The origin of woodturning dates to around 1300BC when the Egyptians first developed a two-person lathe. One person would turn the wood with a rope while the other used a sharp tool to cut shapes in the wood. The Romans improved the Egyptian design with the addition of a turning bow. Early bow lathes were also developed and used in Germany, France and Britain. In the Middle Ages a pedal replaced hand-operated turning, freeing both the craftsman's hands to hold the woodturning tools. The pedal was usually connected to a pole, often a straight-grained sapling. The system today is called the "spring pole" lathe. Spring pole lathes were in common use into the early 20th Century. A two-person lathe, called a "great lathe", allowed a piece to turn continuously (like today's power lathes). A master would cut the wood while an apprentice turned the crank.
There are two distinct methods of turning wood: spindle turning and faceplate turning. In spindle turning, the wood is fixed between 2 points. The spur center digs in to the wood and is powered by a motor. The other, a hard center or a live center may be a point or set of points in the tail stock. In face plate turning, the wood is secured with screws to a faceplate or in a chuck or jig. The tail stock and a center may also be used for added support on large pieces with a faceplate. Most bowls, platters and many vessels are face plate turned, while, pens, furniture legs, spindles, and some vessels are spindle turned. The method used may differ depending on the shape of the blank and the technique of the turner, and both methods may be used on the same piece.
- Use eye protection
- Have a dust collection system
- Wear ear protection
- Wear leather steel-toe boots
- There are 82‰ more hardwoods today than 40 years ago
- Every year, six additional trees are planted for every one that is harvested
- We still have 70‰ of the forests that were here in 1600, which 737 million acres
of forests is in the U.S - In the U.S. most hardwoods grow east of the Mississippi River
| Hardwood | Binomial Name |
|---|---|
| Balsa | Ochroma |
| Basswood | Tilia |
| Birch | Betula |
| Elm | Ulmus |
| Maple | Acer |
| Oak | Quercus |
| Walnut | Juglans |
| Softwood | Binomial Name |
|---|---|
| Cedar | Cedrus |
| Fir | Abies |
| Pine | Pinus |
| Spruce | Picea |
Hardwoods come from diciduous trees that loose their leaves every winter. They tend to be slower growing and more dense. Softwoods come from conifer which remains evergreen throughout the year. Softwood is known as gymnosperm which reproduce by forming cones that gives off pollen. Woodturners tend to use hardwood because it is easier to use. If they turn with a softwood they have to use sharp tools due to the cracking that occurs. The benefit of using softwood is when finish is put on it the colors become very vibrant and beautiful.