Wood Lathe Safety: Fit The Style Of Turning To The Wood

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such as bowls and vases. This has occasionedMy Shed Plans Reviewthe use of woods such as burls, spalted wood and cracked or otherwise injured wood. Many of these require extra caution on the lathe.

Many burls contain bark inclusions, extra knots and wild grain. There may be hidden splits and areas of half rotten wood. All of this means that the burl may give beautiful patterns that are found in no other kinds of woods, but also may deteriorate on the lathe. By its very nature, a burl tends to be unbalanced because the of the varying nature of the wood within it. Thus it will set up vibrations as it rotates on the lathe much as does an unbalanced tire on a car.

Prior to mounting on the lathe, burls should be checked for loose wood and bark. Any loose material should be pried off or glued down with cyanoacrylate glue. Burls should be started on a lathe at the lowest speed and turned until some semblance of balance is reached. Before turning on the lathe for the first time and at each subsequently higher speed, the woodturner should be standing out of the line of fire. Although the loose wood should have been secured, surprises happen especially under the vibration of unbalanced wood.

Spalted woods and cracked pieces as well as those of beautiful but wild grain such as crotch wood, may require special care when mounting. Be sure that screws are strong and well seated. Self tapping sheet metal screws have extra deep threads for a good hold. If using a four jaw chuck, not only should the chuck be well faced to a flat surface but special care is needed to ensure that the recess into which the jaws fit or the tenon that they grab is made of solid wood.

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