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Safety measures are important with this tool because of the rotating objects and because of the dust that is put into the air.
A person's clothing should not be loose, because clothing can catch in the equipment, and jewelry or other accessories should not be worn. A set of goggles should always be worn to prevent dust from getting into the eyes. If it does, the eyes should be washed immediately. A dust mask should also be used to prevent breathing in any of the sawdust. Use wood that gives off fewer leftovers when cutting; adjust the tool rest to within 1/8 inch away from the piece of wood, and adjust your speed accordingly. Larger pieces of wood should be rotated at a slower speed than smaller pieces. -
Different types of lathes can be used for different projects. Benchtop lathes are good for making the smaller items like inkwells, candleholders, small bowls or yo-yos. Larger machines are better for making spindles and other larger items.
Choosing the correct wood lathe tools to work with are important as well. These tools are generally called chisels and can be bought individually or in sets. Lathe chisels have longer handles than regular ones and are specifically designed for lathes. Regular wood chisels are not created for this machine. -
Start off with simple projects to learn the process first. For example, shaping a square piece of wood into a cylinder is a good starter. Use a square piece of wood on beginner projects to make it easier to center. You can then round the corners on it and progress to other parts. For a first full project, many beginners start with a simple bowl because there are only two basic tools needed---a bowl gouge and a spindle gouge.
For beginners, the best wood to use is yellow pine or balsam fir, but even dried ambrosia maple works well. Obtain wood that has a straighter grain and fewer knots. Do not use wood that has splits in it.
