PHYS 18
Wood and Woodturning Winter 2024

Woodturning–the use of a lathe to sculpt cylindrically symmetric objects from wood–dates to antiquity, with turned objects appearing in furniture, architecture, and art through the ages. This course will introduce the basic concepts of woodturning, including lathe and tool safety, tool selection, and techniques for shaping both side grain and end grain. We will use gouges, chisels, and scrapers to turn a variety of projects like finger tops, carving mallets, bowls, pens, etc. from several different species of wood. Along the way we will also discuss topics related to woodworking such as forestry, invasive species, & the environment, metallurgy, sharpness and sharpening, and moisture and wood movement. We will meet for approximately 12 hours weekly for demonstrations and individual work on projects, with some additional reading required outside of class time. No previous experience is required; however, students with patience, good motor skills, and some imagination will find the course most rewarding. This course is open to both artistically and scientifically minded students.