Woodturning

Discover the joy of woodturning with our Men's Shed! Join us for hands-on workshops, camaraderie, and the satisfaction of creating something beautiful with your own hands. All skill levels welcome!

Woodturning

The Shed has three variable speed midi-lathes and a collection of basic tools for woodturning that currently are free be used by members for woodturning on Monday and Thursday afternoons.  Members new to woodturning are taught safe use of the tools and equipment and after receiving guided instruction are free to continue with their own projects.

INTRODUCTORY WOODTURNING COURSE

This course is run periodically on Monday afternoons when two or three trainees register their interest..  It is a structured course because over the years of teaching Shed members to turn wood it has been found that is the best way to give trainees a through grounding in woodturning. The course consists of a series of projects (shown below) which have been selected to introduce trainees to a range of turning techniques so that they can confidently handle their own projects after completing the course. At the end of the course trainees have a real sense of achievement plus a collection of turned objects to show off to admiring relatives and friends.

If you are interested in learning woodturning, contact Garth Forster (imswoodworking@gmail.com) – Monday afternoon sessions or Bruno Pinese (bruno.pinese29@gmail.com) – Thursday afternoon sessions. Include your phone number so that we can discuss any queries you may have about the course.

Introduction to woodturning

  • Parts of the lathes

  • Characteristics of the Shed’s lathes

  • Turning tools

  • Faceplate and between centres turning

  • Chucks and jaws

  • Mounting wood in the lathe

  • Safety warnings

  • Demonstration of the steps in turning a bowl

  • A little hands-on turning to get the feel of things

  • Sanding and sequence of paper grades

  • Polishes and finishes

Turning a simple bowl
(applying what you learnt earlier)

  • Mounting a bowl blank on a faceplate

  • Turning a spigot/tenon

  • Using gouges and scrapers

  • Reverse mounting the bowl into a chuck

  • Hollowing the bowl without cutting through the bottom

  • Sanding through the grades without leaving scratches

  • Applying a finish

Turning a shallow platter

  • Figuring out how to mount a shallow blank

  • Turning a recess

  • Using gouges and scrapers

  • Hollowing the platter without cutting through the bottom

  • Sanding through the grades without leaving scratches

  • Making a jam chuck to clean up the bottom

  • Applying a finish

Turning and decorating a flat candle holder

  • Thinking about what you are going to do

  • Figuring out how to mount the blank

  • Shaping the blank to an aesthetically pleasing shape

  • Hollowing so that the insert fits exactly

  • Removing all traces of how the base was cleaned up

  • Sanding perfectly

  • Decorating the outside with pyrography and colouring

  • Applying a finish

Turning a carver’s mallet 

  • Mounting wood between centres

  • Using a spindle gouge

  • Achieving an ergonomic shape

  • Learning to use a skew chisel to smooth off

  • Sanding

  • Using a parting tool to part off the mallet

  • Applying an oil finish

Turning a bud vase (for a single bloom or mini arrangement)

  • Mounting wood between centres

  • Cutting a spigot 

  • Preliminary shaping

  • Thinking about the overall shape

  • Planning the depth of the hole for the test tube

  • Centre boring the hole for the test tube 

  • Turning to a final shape that is suitably stable

  • Sanding

  • Applying the finish

  • Removing the spigot

  • Completing the bottom

Turning a cylindrical box with a loose fitting lid

  • Selecting a suitable piece of wood

  • Thinking about what you are about to do

  • Rough turning and marking out proportions

  • Using calipers

  • Shaping and hollowing carefully

  • Sanding and finishing

  • Amazing yourself when the lid fits perfectly

Making a gavel

  • Selecting pieces of timber fit for purpose

  • Mounting the gavel head held in a chuck

  • Using calipers to achieve a symmetrical shape

  • Drilling a mortice hole dead centre in the gavel head

  • Spindle turning the handle

  • Progressively sanding and finishing the two parts

The best way to find out what each group does is to attend one of its activities on a no-obligation trial basis.

All groups start, sink or swim based on interest, energy and innovation of the members attending.  IMS is committed to concensus and innovation driven by the members for the members.