Welcome to the Woodworkers Institute Newsletter!
Each week we bring you a round-up of interesting and entertaining woodworking content from the Woodworkers Institute and the web, including handy tips to help you get stuck into your next woodworking project.
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Ambitious Woodturning: Pushing the Limits
Ever had that moment when woodturning and you think I’m going to attempt something completely different. Many have!
Woodturning is often associated with small, and sometimes delicate objects — bowls, spindles, and vessels — but some turners pursue technically daring projects that can stretch the limits of their skills and tools. One standout example is the attempt to turn the world’s largest wooden bowl — over 12 feet in diameter — by a team including artist Ron Fleming. This required a custom-built industrial lathe, engineered to handle the multi-ton weight and vibration. Equally ambitious, but smaller in scale, are thin-wall turnings, where vessels are crafted with walls under 1mm thick. Working with wet wood, turners like Graeme Priddle and John Jordan craft these incredible forms with an eye for the smallest detail and a dab tool hand.
Then there’s segmented turning, where hundreds or thousands of small wooden pieces are glued into patterns before turning. Artists like Malcolm Tibbetts have created pieces over six feet tall, with tens of thousands of segments, each requiring meticulous planning and precise cutting and fitting. For those chasing the abstract, multi-axis and eccentric turning produces twisted, asymmetric forms. French turner Jean-François Escoulen is renowned for these mind-bending pieces, turned on multiple axes. Historically, large-scale turning was also industrial. In the 19th century, massive lathes turned ship masts and columns — a precursor to today’s CNC machines, which automate complex turning at scale.
So there you have it. If you fancy trying something out of the ordinary, there is plenty of inspiration out there. Just be sure to remain within the limits of what is comfortable and safe for you and your equipment.
On the WWI this week: Zoë Gertner carves an intricate hen in a basket
Videos of the Week
Woodworkers Institute Articles of the Week
Red Cedar Bowl. Mike Stafford’s guide to turning a bowl that’s neither round nor square offers a unique twist on traditional woodturning. Learn how to shape, hollow, and finish this one-of-a-kind creation with expert tips, safety advice, and step-by-step instructions.
