Woodturning is the art or craft of forming objects from wood using hand held chisels and a lathe.
These objects may be purely functional ones such a bowls, egg cups, light pulls, etc but may also be of a highly ornamental or aesthetic nature.
One of the pleasures of woodturning is that it is possible to start with a piece of wood harvested from the garden and turn it into a finished product in the space of a weekend. More exotic woods may be purchased from specialist suppliers in the form of ready seasoned blanks. |
 |
 |
This is a bowl turned from a piece of beech that has started to rot or "spalt". The dark veins in the wood are the result of this process and add to the character of the piece. |
There are many woodturning lathes available on the market. This is an example of one of the smaller ones, but one still capable of producing a wide range of work, from light pulls to boxes and small bowls. |
 |
 |
There are only five or six basic chisel types required to commence wood turning. Most woodturners, however, collect a wider range as they become more accomplished and undertake a greater range of work. |