After years of turning, primarily in support of my furniture work, I have recently been spending a lot more time on the lathe doing "pure" turning work. There is a certain satisfaction from watching the curls gracefully fly from the lathe as my creation slowly emerges.

Hollow Form Turning

Hollow form turning doesn't have to be intimidating! In this three-part series I show you how to ease into the process, building your skills along the way.

Video 1, Hollow Form Turning Series

Part one is turning a scoop or goblet form. This will get you turning deep pockets, helps you learn how to gauge wall thickness as you work and gives you experience working beyond the tool rest.

Video 2, Hollow Form Turning Series

In Part Two I show you how to turn a small bowl with an undercut lip. This allows you to experience a mild hollow turning while you can still easily see and measure the inside walls.

Video 3, Hollow Form Turning Series

Part Three takes what you practiced in parts one and two, and brings it together to make a true hollow form, a hollow vessel with a narrow opening.

Quick Change Chucks, a Head to Head Comparison

Both Nova and Easy Wood Tools offer a quick-change chuck. Why would you want one? Which should you buy? I explain the advantages of the quick change and discuss the features of both units to help you decide for yourself. 

Turning Small Knobs

While small parts can be turned from a larger blank, centering a threaded insert without splitting the dime-sized knob. See how I add the insert before turning and use it as the center. In addition, this technique means that you can use a lot less wood when working with exotics.