Wood Turning

Woodworking The Appeal Of Turning Wood

I turn simply for the love of the creative process. I am addicted to discovery, progress,and the fact that while perfection is forever elusive, yesterday’s challenges often become the basic skills of tomorrow. I love the distinct smell of the various woods, the sound of shavings as they are cut by a sharp tool, and the quickness with which a form emerges from a block of material.

Visit Woodworking Plans Site for more woodworking projects details.

In the past I have enjoyed many other crafts, such as spinning, weaving, and basketry. Each offers its own appeal to the senses: the aroma of spinning fresh wool, the sound of a shuttle, the smell of wet reeds for a basket, and the clicking of knitting needles. Experimenting with turning unusual materials such as bone, plastic, tagua nuts, aluminum, and horn has led to many more interesting sensations for eyes, ears, hands, and nose.

I have been making things for as far back as I can remember, but when I discovered wood turning more than 10 years ago it became my favorite way to create something. It started when my daughter wanted a doll house. During the process of building, lighting, and furnishing the house, I became interested in the small-scale tools I needed to use. Maybe that fascination came from the fact that my father was once a builder himself.

About eight years ago, I designed and began producing a small wood turning lathe. My machine has a 5-inch swing and is l2 inches between centers. A wide range of accessories is available including chucks, tools, a threaded jig, and an indexing plate. This was a new beginning for what I like to call “small-scale turning,” and what has developed into an area of its own in the wood turning world, with tools, classes, projects, and even gallery shows.

One of the great virtues of a small lathe is its portability. Many people now take a lathe with them to use at craft fairs, on vacation, or south for the winter. I am able to travel with 10 lathes, tools, and wood in the back of my van to teach classes. There are many school districts that have purchased several small lathes and the necessary tools-all for the price of a large lathe. Shop teachers especially like the quietness of the machine and the fact that many of the small-scale projects maybe turned from scraps.

Because wood turning is something I feel strongly about, I have volunteered many hours of teaching turning to kids. I am involved with turning full time and I feel very fortunate that I am able to earn a good income from selling lathes, tools, turnings, and my expertise.Visit Woodworking Plans Site for more woodworking projects details.

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wood turning a spintop by Philippe