Test Your Knowledge of Woodturning

Woodturning: A Craft of Symmetry and Form

• Woodturning is the use of a wood lathe with handheld tools to cut a shape that is symmetrical around the axis of rotation.

• The wood lathe is a mechanism that can generate a variety of forms, and the operator is known as a turner.

• Items made on the lathe include tool handles, candlesticks, bowls, chessmen, spinning tops, and furniture parts.

• Woodturning techniques depend on the orientation of the wood grain relative to the axis of the lathe, and moisture content affects both the ease of cutting and the final shape of the work.

• The character of the wood creates challenges for the woodturner, and turners of hardwoods and ivory select different tools than those used for cutting softwoods.

• Woodturning has a long history, with early bow lathes and strap lathes developed and used in Egypt and Rome.

• The continuous revolution of the workpiece can be human-powered with a treadle wheel or achieved with water, steam, or electric power.

• Holding devices, such as points, spurs, and chucks, are used to secure the wood on the lathe.

• Turning tools are generally made from carbon steel, high-speed steel, or tungsten carbide, and must be sharpened frequently to maintain a clean cut.

• Woodturning has always had a strong hobbyist presence, and practitioners of the craft have become adept at learning from demonstrations, private classes, and internet technologies.

• Complex forms made on a wood lathe develop from surprisingly few types of cuts: parting, planing, bead, cove, and hollowing.

• Safety is important when woodturning, and it is essential to wear certain personal protective equipment such as eye and ear protection.Safety Precautions for Wood Lathe Operations

• Loose clothing, jewelry, and long hair should be removed when working with spinning objects.

• Paper towels should be used instead of loose rags to avoid snags and accidents.

• Wood shavings generated during turning should be periodically removed.

• 'SAFER' technique should be used to check the safety before starting the lathe.

• High spindle speed with an unbalanced wooden blank may cause the lathe to vibrate dangerously.

• Spinning a large turning blank too quickly may cause it to explode.

• Inappropriate use of tools such as gouges and skew chisels can cause a catch, which can be dangerous.

• Particular care is required for wooden shapes that are not circular, such as off-center work, and for bowls with wings or square rims.

• Turning can exert extremely large forces upon the wood, the tool, the lathe, and the operator.

• Wooden blanks could fracture or tear free from the lathe, causing accidents.

• Tools are often torn from the operator's hand and thrown in unexpected directions in lathe accidents.

• Safety depends on the operator's choice of proper techniques for the lathe, tools, and wood.