Start woodturning
Spin a block of wood on a lathe and shape it with hand tools into bowls, pens and vases. Here's the video that hooks everyone, and everything you need for your first bowl.
Space neededA corner of the garage
First projectA bowl in a weekend
Skill levelBeginner-friendly
Good forAny age, sitting or standing
The video that hooks everyone
Turning free wood into a $6,000 vase
A rough, rotten burl goes on the lathe and comes off a glossy resin vase that glows under UV light. Press play and see why it hooks people.
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What happens in the video
1A rough burl goes on the lathe
2Soaked in resin in a pressure pot
3Turned down to shape
4The grain comes alive
5Coated and polished
6The finished vase
The resin steps are advanced. The manual starts you on a plain wood bowl, then shows you how to work up to this.
Tool list
What you need to start
Everything you need for your first project, and nothing you don't.
Starter kit
01Midi latheSpins the wood. A midi size fits on a garage bench.
02Bowl gougeYour main tool for shaping the inside and outside of a bowl.
03Spindle roughing gougeTurns a square block round, fast.
04Parting toolCuts grooves and parts the finished piece off.
05Faceplate + screwsHolds your bowl blank on the lathe.
06Four-jaw scroll chuckGrips the foot so you can flip the bowl and hollow it.
07Face shieldWood chips fly. Wear it every time.
08Dust mask or respiratorSanding dust is fine enough to reach your lungs.
09Grinder + sharpening jigSharp tools cut cleaner and grab less.
10Sandpaper + oil finishA grit pack and a simple wipe-on oil.
The manual tells you what to look for when you buy each one.
- 1Standing in the line of fireStand to the side when you switch the lathe on. If a blank comes loose, it flies straight out.
- 2Starting too fastAn uneven chunk of wood shakes at high speed. Start slow and speed up once it's round.
- 3Working with dull toolsA dull gouge grabs and tears. Sharpen early and often. It's safer and the cuts come out cleaner.
