Turning a Spinning Top Toy on the Woodturning Lathe
- David Condon
- Feb 13, 2023
- 9 min read
Videos Below.
One of the most valuable lessons I ever learned as a novice 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.
Quick Answer: Is a Spinning Top a Good Woodturning Project?
A spinning top is an excellent small woodturning project because it teaches spindle turning, bevel-supported cuts, shaping and balance while using very little timber.
It is also an honest test of your technique. An off-centre point, uneven body or poorly controlled cut will immediately affect how the finished top spins.
In my professional opinion, it is one of the best projects for a novice woodturner to cut their teeth on. Although it looks simple, it tests a wide range of skills that will prove valuable in many future turning projects, without wasting vast quantities of precious wood.
My Own 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.
Selecting a Blank for a Wooden Spinning Top
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.
What Wood Is Best for Making Spinning Tops?
I have used several different hardwoods for my spinning tops, including oak, ash and beech. All three are easy to turn and capable of producing a good spinning top, provided the wood is dry, sound and free from cracks.
My own preference is ash because it is quite stable, turns cleanly and is hard enough to withstand a fair amount of battering once the top is being used.
Beech is another good option because of its close, even grain, while oak can produce a very attractive top with plenty of character. I also enjoy turning oak simply because I love the smell of the wood in the workshop.
Whichever species you choose, straight and reasonably even grain will make the top easier to shape and balance. The finished design and a properly centred point are ultimately more important than the wood species itself.
If you would like to practise turning your own spinning tops at home, I stock a range of 2 × 2 hardwood blanks on my Woodturning Blanks page.
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.
What tools do you need to turn a Spinning Top?
You do not need a large collection of tools and accessories to make a wooden spinning top. These are the bits & pieces I generally use:
Spindle roughing gouge
Spindle gouge
Parting tool for depth kerf
Skew chisel for parting off
Chuck and suitable jaws
Abrasives
Dye and finish or permanent markers
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.
The older video below has been sped up slightly. This is how I used to make spinning tops when I first began producing them for shops, although I have since changed the design to the coloured versions shown above.
Troubleshooting Your First Wooden Spinning Top
Why Does a Spinning Top Wobble?
A wooden spinning top normally wobbles because the point is not perfectly centred, the body is uneven or too much material has been removed from one side. Uneven colouring, decoration or poor parting-off can also affect the balance.
A blunt or overly rounded point creates additional friction and can shorten the spin, while poor sanding or excessive sanding may soften the shape and make the top less stable.
The point, body and handle all need to remain centred around the same axis. On a project this small, even a slight imbalance becomes noticeable as soon as the top begins to spin.
How Long Should a Handmade Spinning Top Spin?
I do not judge a handmade spinning top by a fixed number of seconds. I look for a clean start, minimal wobble and a stable spin that gradually slows rather than immediately falling to one side.
A well-balanced top should be capable of spinning for a minute or more, provided it is launched cleanly, the piece is properly balanced and it is used on a smooth surface with low friction.
The exact spinning time will vary depending on the size and shape of the top, the wood used, the sharpness of the point, the surface beneath it and, of course, the person spinning it.
What Finish Is Safe for a Wooden Spinning Top?
I use Hampshire Sheen Danish Oil because it penetrates into the wood and produces a natural, tactile finish that is comfortable to hold and easy to grip. The product is certified as food-safe and toy-safe when used according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Whatever finish you choose, always check that it is suitable for use on wooden toys and allow it to dry and cure fully before the spinning top is handled.
Any colours or dyes added to the top may also need additional drying time before the finish is applied. Applying oil too soon can cause the colour to streak or spread into areas where it was not intended.
Spinning tops are small objects and are not suitable for very young children, as they may present a choking risk. Children should always use them with appropriate adult supervision.
My Current Spinning Top Design
My spinning top design has changed quite a bit since the earlier version shown in the older video above.
The current tops have a cleaner, more defined shape, with coloured bands that give each one its own character while still allowing the natural grain of the wood to show through.
Although appearance matters, every top still has to pass the same basic test: it must be properly balanced, sit cleanly on its point and spin smoothly without excessive wobble.
I currently make three different spinning top designs. You can see the full range on my Wooden Toys & Gifts for Children page.
The Final Result Is More Than a Practice Piece
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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