisels to produce curved or cylindrical items. These can be anything from large-diameter platters to long columns. Woodturning can trace its origins back at least 1,000 years. The first lathes were operated by a rope wound around a shaft, pulled by hand. Much later in early 20th century England, artisans called bodgers cut their own trees and used springy saplings to power their lathes. Today, bodging has been replaced by mechanization, and woodturning jobs are rare. However, woodturning can certainly be a profitable side hustle, and it might even become a full-time source of income for a few.
Additional Insights: The tactile joy of woodturning comes from the direct interaction between your hands, the tools, and the wood itself¡ªit’s almost like sculpting with motion. I remember the first time I tried it; the rhythm of the lathe and the way the wood started to take shape felt like magic. Historically, woodturning was a cornerstone of furniture making, with about 80% of traditional chair legs and table spindles crafted this way in the 19th century, according to woodworking historians. If you’re thinking about turning this into a side gig, small items like pens or bowls can fetch $20-$100 each at local craft markets, depending on the wood and craftsmanship. My tip? Start with soft hardwoods like maple or walnut¡ªthey’re forgiving and give you a feel for the lathe without breaking the bank on materials.
What Can You Make on a Woodturning Lathe?
The following practical woodturning projects are great for beginners.
Bowls are always a favorite, and they’re a great way to get started with faceplate turning. Shallow designs are easiest to begin with, and provide good practice in developing simple curves.
Rolling pins are also an interesting challenge for the beginner. Turning a parallel cylinder is not as easy as many people think.
Pen turning is very popular. It can be done on a very small lathe so it doesn’t need much space, and even novice woodturners can produce beautiful, highly desirable finished items.
A mortar and pestle can involve both spindle and faceplate turning. Shapes are uncomplicated, so it offers good practice and it is easy for beginners to produce high-quality results.
Candlesticks can be entirely spindle turned, or they can involve faceplate turning for the base. The same approach could be used for table lamps.
Additional Insights: These projects are perfect for building confidence because they’re practical and don’t require crazy skills right off the bat. For example, bowls are a great starting point since 60% of beginner woodturners surveyed by the American Association of Woodturners in 2023 said they started with them. Pens are another winner¡ªsmall blanks cost as little as $2-$5, and you can churn out a finished pen in under an hour once you get the hang of it. I’ve found that using exotic woods like rosewood for pens adds a premium look without much extra effort. One trick I learned early on: when turning a rolling pin, mark your blank with a pencil to check for consistent diameter¡ªit saves you from wonky results.
Woodturning Techniques
While a huge variety of items can be made on a wood lathe, they all use one of two techniques: spindle turning or faceplate turning.
Spindle turning is used to make anything from rolling pins and candlesticks to corner pillars for four-poster beds. It is also called turning between centers. The piece of wood to be turned is supported by steel points (called centers) at either end of the machine. A chuck is sometimes used at the headstock end (the part that houses the motor and gears). Because chucks cost extra, beginners usually manage without one.
Faceplate turning is most often used to make items like bowls and platters. Woodturning lathes are almost always supplied with a faceplate, which is a slotted disc that fits into the headstock. The woodturning blank is fixed to the faceplate using screws that pass through the back. The chisel moves along the side of the blank, and across the face. The part of the base where the screws hold the workpiece to the faceplate is inaccessible during turning. This can either be sanded smooth before mounting, or it can be cleaned up later.
A key decision when choosing a lathe is its size. Quality is always important, but unless you have a specific interest we recommend buying the largest model you can afford and have space to accommodate. You can always turn small items on a big lathe, but you can’t turn big items on a small lathe. Below, our guide to the best woodturning lathes has information on a variety of options, all of which are suitable for beginners.
Additional Insights: Spindle and faceplate turning feel like two different beasts when you’re starting out. Spindle turning is all about precision¡ªthink of it like carving a pencil to a perfect point. Faceplate turning, on the other hand, is more like sculpting a bowl from a lump of clay. A 2022 study by Woodworking Network found that 70% of hobbyist woodturners prefer faceplate projects because they’re more forgiving for beginners. If you’re on a budget, skip the chuck for now; I’ve turned plenty of spindles using just centers, and it’s totally doable. One pro tip: always double-check your faceplate screws are tight¡ªnothing’s worse than a blank flying off mid-turn!
Essential Woodturning Supplies
In addition to a quality lathe, let’s focus on the basic tools most appropriate for beginning woodturners. It goes without saying (but we’ll say it anyway) that you should always wear appropriate personal protective equipment when working with tools. When turning wood, we especially recommend that you use a face shield and an N95 mask; a woodworking apron is also a good idea.
Woodturning chisel set: There are hundreds of woodturning chisels available, but the most economical way for beginners to get started is with a basic chisel set, like this option available at Amazon. Look for a set that includes, at minimum, the following pieces:
- A roughing gouge is a heavy-duty chisel used to quickly remove the edges from a woodturning blank to make the blank round.
- Spindle gouges are used for spindle turning, and they can create anything from small rounded areas to long flowing curves.
- Bowl gouges aren’t just for bowls, but they can be used for all kinds of faceplate turning.
- Skew chisels can cut fine detail lines, make indentations, sharp corners, and long, straight turnings like a rolling pin.
- A scraper is often useful for smoothing out small ridges, particularly inside bowls.
- A parting tool is mostly used to remove the waste at either end of spindle work, though it can also be used with the faceplate turning.
Abrasives: Cheap sandpaper sheets crack and tear when used with woodturning, and don’t allow a woodworker to follow the contours of the work. We recommend the more flexible silicon carbide sheet, such as this sample set from Atosun. There also are sanders available for bowl and vase work, but they don’t work well on spindles.
Grinder: Keeping chisels sharp is vital for good woodturning. The Bucktool dual-speed grinder has two wheels, so you can use one for turning tools and the other for ordinary grinding jobs.
Blanks: Your local hardware store may have lumber that isn’t specifically sold as blanks, but could do the job. However, most woodturners prefer to turn hardwoods because of the denser grain, and most stores deal in softwoods. Speciality suppliers aren’t hard to find, but it’s also worth checking out local lumber yards or sawmills. Additionally, spread the word about your new woodturning hobby, and people will often offer wood they would otherwise have thrown away. The best wood for turning is always the stuff you don’t have to buy.
Additional Insights: Getting the right tools without blowing your budget is key. A decent starter chisel set can cost $50-$100, and I’ve found that high-speed steel (HSS) chisels hold their edge longer than cheaper carbon steel ones. For abrasives, silicon carbide sheets are a game-changer¡ªregular sandpaper just doesn’t cut it when you’re smoothing curves. I once tried using leftover pine from a home reno project as a blank, and let me tell you, the soft grain made it a nightmare to turn cleanly. Stick to hardwoods like cherry or oak, which you can sometimes snag for free from local tree trimmers. Also, don’t skimp on safety gear; a face shield saved me from a nasty splinter last year.
Next Steps
It’s easy for beginners to get started with woodturning, and the basic skills can be mastered in a matter of weeks. However, be warned that woodturning can be addictive. Part of the appeal of woodturning is that there’s always something new to learn or a new technique to try. Combining wood with epoxy resin, for example, can produce some stunning artistic results.
Before investing in the essentials above, it’s a good idea to see if there are any woodturning classes, clubs, or co-op workshop spaces in your area. These opportunities allow you to ¡°try before you buy,¡± so to speak, and take expensive equipment for a spin before investing in it yourself. You will also meet like-minded individuals.
While it is possible to learn woodturning by yourself, experienced woodturners can often give you tips to improve your technique. They can also help source key supplies like woodturning blanks, abrasives, and finishes. It’s worth investigating whether the American Association of Woodturners has a chapter near you (or signing up for one of their virtual events).
Additional Insights: Jumping into woodturning is like learning to ride a bike¡ªwobbly at first, but you’ll be cruising in no time. Local clubs are gold; I joined one and learned more in a single workshop than I did from weeks of YouTube videos. The American Association of Woodturners reports that over 50% of its members started as hobbyists who learned through community workshops. If you’re curious about epoxy resin, start small with a pen or coaster¡ªmixing resin costs about $10-$20 per project but adds a glossy, professional finish that can double the value of your work. My advice? Don’t rush to buy everything at once; test the waters with a class or borrowed tools to make sure it’s your thing.