How to Make a Wood Cylinder

Mark an "x" across each end of your wood blank. Do this by marking a straight line from one corner to the next, rotating the piece 90-degrees and drawing another line from one corner to the other. Where the lines intersect is the center of the end piece. Repeat this step on the opposite end of your blank.

Mount the blank between centers on your lathe, using the intersecting lines on the end as a guide to place the point of your drive spur in the headstock and the point of your live center in the tailstock. Turn the tailstock handle until the piece fits snugly and securely against the drive spur. Lock your tailstock in place. Rotate the piece manually to ensure it is secure.

Adjust your tool rest until the center is level with the center of your wood blank. Again, manually rotate your piece to ensure that it clears the tool-rest.

Turn your lathe on its slowest speed and watch for any imbalance in your piece. When satisfied, increase the speed of your lathe to approximately 500-700 rpms.

Place your roughing gouge on your tool rest pointing up at a 45-degree angle. Push the gouge into the spinning blank by slowly lifting the handle until the cutting edge produces smooth cuts. This is the proper tool position for roughing the blank.

Move the roughing gouge back and forth across the tool rest in a sweeping motion and adjust the handle upward forcing the blade into the wood as the square blank becomes more and more round. Stop the lathe periodically to check your work.

Continue roughing the blank until all of the flat surfaces have been cut away. Stop the lathe and switch to your skew chisel. Re-adjust your tool-rest, if required, until it is in the center of your blank.

Turn on your lathe and increase the speed to achieve your finishing cuts. Place the blade of the skew chisel against the spinning wood and slowly bring up the tip of the handle until the blade starts to shear the wood fibers.

Move the blade of the skew chisel back and forth across the surface of the wood refining the shape into a smooth cylinder that will become the starting point of your turning project;s design.