How to turn a wooden letter opener
A 7-inch letter opener from a 3/4-inch blank — three ways to flatten the blade, the dense species that resist snapping, and the skew angle that works.
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16 articles in Projects
Turn a wooden foot roller on the lathe
Exact dimensions for a lathe-turned wooden foot roller — bead spacing that works the arch, plus the hard species that survive years under foot pressure.
Read moreTurn wooden buttons on the lathe
Turn a matched set of 6-8 wooden buttons from scrap hardwood: production jig, blank sizes, drilling fixture, and finishing for buttons that survive laundry.
Read moreHow to turn a round wood picture frame
Turn a round wooden picture frame on the lathe - blank sizing, faceplate mounting, the rabbet cut for glass and backing, working RPMs, and a gift-ready finish.
Read moreHow to turn wooden fishing lures
Turn wooden fishing lures on a mini lathe — wood species by density, RPM ranges, through-wire construction, and an epoxy finish that survives a season.
Read moreTurn wooden bookends on the lathe
Turned bookends must sit flat and hold 18 pounds of books. Split turning, faceplate, and solid cylinder approaches, plus weighting and finishing steps.
Read moreHow to turn a wood clock on the lathe
Turn a wood clock with a press-fit insert that stays put — exact bore diameters, Forstner speeds, species picks, and nailing the 0.005-inch press fit.
Read morePen turning - from slimline to kitless
Pen turning covers every spindle skill on a $10 blank. Kit types, drilling speeds, mandrels, CA finishing, and assembly steps with exact RPM and bit sizes.
Read moreHow to turn a wood honey dipper
A 7-inch honey dipper from a 1-inch square blank — the groove geometry that actually holds honey, food-safe finishing, and a full step-by-step sequence.
Read moreTurn stair balusters on a lathe
Turn code-compliant stair balusters between centers — the 4-inch sphere rule, pin sizing, blank dimensions, and a story-stick method for duplicating sets.
Read moreHow to turn a lazy susan on the lathe
A turned lazy susan is a face-plate project shaped with a bowl gouge — wood selection, bearing sizing, mounting, and food-safe finishing in one session.
Read moreHow to turn garden tool handles
Turn replacement garden tool handles in ash or hickory between centers. Tang hole sizes for trowels, forks, and cultivators, plus ferrule fitting steps.
Read moreTurn a garden dibber on the lathe
A 10-inch dibber from a 1.5-inch blank — the handle profile that fits a closed fist, point tapers for clay vs loam, and rot-resistant hardwoods that last.
Read moreProject: Cremation Urn
This is a project by master turner Bill Grumbine. We are proud to host it.
Read moreProject: Epoxy Resin River Table
Epoxy resin river tables can be a magical addition to any room if you have the right kind of decor. These are eye-popping pieces of furniture that can...
Read moreProject: Captive Rings on a Baby Rattle
In this photo tutorial, Dennis Daudelin will show us how to make captive rings. The final object happens to be a baby rattle.
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