Lathes

When first introduced, four-jaw chucks were viewed by many as a luxury just for professional turners. But they offer so many advantages that anyone from novice level on up would benefit from owning one.

Woodturning expert Brian Simmons shows you how to put a razor-sharp fingernail profile edge on a bowl gouge.

Texturing tools dress up the plain surfaces of turned pieces. To demonstrate these decorations, we tried out three texturing tools on the box top.Each tool creates a specific pattern on the wood, but the appearance varies, depending on wood grain and density, position and movement of the tool, the contour of the surface, and other factors. Cherry, walnut, maple, and other popular turning woods work well with texturing. Most of these tools perform best on end grain.Experiment; if you create a pattern you don't like, simply turn the surface smooth and try again.

When you’re ready to step up from a benchtop lathe, these full-size machines have all the power, capacity, and features you’ll likely ever need.