Woodturning:

History & Process

Woodturning is the craft of shaping wood with tools while the wood is being spun at high speeds. Turning wood dates back to the ancient Egyptians. The early modern lathe was the offspring of the hand or foot powered lathes used in Europe in the fifteenth century.

Springpole Lathe  Circa 1390
A thong or rope was wound around a spindle and by means of a treadle or hand wheel, spun by hand or foot power while a cutting tool was applied to shape the spinning wood.

During the Renaissance, lathes were used to turn architectural elements such a finials, balusters, newels and columns. The fancy decorative turnings on furniture built during the Victorian Period are good examples of woodturning gone wild.

Today’s lathes are powered by electricity and range in size from small, table top lathes to huge machines that can turn architectural columns for the facades of buildings.  My turnings are made on a OneWay 1640 Lathe with a 2 hp, variable speed motor.  With this lathe, I can turn everything from tiny wooden earnings, to a 16" diameter bowl, to a 36" table leg. 

Ida (yes, she can turn also--when she isn’t making soap) and I also use a small Jet mini lathe from time to time. A variety of woodturning tools, gouges, skews, scrapers and specialty texturing tools, are used to work the wood when it is spinning on the lathe. The turned wood has to be finished.  I use either oils, lacquers, urethanes, shellac, or waxes, depending on the item and its intended use.