Keep your turning tools organized and within reach with one of these shop built racks. They are simple to make; adapt the dimensions in the illustrations to accommodate your tool collection. The rack shown at top is made from 1/4- and 3/4-inch Plywood; it features spacers to separate the tools and a brace that prevents them from falling forward.

Tool Rest Maintenance

The tool rest on your lathe does more than support turning chisels. It also serves as a guide that helps make smooth, consistent depth cuts when rounding or sizing a piece of wood. However, tool rests are made from relatively soft cast iron and eventually become nicked and scratched. Novice turners understandably experience more catches that can create deeper nicks in the tool rest.

Making A Pen Blank Drilling Vise

When I started turning pens, buying the equipment needed was for the most part an understandable expense. When I looked at pen blank drilling vises and noticed the ones that looked good had price tags between $30 and $50, my understanding mood faded. When I looked at how these vises were made and the task they did, a thought came to mind.

The Square Plan for Polychromatic "Random" Wood Bowls

This is a system for making your wood go further. If you have gone to all the trouble to make a glued up block, it's a shame to see any of it reduced to shavings. A click on the center image above will bring up a full sized plan in a new window. Keep the new window handy or, better still, print it out. You will probably want to refer to it frequently as I describe this system. If you are thinking of actually doing this I recommend a practice run on any piece of wood in a 4 x 4 x 1 proportion.