Woodturning Guides & Articles
Over the years I’ve built up a collection of articles covering tools, wood, techniques, safety, workshop setup, and the realities of running a woodturning business in Ireland.
As the blog has grown, finding specific topics can become less straightforward. This page brings everything together into one structured, easy-to-navigate guide.
These articles reflect my experience and approach at the lathe. They’re designed to build understanding, but they’re not a substitute for hands-on learning, that’s where practice and proper tuition come in.
If you’re looking to take things further, you can explore my Woodturning Hub for an overview of tuition, experiences, and other woodturning areas of the site.
Use the sections below to explore each topic in more detail.
🪵 Basics & Techniques
This is where the craft itself begins.
These articles focus on approach, tool control, sharpening, and the thinking behind good woodturning. From basic spindle work to more controlled cuts on the lathe, the goal is to build a solid foundation in technique rather than just following steps.
I don’t give away every nuance here, that belongs in the workshop, but these posts will help you understand what really matters when you’re standing at the lathe.
Featured articles:
● My Process: How I Approach Woodturning From Log to Finished Piece
● Sharpening a Spindle Roughing Gouge
● Spindle Turning vs Bowl Turning: What’s the Difference?
All Articles in Basics & Techniques
● What Speed Should a Woodturning Lathe Run?
🌱 Environmental & Sustainability
Woodturning begins long before the lathe spins. Responsible wood sourcing, drying, and long-term thinking all play a part in how a piece is made.
These articles look at where wood comes from, how it’s processed, and the impact that choices around materials and waste can have over time. It’s not about being perfect, but about understanding the material and making better decisions where you can.
Articles
● Turning Waste Wood Shavings into Briquettes
● Join the Fight to Restore Ireland’s Native Woodlands
● Why Aren’t We Planting More Trees in Ireland?
🧴 Finishes, Waxes & Dyes
This is where a piece really comes to life.
Finishing isn’t just about making wood look good, it’s about protecting it, enhancing the grain, and choosing the right approach for how the piece will be used. From simple oil finishes and waxes to colour work and surface preparation, these guides cover what I actually use in the workshop and why.
Start Here
● Adding Colour to Wood in Woodturning
All Articles in Finishes, Waxes & Dyes
● True Grit Now Available in Ireland
● Salad Bowl Finish, Protect and Care for your Wood Bowl!
🎁 Gifts & Handmade Pieces
Woodturning isn’t just technique, it’s about creating something useful, lasting, and personal.
These posts look at finished pieces, gift ideas, and how to choose the right item for your home, workshop, or as a handmade gift. From practical items to decorative pieces, the focus is on what makes something both functional and worth keeping.
Start Here
● Handmade Wooden Serving Pieces in Ireland
● Woodturning Gifts: What to Buy a Beginner
● Unique Father’s Day Gift Idea: Woodturning Tuition in Kerry
🌳 Timber, Trees & Wood Sourcing
Wood behaves the way it behaves whether we like it or not.
Understanding moisture content, movement, drying, and wood sourcing is one of the biggest differences between frustration and success. If you’ve ever had bowls crack or warp unexpectedly, this section is essential reading.
These articles look at working with green wood, drying timber properly, and recognising how different species behave, so you can avoid common mistakes and get more predictable results at the lathe.
Start Here
● How to Process Logs for Woodturning
● Wood Moisture & Why Bowls Crack as They Dry
● Make Your Own DIY Wood Drying Kiln
All Articles in Timber & Sourcing
● How to Tell If Wood Is Dry Enough for Turning
● Drying Spindle Blanks on a Budget (Shed Setup & Airflow Tips)
● Can You Really Dry Hardwood Fast? Here’s the Truth
● Finding Wood on Holidays – A Practical Guide
● Woodturning Blanks – A Starter’s Guide
🔧 Tools & Equipment
It’s easy to believe better tools make better work. Experience says otherwise.
These posts focus on choosing the right woodturning tools, understanding how they’re used at the lathe, and knowing where to spend money and where not to. They cover what’s genuinely worth investing in, how to avoid expensive mistakes, and how to set up a workshop that works for you, not against you.
Start Here
● 3 Essential Spindle Turning Tools for Beginners (Minimal Setup Guide)
● The 3 Bowl Gouges I Recommend to My New Students (And Why)
● Buying Your First Woodturning Lathe
All Articles in Tools & Equipment
● Spindle Roughing Gouge Sizes Explained – Which One Should You Use First?
● Essential Tools & Finishes for a Woodturner’s Workshop
● Vicmarc VL300, An Honest Review
● How I Use the Ruth Niles Bottlestopper Mandrel System in the Workshop
● What is the Best Sandpaper for Woodturning?
● Woodturning Chisel Sets – Are They Worth Buying?
● Setting Up a Simple Cutting Bench for Woodturning Blanks
● Why More Tools Didn’t Make Me a Better Woodturner
● Chestnut Buffing Tree vs Beall Buffing System
🎓 Tuition & Learning
Teaching has sharpened my own skills as much as turning has.
These articles explore learning curves, common misconceptions, and what beginners often misunderstand before stepping into the workshop. They look at how woodturning is actually learned, through practice, guidance, and repetition, rather than quick shortcuts.
If you’re considering a lesson, this section will help you decide whether woodturning tuition or hands-on experience is the right next step for you.
Start Here
● So You Want to Be a Woodturner?
● Why Do Most New Woodturners Fail?
● Your First Woodturning Tuition Class – What to Expect
All Articles in Tuition & Learning
● Who Should You Learn Woodturning From in Ireland? A Beginner’s Guide to Classes & Tuition
● New Woodturning Skills Clinics Now Available in Tralee, Co Kerry
● Will Woodturning Tuition Benefit Me?
● Is Woodturning a Good Hobby?
● What is the Right Age for a Child to Start Woodturning?
● Woodturning in Your Retirement in Ireland
● Discover Woodturning in Ireland: Then, Now & How to Get Started
● Why Woodturning Is More Than Just Making Things
● Woodturning, “I Don’t Need a Lesson”
● Woodturning Blanks – A Starter’s Guide
🏗 Workshop Setup & Business
Running a workshop isn’t just about making shavings.
It’s about organisation, workflow, systems, mindset, pricing, and sometimes hard lessons. These posts look at the practical side of setting up a woodturning workshop, along with the realities of running a small craft business, from day-to-day efficiency to longer-term decisions.
Start Here
● When Making What Sells Stops Working
● 8 Things New Woodturners Forget When Setting Up Space
All Articles in Workshop & Business
● Another Year in the Workshop – What 2025 Taught Me
● What I Pay Attention to at the Start of a New Year
● The Most Important Tool in Your Workshop: The Humble Push Stick
● Why Are Craft Products So Expensive?
● A Side Effect of Importing Cheap Goods
🛡 Woodturning Safety & Dust Control
Woodturning is deeply rewarding, but it demands respect.
Dust, sharp tools, spinning timber, and complacency can all cause serious problems. These articles cover the hazards many beginners underestimate, along with practical ways to manage dust, improve workshop safety, and develop good habits at the lathe.
Start Here
● Is Wood Dust Dangerous? What Every Beginner Should Know
● From Dust to Disaster: Common Workshop Hazards and How to Prevent Them
All Articles in Safety
● Woodturning Dust Control That Actually Works (My Workshop Setup)
● When Not to Use a Woodturning Tool
● Woodturning as You Get Older: The Part Nobody Talks About
Where to Start?
If you’re new, begin with:
● So You Want to Be a Woodturner?
● How to Process Logs for Woodturning
● Buying Your First Woodturning Lathe
Those three will give you a solid foundation before you go any further. 👉 Back to Top ↑
If you’re already turning and want to refine your thinking, head to the Basics & Techniques section.
If you’re interested in learning woodturning, you may also want to visit my Woodturning Tuition page, where I outline the different lessons and hands-on experiences available in my workshop.
I’ve also introduced a series of short Woodturning Skills Clinics, which focus on common questions and practical techniques that help turners improve their confidence and control at the lathe.
Over time, working in wood has given me a very different perspective on pricing, materials, and the impact of cheaper imported goods on small makers. If you’ve ever wondered why handmade pieces cost what they do, or why quality can vary so much, I’ve covered that from my own experience in posts about why craft products can seem expensive and the knock-on effects of cheaper imported goods.
Woodturning is addictive.
The more you understand the material, the tools, and your own habits at the lathe, the more rewarding it becomes.
This page will continue to grow as I publish new guides and articles. If you want a structured overview of everything I write, this is the place to return to.
More Pages to Explore
● Household & Homeware – Useful Irish hardwood homeware pieces made for everyday living.
● Irish Wood Pens – Premium Irish wood pens, individually hand-turned for smooth everyday writing.
● Gifts for Kids – Simple, safe and fun wooden gifts made for little hands.
● Ring Holders – Handcrafted Irish wood ring holders, elegant stands for everyday jewellery.
● Tools & Finishes Hub – Equipment, consumables, finishes, practical know-how.
● Woodcraft Hub – Explore my range of handcrafted Irish hardwood gifts, homeware and everyday wooden pieces.
● Woodturning Hub – Articles, guides and insights on woodturning, tools, techniques and learning.
● Crafter’s Haven – Explore craft supplies I also stock, including ribbon, bags, bows and embellishments.
Thank you for visiting, and please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like any guidance in choosing the perfect gift or piece for your home!