DIY Network

Creating the Vessel Creating the Vessel From "Woodturning Basics" episode DWTN-105

Steps:

1. Normally, before mounting the wood block, the centers are marked on both ends of the block if it is a spindle piece, but because this is a very irregular piece, it is not necessary for this project. Just visually line up the block on the lathe as close to the center as possible (figure A). Irregular wood blanks are sometimes moved around on the lathe to accentuate some characteristic that might be found in the wood, or there might be a hole that needs to be worked around.

Wood block.

Figure A

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2. Start with the lathe turning at 600 rpm. The first tool used is a bevel gouge: bring it in so that the bevel makes contact with the wood (figure B), raise the handle and begin to work off the corners using small, even strokes. This piece of wood has bark on it, and if you aren't careful, the whole piece of bark could be ripped off.

Figure B

A close-up of the tool shaving a piece of wood.

3. With the cylinder roughed out of the wood block (figure C), begin to narrow the base (figure D). At this point, the gouge can go back and forth in either direction, because there is so much wood to remove from the base of the blank.

Figure C

Figure D

4. When the base has been narrowed, create a shoulder at the top of the vessel.

Comparing the rough vessel with the finished vessel.

Side view of the rough and the finished vessels.