Turning a Spinning Top Toy on the Woodturning Lathe
- David Condon
- Feb 13, 2023
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 16
Videos Below.
One of the most valuable lessons I ever learned as a woodturner came from something very small — a simple spinning top toy.
At first glance a spinning top might look like a beginner project, something simple and decorative. In reality, it teaches some of the most important fundamentals in woodturning: balance, clean tool control, and precision.
Unlike bowls or ornaments, a spinning top has no forgiveness built into it.
If the shape is wrong, it won't spin properly.If the finish is rough, sanding will not fix it.If the weight is uneven, the top will wobble and stop quickly.
In many ways, the spinning top is one of the most honest projects you can turn.
The lathe tells you immediately whether you did it right.
Early Spinning Top Attempts
When I first started turning spinning tops, they were a struggle.
Each one took me nearly 20 minutes to complete, including the finish. That was 20 minutes of grinding away at a tiny piece of wood only to end up with what I call a “blobby.”
A blobby is exactly what it sounds like — a piece with no clear shape, rounded-over details and poor lines caused by bad sanding and poor tool control.
Looking back now, the reason was obvious.
I was self-taught in the 1990s, and not very well taught either.
I had only a vague idea how tools should be presented to the wood, and sharpening wasn't even part of the equation either at that early stage. Years later I realised how important sharp tools really are, which is something I wrote about when discussing sharpening a spindle roughing gouge.
Things only began to change years later when I finally sought advice from a professional woodturner.
Even then, it took time and repetition before the improvements began to show in my work.
Sometimes I think back and wonder where I might be today if I had taken a proper lesson back then.
What Teaching Students Taught Me
One thing teaching students has shown me is exactly where I went wrong in the early years.
Many beginners struggle with the same frustrations I had:
• Early failures
• Slow progress
• Pieces that don't look the way they imagined
• The cost of tools and equipment before real results appear
Woodturning looks simple from the outside, but in reality it requires patience and commitment.
I’ve seen people with huge enthusiasm start turning, only to give up after a short time. It's a pity, because once the basic techniques click, the craft becomes incredibly enjoyable.
Projects like the spinning top are actually perfect practice pieces because they force you to develop proper technique.
Select your Piece
When making spinning tops I generally start with a small blank around:
50mm × 50mm × 60mm
This size keeps waste to a minimum and allows good yield when producing several tops.
If you are new to woodturning, however, I would recommend starting with a longer blank — something closer to 100mm in length.
This keeps your hands further away from the spinning chuck jaws while you develop your technique.
As your confidence improves, you can shorten the blank gradually to save wood and increase efficiency.
Always work at a length you feel comfortable with. Just because you see someone else turning close to the jaws doesn't mean it's safe for you yet.
Confidence and control should come first.
Mounting the Piece
Cut a proper dovetail to suit the chuck jaws you are using.
Every chuck manufacturer designs their jaws slightly differently. For example, Vicmarc jaws use a 77° dovetail angle, which is what I work with most often.
I usually rough out the shape and add the dovetail on my Jet 1221VS, then move the piece to another lathe for finishing.
Most of my spinning tops are completed on my Vicmarc VL300 or Jet 2424, simply because those lathes offer excellent stability.
Having multiple lathes set up is a huge time saver in a professional workshop.
Small pieces like spinning tops are normally turned at relatively high speeds once balanced. If you're unsure about speeds, I wrote a guide explaining what speed a woodturning lathe should run.
Riding the Bevel
The most important technique in woodturning is the supported cut, often described as riding the bevel.
This is where the bevel of the tool supports the cut as the edge slices cleanly through the wood fibres.
When done properly:
• The cut is smooth
• The tool is stable
• The finish off the tool is excellent
If the bevel is not supported, the tool tends to tear fibres instead of cutting them cleanly.
There are ongoing debates between traditional tool users and carbide cutter users about which system is best.
Personally, I am a traditionalist.
A properly supported bevel cut is extremely efficient and, in my opinion, far safer than scraping.
When turning spinning tops you are often working further away from the tool rest than normal, so good bevel control becomes even more important.
If you are unsure about this technique, taking a proper woodturning lesson can save years of frustration.
Adding Colour
When I first started selling my work, everything was natural wood.
I personally love natural grain and the character it gives a piece.
However, once I started adding colour to some items, something interesting happened.
Sales increased dramatically.
It was a bit of a paradox — part of me preferred the natural wood, but the coloured pieces were clearly more popular with customers.
You can experiment with wood dyes such as Hampshire Sheen Intrinsic Colours or even something simple like Sharpie pens for light accents.
Sometimes a small splash of colour makes all the difference.
Watch the Turning Process
The videos below show the full process of turning spinning tops.
Some details are easier to understand when you see the tools and cuts happening in real time.
An older video below, sped up a bit. This is the way I used to do them when I started making them for the shops but I have since changed the design to the coloured ones above.
Take Away - It's a Child's Toy
At the end of the day, the spinning top you make will probably end up in the hands of a child.
But interestingly, the people who buy them are often adults.
When I first introduced spinning tops into a local shop, the feedback surprised me.
Customers in their 50s, 60s and 70s were picking them up, spinning them on the counter and laughing.
Many said they hadn’t seen one since childhood.
What starts as a small practice project in the workshop can end up reconnecting someone with a memory from decades ago.
That’s one of the nice things about handmade objects.
You never quite know where they will end up or what small bit of joy they might bring.
Do the best job you can.
If you're interested in learning more about woodturning techniques, tools and workshop tips, you can browse the full collection of articles on my Woodturning Guides & Articles page.
Thanks for Reading,
David
About the Author
I’m David Condon, a professional woodturner and small business owner based in Tralee, Co. Kerry. I spent 11 years working as a carpenter before starting my own woodturning business, which I’ve now been running for over a decade.
For more than ten years, I’ve been designing and making handmade wooden bowls, serving boards, and functional pieces from Irish hardwoods, selling them across Ireland and beyond. Bowls in particular have always been a core part of my work, from large salad bowls to smaller serving pieces, each one turned, finished, and food-safe treated in my workshop.
I teach woodturning full-time and work with wood every day. The advice I share here comes directly from hands-on experience — not theory — shaped by years of making, refining, and learning at the lathe.
© David Condon Woodcraft – All Rights Reserved.
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More Woodturning Pages to Explore
● Hampshire Sheen - Fine Finishing products that will highlight your project pieces
● Hamlet Tools - Fantastic Woodturning Tools from a well trusted brand
● Woodcraft Hub - View my woodcraft creations for inspiration of gift buying.
● Sanding Essentials - Essential sanding products for Woodturners & Woodworkers.
● Woodturning Blanks - A fine range of Hardwood Spindle Blanks & a few Bowl Blanks too!
● Woodturning Pen Blanks - A huge assortment of Acrylic & Irish Hardwood Pen Blanks.
● Crafter's Haven – A vast range of craft supplies for crafters and gift givers!
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