While wood turning technically falls under the umbrella of woodworking, it is often considered a completely different craft. Woodturners tend to be devoted to their craft, and many have little (if any) interest in other traditional fine woodworking skills since there is almost no end the projects that can be created on a lathe alone with the proper tools and techniques. The tips that follow summarize some of the most important elements of good wood turning practice, with links to articles containing more detail.
Inspect your lathe regularly to make sure fitting are secure and tight. Keep your work area clean. Make sure lighting is sufficient. Being able to see what you’re doing will help ensure safe work. Make sure tools are kept clean and sharp. Dull tools can catch on the spinning workpiece, while razor-sharp tools will cut smoothly and easily. Use quality wood stock. Workpieces with cracks or thick knots can break apart or grab cutting tools.
In this photo, for example, the woodturner is breaking several of the first rules of woodturning:
Always wear eye protection when turning wood. Should a workpiece splinter or break apart, injury to your eyes is a distinct possibility. Avoid loose-fitting or baggy clothing. They can easily get ensnared in the spinning axle of the tool.
To create the most common cuts—square cuts, V-grooves, fillets, and coves, you really only need four types of tools (along with your lathe, of course). Practice these various profiles using the tools required to cut them on your wood lathe. The roughing gouge is a very versatile gouge, but it must be used properly (and safely) in order to get good results. The first step in learning the craft of woodturning is practicing with the roughing gouge.
