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The length of my tool rest required a total of three positions along the bed to turn the length of my 161⁄2″ part.
I recently completed a 6′ long shaker settee that had a lot of spindles. This was my first project that depended on my turning capabilities. In the past, I’ve worked on small turned objects like shaving brush handles and I even made a stool with Chris Schwarz, but this was pretty new territory for me. But I was eager to tackle the project because I knew that the only way to become a proficient turner was to push myself outside my comfort zone. I’ve had great instruction on the lathe from a few folks, so I knew what needed to be done, but there’s a pretty big difference between knowing what you need to do and putting the gouge to the workpiece. My spindles turned out great, but I’ll admit that I was sweating through the whole process.
I know that having the entire archive of Popular Woodworking sitting next to my desk has been an invaluable resource since I started here, so I am excited to share that the Woodturning Ultimate Collection brings together a lot of our turning resources. In fact, I had Alan Lacer’s book, Woodturning Projects & Techniques, in the shop with me while working on these spindles. Oh, and I built Alan’s Ultimate Lathe Stand in preparation for this project (we documented that build in a forthcoming video!)
Be sure to check out this special offering if you are exploring turning and want to learn from some of the best turning instructors out there!
– David Lyell
Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality.
