13 Wood Lathe Project Ideas for Beginners: As Easy as It Gets Done

Practice makes a man perfect.

It’s certainly true, but especially when it comes to woodturning.

If you are serious about woodturning and want to improve your skills, then it’s imperative that you start practicing at once.

But don’t take complex projects at the beginning.

You’ll most likely fail.

Rather start with simple and EASY projects, you’ll improve with time and practice.

To help you get started, we have jotted down some of the easiest projects for beginners to start their woodturning career with.

Wooden Bowl

Turning wooden bowl is perhaps the most typical project to start on.

You will need to get a square or rectangular piece of wood which has been specifically designed for lathes.

Wooden Bowl

Don’t worry; you can make an elegant bowl out of this even if you are just a novice.

What makes this project so amazing is that its asymmetry can be exotic and even mistakes can be transformed into something decorative.

Handles of Kitchen Tools

Another AMAZING basic project for novices is to start with the wooden handle of kitchen utensils.

Handles of Kitchen Tools

See Also: List of Woodworking Tools and Their Usage

You can employ any sort of wood you deem suitable for the task.

The handles need not be precise or perfect to look good. Hence, a perfect project for beginners as it provides a lot of room for errors.

You can attach the handle to spatulas and then use it for household purposes regularly.

Mini Candle Stool

mini candle stool

Creating miniature candle stool would be a cool project for beginners.

This small but elegant tool is usually made from maple and walnuts.

Apart from using it from candles, you can turn it into a plant stand.

Nevertheless, with an exquisite tool such as this, you can get very creative.

Tea Light Holder

As a beginner, you should always start with small projects that require a small wood piece.

Tea Light Holder

See Also: Wood Lathe Accessories: A Complete List for Newbies

This way the damage will be minimized if a big problem occurs.

For instance, you can start with a tea light holder which is ideal for practicing small cuts. And, what’s more, you can make this with inexpensive wood blocks.

Wooden Rings

You can make simple and LOVELY wooden rings from small scraps of woods.

I’d recommend that you get walnut and hickory for the rings.

Wooden Rings

You should avoid soft wood as they might not be suitable for making wooden rings.

The biggest problem, however, is to get the sizes right. So, be extra cautious while measuring your fingers.

Square Serving Trays

Some people find it very difficult to make round edges in a wood lathe. As a result, they struggle to even complete the project.

Square Serving Trays

See Also: Used Wood Lathes: Should You Consider Buying?

If you suffer from the same issue, then you can begin with a rectangular or square tray.

It will allow you to get familiar with the lathe without creating any sweeping cut.

Rolling Pin

A rolling pin is like a 3-in-1 project. You can turn both the handles separately from the central piece.

Rolling Pin

Then glue all of them together for a pretty yet useful project.

Ring Minder

Ring minder

Ring minder holds your ring while you are taking a shower or washing your dishes.

This project is very easy and straightforward, so even beginners can pull this off with relative EASE.

On top of that, it requires a small amount of wood. So, you get to save a few bucks on wood.

Walnut base is ideal as wood for the ring finder.

Weed Pots

Weed Pots

These miniature vases give you a nice place to keep the weeds.

Weed pots are one of the most BASIC crafts for woodturners. These vases are made by drilling instead of being hollowed out.

They are incredibly easy to make and perfect for giving it to someone as a gift.

You can use different woods such as chestnut, walnut or ash to create one.

Wall Clock

Wall Clock

The wooden wall clock is a fantastic project for novices.

Just take a circular piece of wood from a tree trunk, and then start refining the edges. Afterward, smooth down the surface.

Voila! Your wooden wall clock is READY.

Chopsticks

Chopsticks

Fond of noodles?

Then wooden chopstick can be your ideal starting project. It will help you to gain an understanding of the spindle function of your wood lathe.

Moreover, you will need a small amount of wood to make chopsticks.

Needless to say that, the chopsticks will look great with a wooden bowl.

Lazy Susan

Lazy Susan

The production process of wooden lazy susan is pretty similar to the wooden wall clock.

Nevertheless, it will help you to refine your woodturning skills.

Wooden Faceplate

Wooden Faceplate

Yes, all the wood lathes come with a faceplate.

But it won’t hurt to have an extra disposable wooden faceplate.

It’s unique yet easy to create.

Thus, it could be an ideal starting project for prospective woodturners.

In Conclusion,

all the above-mentioned projects are simple and can be performed with basic wood turning skills.

So, which one did you like the most?

Let me know, which idea you have selected for your first project. Cheers!

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