Wood Lathes
A wood lathe spins a block of wood while you shape it with hand-held tools. It feels simple, but a catch can wrench a tool from your hands, and a loose or cracked blank can fly apart at high speed. Respect for speed and setup keeps woodturning safe.
- Woodturners
- Hobbyists
- Shops
Hazards
- Flying wood: cracked, unbalanced or poorly mounted blanks can come off the lathe.
- Catches: the tool digs into the wood and snaps back, injuring hands and breaking tools.
- Entanglement: clothing, hair, cords, jewelry or rags wrapped around the work or chuck.
- Dust and chips, and fine sanding dust. See Wood Dust.
- Finish chemicals: oil, lacquer and solvents, which are flammable. See Spontaneous Combustion.
- Noise.
Set up
- Inspect wood for cracks, knots, bark and rot; avoid green or damaged blanks for beginners and trim large pieces to round on a band saw first
- Mount securely: use the right chuck, faceplate screws (of correct length) or spur and live centers, and tighten them
- Rotate the work by hand to check clearance before starting
- Set the tool rest close to the work (about 1/8 inch), at the right height, and lock it. Re-set it as the stock gets smaller
- Choose the correct speed: start slow, especially for large or out-of-balance pieces, and increase carefully. Large bowls need low speeds (a few hundred rpm), small spindles faster; follow the manual and charts
- Make sure the lathe is stable and bolted or weighted; vibration is a warning sign
Turning safely
- Wear a full face shield, not only safety glasses, plus hearing and dust protection.
- Wear snug clothing, roll up sleeves, remove jewelry, tie back hair and avoid gloves.
- Stand to the side of the spinning blank when starting the lathe, not in its path.
- Use sharp tools, hold them firmly, keep the bevel supported and present them to the wood carefully.
- Keep cords and rags away. Never wrap sandpaper or a rag around your fingers while the work is turning; hold it flat.
- Stop the lathe to adjust the tool rest, inspect or clear shavings.
- Turn the lathe off and remove the chuck key before leaving it.
Standards & references
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