# Turning spirals?



## pgcales (Dec 3, 2009)

I've been curious for awhile now about whether or not there is any technique someone could share about turning spirals on a plain old spindle lathe. I'm aware that there are special tools that you can buy, but I'm more interested in whether its possible without any special tools - just a traditional set of knives. I tried to mount a turning block at an odd angle once, but that didn't work how I thought it might. Any suggestions?


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## dwinkel (Apr 10, 2009)

I saw this video on fine woodworking about turning barley-twist candlesticks:

http://www.finewoodworking.com/SkillsAndTechniques/SkillsAndTechniquesArticle.aspx?id=30194

It is all done manually with regular carving tools. I think you could probably adapt it for whatever type of spiral you are looking for.


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## whit (Jul 6, 2007)

Sorby makes one (http://www.robert-sorby.co.uk/spiral_texture.htm). It works pretty well but it requires a comparatively hard but not brittle wood. Soft woods don't take the cut too well and the brittle woods fracture . . . at least in my experience. I'm not a professional and I don't play one on television.

If you're looking to make larger spirals, there's a lot of hand work involved from what I've seen . . . or comparatively expensive tooling (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEub-wIIuqo). Wood Magazine (I think) had a plan for the hand-cut version in a prior edition. I'll see if I can find it.

Whit


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## whit (Jul 6, 2007)

PG, This is the one I had in mind when you mentioned turned spirals. This came up 2 or 3 pages into a "turned spiral candlesticks" (or something like that) on Google.

http://home.att.net/~waterfront-woods/Articles/SpiralCandle.pdf

Whit


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## pgcales (Dec 3, 2009)

Thanks guys. Those are great resources and exactly what I was looking for. I think doing it manually will be pretty fun, and a good chance to sharpen my use of hand tools.


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## jockmike2 (Oct 10, 2006)

Charlie Neil also does a tutorial on youtube that is excellent for making spirals. Makes it look easy.


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## lcurrent (Dec 15, 2007)

Try to find an old sprialcrafter that sears sold a few years back I have one that works great


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## interpim (Dec 6, 2008)

http://www.pbs.org/woodwrightsshop/schedule/26season_video.html

episode 2602 or 2603 Roy Underwood shows how he does a spiral


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## jeffthewoodwacker (Dec 26, 2007)

You could also invest in a Rose Engine ornamental machine.


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