Wood turning ideas

Website design By BotEap.comWood turning has become part of the woodworking craze in most parts of the world. At one time it was understood that wood turning was one of the necessities of life in the community. Most reasonably sized cities would have a turner just as they would have a black smith. As a result, in some telephone books today one can find as many Turners as Smiths.

Website design By BotEap.comMass production, along with inexpensive bowls and cups of materials such as plastic and metal, ended the need for the craftsmanship of wood turning, although the beauty of wood and the imperative need to create both art and crafts have kept the Wood turning skills of completely disappearing. In fact, today there seems to be a renaissance in the world of wood turning. However, there is now the question for many turners where to get wood turning ideas.

Website design By BotEap.comThe easiest place to start on wood turning ideas is to walk around the house and say “what could I do?” or maybe “what would I have done three hundred years ago?” Obviously, we wouldn’t convert wood-burning pots for the stove, but what about food prep?

Website design By BotEap.comIn the old days, all kitchens had a large wooden bowl, the bread bowl for mixing the bread dough. These days we are more likely to see it as a salad bowl. Of course, that leads to all kinds of serving bowls, each distinctive in grain and color. For a very decorative touch, wooden trenchers can be made and used. In medieval times, slabs of bread were used as plates and food was served on them. Later the bread was eaten, which absorbed the sauce or gravy. The richest people were served the bread on a wooden slab, often turned and decorated, and the food was placed on the bread in turn. Bread soaked in sauce was sometimes given to the poor as alms. Today, a trencher can be turned square or round with a wide edge to show grain and an inserted center to hold a plate.

Website design By BotEap.comThe cups are, of course, a variation on a bowl. Firm-grained woods such as maple or cherry retain liquid very well. A proper finish with a fine wet sanding will keep the grain from lifting and no other interior finish is really needed, nor was it used in medieval times when many of the poor carried their own wooden cup with them.

Website design By BotEap.comSpatulas, jets and spoons for serving and stirring are often found in kitchens. With the immediate use of today’s Teflon-coated cookware, wooden mixing utensils and potato mashers are made to order.

Website design By BotEap.comChandeliers are an obvious resource for the wood turner, but so are simple and elegant table lamps. Today, wood turning suppliers make all kinds of kits with lamp parts available at a very nominal cost.

Website design By BotEap.comSpeaking of kits, it’s easy for the turner to find parts for pens, pencils, letter openers, pillboxes, and a wide variety of other small items that require more parts than one piece of wood.

Website design By BotEap.comBasically, if it is round or could be round it can be done on the lathe. Ideas surround us if we only take the time to look. In addition to that, there is the double bonus awarded. There is not only the pleasure of anticipating the turn, there is also the joy of delighting in everything that surrounds us. Useful, or just decorative, making it out of wood makes it more special, at least for some of us.