Spindle turning is the process of turning square wood into round pieces on a lathe using a gouge and sandpaper. Patterns and shapes can be traced using gauges and dividers, and a copy jig can be used to replicate designs for symmetrical pieces.
Chuck turning is the act of turning a square workpiece into a round workpiece on a wood lathe. Typically, the wood is fitted between two lathe centers while a tool known as a gouge is used to remove material from the rotating wood. The art of spindle turning is responsible for creating ornate pieces that are used for table legs, chair parts, and even lamp bodies. In addition to turning square stock into round pieces, spindle turning usually includes final sanding of the wood as it turns on the lathe and applying a myriad of finishes such as linseed oil, stain, and varnish.
Wood lathes allow you to recreate a spindle turning by using gauges and dividers to trace out particular patterns and shapes. Using an original spinning mandrel as a template, the carpenter can duplicate the intricacies of the piece through the use of many specialty cutting and carving tools. A pencil is often used to draw reference lines on the turning wood to aid the craftsman in placing particular cuts. Once the basic shape starts to appear, measuring tools are used to get the correct depth into the cuts and the correct spacing.
Most experienced woodworkers will let the chuck run a little oversized when they finish working with the lathe chisels. Experienced craftsmen will choose to smooth, rather than sculpt, the finished work to the correct size and avoid going undersized by achieving a smooth surface for the work. In spindle turning, as well as most other forms of woodworking, it is always possible to remove a little more material, however, in most cases it is impossible to add more material onto a piece once it has been removed. By using more grits of sandpaper on the spinwood, the spindle turning can be reduced to size and finished very smooth in a short time with very little effort.
When multiple turnings of the same design are created, such as those used in stair railings, a device is fitted to the lathe that allows the worker to follow an original design or piece, while the lathe exactly replicates its shape. This copy jig ensures that each railing is rotated to the exact length and diameter, and includes the same designs for a symmetrical and aesthetic look. The size of the lathe used is the only practical limitation on the size and design of the spindle turning that is created.
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