Collection: Turning Wood

Woodturning on the lathe, an ancient and prized art, has long been a therapeutic outlet for woodworkers. Whether you're an expert or you're just getting started as a woodturner, we understand that you want to start with high quality turning wood! That's why we carefully select exotic and domestic wood blanks that range in size, price, and figure to meet the needs of each of our woodworking customers.

There are many things to consider when you begin a woodturning project. Our favorite consideration is what wood you'll start with! Hardwoods are typically preferred for their strength and fine grain, which is optimal for detailed turning. Softwoods making turning easier, but may not be as durable. Most of our wood blanks are freshly cut (green), which makes woodturning considerably easier because the wood is softer; however, it's critical to use the twice turning method when working with freshly cut wood to avoid cracking and warping. Dry wood avoids these issues, but can be much harder on tools. For more information about twice turning, visit our wood FAQ section at the bottom of any of our pages.

Woodturning also requires a solid, sturdy lathe that reduces vibration and helps create smoother cuts. A variable speed lathe is also highly recommended so that you can adjust the speed and type of cut based on the wood you've chosen. Tools are another important consideration when turning wood. It's important to have gouges, parting tools, and skew chisels so that you can implement the different shaping, carving, separating, and smoothing techniques necessary for your finished project. Keeping tools very sharp helps with smooth cuts and reduces fatigue when turning.

Woodturning connoisseurs know that the possibilities for woodturning are extensive! Some of the most common choices for woodturning are as follows: 1) Bowl Turning: This technique begins with a bowl blank or round piece of wood to form wooden bowls or other round objects. This technique requires a lathe, bowl gouges, and scrapers. 2) Spindle Turning: In spindle turning, long pieces are used to make projects along the grain, such as candle sticks, pool cues, table legs, and duck calls. 3) Faceplate Turning: This method is best for heavy wood, where the large blank is attached directly to the lathe by a faceplate. 4) Segmented Turning: This method implements the use of sections or segments of wood that have been cut and glued together in specific patterns and then turned. Segmented turning allows for diverse color and grain patterns and the use of scraps and expensive hardwoods that may not be available in larger pieces. It requires great care and precision to turn the complex pieces that are yielded from this method.