How to Make a Wood Turned Screwdriver

Turning wood on a lathe is a fun and exciting way to make great-looking projects. They can be useful projects as well; for instance, a wood screwdriver turned on a lathe is both beautiful and useful. Here is how to make a wood-turned screwdriver on a wood lathe that you can use to make other home improvements.

Things You'll Need

• Block of hardwood
• Wood lathe, bits and tool guide
• Center marking tool
• Wood punch
• Roughing gouge
• Parting tool
• Sandpaper
• Mineral oil and gauze
• Screwdriver hardware

Instructions

1. Mark the center of your piece of wood. Measure accurately and mark your wood with a lathe punch.

2. Measure and cut the block to accept your hardware. Use calipers to measure the inside and outside diameters of your hardware pieces to accept the hardware you've purchased. Remember that a tight fit is essential, so accurate measurement is necessary.

3. Make the cylinder. Use your tool guide and roughing gouge to rough your block down to a cylinder. Set your lathe rpms to about 1800 for roughing a cylinder. Be sure to set the bevel of the roughing gouge flat on the piece, then raise the handle of the cutting tool until you get a shaving. The idea is to try not to cut too much at one time.

4. Rough cut the handle. If your hardware comes with a feral, measure with calipers, cut the dimensions with a parting tool and cut the required dimensions to mount the feral and mount it.

5. Cut the handle in a shape you prefer. Some like to have a wide end with a small shoulder, and others prefer a few shoulders down the length of the piece. Start the cutting with the roughing gouge; finish with skew. Start the parting cut so that you have access to the majority of the surface during the finishing process.

6. Finish the handle. Remove the tool guide and sand with 120- and 150-grit sandpaper. Stop the lathe and apply mineral oil liberally with gauze. Start the lathe and burnish the finish. Cut and remove the piece.

7. Insert the screwdriver hardware. Using a wood mallet, hammer in the hardware. Be sure to check for proper direction before installing, because you cannot remove and reinstall the hardware after you install it.