5 Woodworking Tools That Are Essential For Woodturning

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Rather than developing joinery methods and planing boards down to support furniture builds or other projects (see: Beginner-friendly woodworking projects), woodturning is a subsection of the woodworking art that involves shaping wood in a way more akin to pottery. By attaching your workpiece to a lathe and carving away segments as it turns, you're provided with a totally different experience in manipulating lumber and a whole new range of possible shapes and surfaces.

For one thing, woodturning utilizes logs and (generally) boards that haven't already been dimensioned into rectangular components. An enterprising woodturner might even find green lumber fallen in their backyard or somewhere in their community and use the tree's offering as is, rather than cutting it into boards and wa waiting months or years for it to dry out (a process that's lengthy, but certainly achievable). Woodturning is a great skill to pick up if you are looking to make customized chair legs, handles for hammers or chisels, and much more. And with these five essential tools, getting into the game doesn't have to be wildly expensive or complicated.

The first and most important tool you'll need when getting into woodturning is a lathe. On a practical level, this power tool forms the basis of all your wood turning capabilities. Every other tool you will bring into the workshop to support this part of the hobby works alongside it. 

Lathes come in many formats. There are large floor models that get the job done on a professional level, and tiny affairs that provide a baseline entrypoint for newbies. One tool that sits at the crossroads of this spectrum and can therefore offer a quality starting point at a reasonable price is the Wen 4.5 Amp 5-Speed Benchtop Wood Lathe.

Wen is a well-known tool brand in woodworking circles (and a great power tool substitute for Ryobi in many instances). The brand makes great solid drill presses, and even offers competent rotary tools for light-duty users. Naturally, it makes a lathe that's ideal for newer woodturners. This benchtop model features five speed selections and can accommodate workpieces up to 18 inches long with a favorable 12-inch depth rating, as well. It comes with a 3⅛-inch faceplate to accomodate jobs that don't feature spindle requirements such as bowls, cups, or even something like a wooden vase. Speed settings range from 520 to 3400 RPM and the tool itself weighs over 70 pounds to prevent it from moving while the rotational force is engaged. It's available directly from Wen as well as on Amazon.

Once you have your lathe selected, the next tool to consider is the Simple Woodturning Tools Rest Platform with Clamping Collar. Woodturning requires precision and control, but sharp cutting tools and a potent lathe will only get you so far. If you just gouge your chisels into the workpiece as it spins you'll end up butchering the project. Many lathes come with basic tool rests and other accessories, but it's a great idea to upgrade your setup right away to support comprehensive workplace management from the first moments of your journey into this new arena.

This tool rest platform features a clamping collar and a smooth surface to support a gliding tool movement across its face. It comes in a 1-inch post diameter as well as a ⅝-inch option for increased compatibility across tool manufacturers. The tool accessory is particularly useful for turning projects like cups and bowls. It's great for hollowing out the inner segment of the workpiece because the platform allows you to get right up close to the target area and control your gouge or chisel's point of contact with incredible precision.

In order to truly start woodturning you'll need a set of specialty chisels. The ones you might rely on to cut standard joinery for boxes or picture frames aren't built for the rigors of wood turning. Instead, a solution like the Wen Six-Piece High Speed Steel Woodturning Chisel Set is a must. This set comes from a trusted brand within the world of woodworking and features six essential cutting tools that will support both your early strides into woodturning and your journey as you grow in the craft. Each of the chisels features a 6-inch steel blade purpose built for use in high speed settings.

Included in the tool set are chisel options like a 1-inch roughing gouge, ⅜-inch spindle gouge, a ½-inch round nose scraper, and a parting tool. The set comes in a wooden carrying case that will protect your tools when they aren't in use. Each one also features a 10-inch English beech handle with a slight taper running through the center, which promotes a comfortable grip and an elegant design language to round things out.

Every woodworker knows the value of keeping their equipment in tip top shape. Saw blades require changing on occasion and chisels must be resharpened to maintain their edge and cutting power. When it comes to woodturning chisels, the process of caring for the edge can be a little more complex. Woodturning tools often feature curved blades, although some components in a collection will be flat. Because these tools come into contact with a moving work piece that is rotating at a rapid pace, ensuring that your chisels retain a manicured blade is even more important than in standard woodworking practice. You may be able to get away with a few nicks on your standard chisels or slicks while performing some non-specialized cuts, but imperfections in the blade can introduce all sorts of problem areas when dealing with a workpiece on the lathe.

The Woodcut Tools Tru-Grind Turning Tool Sharpener Jig is a great option to deal with this problem. It features a sliding base with a camlock handle to dial in the exact sharpening parameters you require when bringing your woodturning chisels to the bench grinder for a touch up. The segment at the top features angle markings and a toothed dial system that locks into place as well. These features combined to create a jig that can sharpen any bladed instrument you might use running all the way up to 1½-inches across.

One tool frequently overlooked in the world of woodworking is the wood moisture meter. Moisture meters give precise feedback on the water content still held within a board you might be considering using for a project. Green lumber (wood that's been freshly cut and therefore hasn't had a chance to dry naturally or been subjected to treatment in a kiln) is appropriate for many woodworking projects, including woodturning tasks. However, boards can have moisture contents ranging between 30% and over 200% depending on the species and density of their grain. Saturated woods aren't necessarily a problem universally, but the higher the moisture content the more movement a board will undertake as it naturally dries over time.

Woodworkers don't need fancy moisture meters, and this one from Amazon is capable of measuring moisture in both hardwood and softwood species. It comes from RDINSCOS (one of the random letter brands within the Amazon ecosystem), and has plenty of positive feedback to support the unit's value (although it's always a good idea to take reviews with a pinch of salt). For $18, the 4.4 star rated moisture meter is listed as an "Amazon's Choice" product and delivers instant readings with a pin depth requirement of just 12 millimeters. Depending on your project scope, drier wood may be necessary and so a moisture meter will give you the information you require.