Fundamentals of Woodturning (Darlow's Woodturning series)

Mike Darlow is an internationally known expert on woodturning, the art and craft of using a lathe to shape raw wood into special boxes, bowls, hat stands, balusters, toys, table legs, and many other useful and beautiful objects. Offered in this complete guide to woodturning are all the latest tools and techniques, safety guidelines, and many professional tips and secrets that can help a beginner learn to create his or her own finished wood projects. Darlow nicely begins the book with the chapter, "Is Woodturning for Me?" He then proceeds to discuss the history of woodturning, and includes personal portraits of well-known, contemporary woodturners, after which he launches right into "How to Start." Darlow offers the reader techniques on how to design and plan great-looking projects, ways to dramatically improve your skills on the lathe, what kinds of tools and equipment you will need for any woodturning endeavor, and even how to turn out exactly identical parts, balusters, and tableware. This book is generously illustrated throughout with hundreds of step-by-step drawings and photographs that allow the reader to see how things look along the way, from raw wood to finished product. --Mark A. Hetts