DIY Network

Spindles From "Woodturning Techniques" episode DWTT-110

Figure A

The spindle is a staple of furniture building and a turning project that brings the turner back to the basics (figure A). Master turner Dave Hout shares his expertise with student Vince DeWitt as he shows how to make patterns for spindles, and how to hone turning skills while turning the spindles.

Duplicating spindles bothers most turners; they just don't think they can do it, but, with just a few tools, the process can be broken down into individual segments that lets the turner duplicate spindles with no problem.

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Materials:

1/2" Spindle gouge
Skew
Dividers
Calipers
Story stick
Spindle blanks

Steps:

1. The centers are marked with diagonal marks from corner to corner on the blanks, along with the point where the square shoulder becomes a round leg (figure B) (figure C). If a bad edge is found on the blank it can be turned off on the tapered portion of the leg.

Figure B

Figure C

Figure D

2. The spindle blank is mounted between centers and the shoulder is squared using a specially designed, home-made spindle gouge. The gouge is rectangular and cross-sectioned, with a flute that is very similar to a traditional spindle gouge (figure D).

• Note: The square sided spindle gouge that I prefer to use is homemade. I start with a piece of high-speed steel 5/16" x 9/16" x 10" long. The flute is ground by hand on a grinding wheel dressed to the round shape of the flute. This process actually is not as difficult as it might seem at first. Once the grinding is started, it is possible to keep the flute very consistent with just a little care. The flute should be ground on the end of tool 3 – 4". This makes the tool more rigid when extended far over the tool rest. The shape of the cutting edge is a lady fingernail grind. I prefer this tool because it is very stable and versatile.

Figure E

3. The square shoulder is needed as the blank goes from square to round. The gouge helps achieve this because it has a flat side that can be laid flush on the tool rest, before slowly bringing the tool point into the blank to begin cutting in where the shoulder should start (figure E).

4. Moving further down the blank, Dave cuts in again, before beginning to cut off fibers, a step which will prevent splintering wood (figure F). Next, this section is taken down to round. The tool must work up next to the shoulder, going forward, then rolling around as it comes back down (figure G). Repeat this step until a smooth round surface is achieved.

Figure F

Figure G

	Figure H
	Figure I

5. To finish rounding, the corner is cut off short at the base, then the side of the tool is worked backward with the bevel rubbing the wood as it slides along the surface (figure H).

6. The next detail to consider is the curve on the leg. Leg's don't look good when they are square; it's simply too abrupt a change, so a curve is turned on the shoulder of the legs. This curve is really just a bead, followed by a cove, then another bead, followed by a long, tapered leg. Actually, these three shapes -- beads, coves and tapers are the only three things used to turn a spindle, and once these basic reproduction techniques are learned, repetition is easy (figure I).