Making things on a wood lathe

Before machines came along wood was turned by a long cord wrapped around the work and attached to a long bendy branch so that when you pushed down with your leg onto a board or thick unbending branch the cord spun the work briefly on the down stroke and then spun back up to turn the opposite way, so it was a skilled man who could do this. This method is still used in some places where there is no electric.

When machine lathes came it meant that anyone could turn wood in their garden shed and make a good job after some practice.
If you can afford it then a variable speed lathe is best and will make it so much quicker and easier. A fixed speed lathe can do most jobs but you are going to have to be more resourceful.

Starting off
When starting off and practicing on the wood lathe always use a small piece of timber such as a 2x2x10 inch and practice on these pieces until you get proficient with the use of the machine and the tools.
To find the centre at each end press a small hole there for the pins on the lathe to go in and then tighten it up firmly. Switch on the lathe and it will spin up fast and the work will look round but in fact will have uneven edges that will need to be taken away little by little so don’t push your tool too much at this stage or it will catch and the lathe will stop dead, always attempt to take off a thin slither until it is rounded fully.

The bar that the tools are rested on must be close to the work and the angle that the tools are held is horizontal.
When you turn on a wood lathe it will spin up to speed very fast so any work in it needs to be centered and fixed firmly and larger pieces must be balanced or will fly off at quite a speed.
It is not recommended to spin up a larger piece of timber at speed that is not balanced, i.e.: that has more weight on one side than the other because centrifugal force will try to throw it out of the lathe and vibrate off of centre as it turns.
After the lump of wood has been turned into a spindle you can then practice using your other wood turning tools to see what effect they make on the wood.

Tip: regularly check to make sure the work remains fixed in the pins, although there should be a lock to keep the slider in place, sometimes on older lathes this becomes worn and loose.
After you have practiced enough you can then try for your first pot or bowl; for this you will need the right kind of wood; I liked cherry for its deep shine and smooth finish.

Fixings
There are three types of fixing for your work to keep it on the lathe: the face plate is screwed to the waste part of your pot or bowl and that then is screwed into the lathe.
The chuck holds your bowl by a circular ledge that has to first be cut using the face plate.
The other way is by holding the work between two pins either end; this way is used for making long spindles.

Making a bowl
Secure your work to the face plate and screw into the lathe and begin to gradually make the shape of the bowl but leave it turned with a lip at the base end to go in the vice. The base end will have to be shaped for the vice to hold it.
Shape the outside of the bowl until finished then take out of the lathe and fix into the chuck, tighten up and the take out the inside. You can try using different tools to see which one works the best. Sand down while still on the lathe and then put on your finish oil or wax.
There will be a lot of dust, sawdust and wood chippings flying about so a proper face mask is recommended and a dust mask if there isn’t a vacuum to suck away the dust. Continued inhalation of wood dust is not good for you and some woods are harmful to inhale.
Tools
Buy the best tools you can afford and keep them sharp at all times.
Watching a video or seeing them being used for real is the best way to understand how to hold them and what each one is for.
Using a lathe to make things is fun and when you get started you won’t want to stop.
Images from Pixabay