Turned tools for the Wood Turner

A great way to practice your turning skill is in producing tools for your workshop. This week we will look at several tools suitable for a wood turner and others.  The videos show you how to turn a mallet, a hammer, a baseball bat, a garden dibble, tool handles, and a scratch awl.  Enjoy the videos, it is always nice to see how someone else turns a piece of wood.

Turned Mallet and a Turned Hammer

A turned Mallet is a great first turning project.  It is not finicky, nor breakable, and is still useful no matter how you shape the handle.

The Hammer is more specific in turning the handle and drilling through the head of the hammer.  So is better suited as a second project.

Ernie also provides advice on the physical position you should use while turning and on how to hold your tools.

A Turned Garden Dibble

A Garden Dibble is a tool for planting seeds and bulbs.  For planting bulbs the dibble is marked off in 1″ increments so you get the correct depth for planting different bulbs.  The first video turns the billet to round.

The second video shapes the head of the dibble and the handle.

These are excellent videos on showing you how to use a skew chisel.  The entire dibble is made using only the skew.  The instructor uses an oval skew chisel which will make his transitions a bit easier.  This is still very doable with a regular square edged skew chisel.

 A Turned Baseball Bat

This is a very good project: Your own turned baseball bat.  This allows you to make a bat that fits the batter.  No more trying to swing a huge, heavy bat when a lighter one is easier to control, especially for children.

Turned Tool Handles

Handles are always needed for chisels, screwdrivers and turning tools.  Here’s how to make a great tool handle specifically for you.

This video does not have verbal descriptions but a very nice piano accompaniment.  The sanding and finishing steps are included.  It also shows how to make dark lines by burning the wood with a wire, a useful technique to know.

Turned Scratch Awl

A scratch awl is useful for marking the centre points on your turnings, for starting screws, or marking a line on hard material.

Each day I share a wood turning project on my facebook page.  Join me there and get the turning project of the day, delivered to your Facebook homepage.

I hope you found these videos helpful.  What have you made on your lathe lately?  Leave a comment and let me know.