Intro to Woodturning: Spindle Turning

Turn a square block of wood into finely shaped spindle forms while learning the essential skills of safe, confident woodturning. This class covers safe machine operation, fundamental cutting techniques, and professional finishing methods.

Learn. Students will be trained in the core principles and techniques of spindle turning, focusing on accuracy, control, and surface quality. Instruction includes:

• Safe set-up and operation of the lathe for spindle work
• Use of the roughing gouge, skew chisel, and detail gouge
• Developing smooth curves and crisp details through proper bevel contact
• Understanding how cutting angles and grain direction affect surface finish and tool control
• Sanding and applying a quick oil finish to enhance the wood’s natural luster

Practice exercises include roughing to a cylinder, and performing key spindle cuts:

• Planing, chamfer, and peeling cuts with the skew chisel
• Coves and beads using the detail gouge

Through these exercises, students create a series of spindle totems that serve as reference samples for future projects.

Make. Students design and turn a finished spindle project of their choice, such as a candlestick, mallet, kitchen utensil or bud vase.

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Saturday & Sunday  |  9:30am – 5pm  |  Class will break for a 1/2 hour lunch.
2 Sessions: March 28 & 29

Cost: $425 non-members: $361.25 members (plus an additional $20 materials fee.)