Personal Safety

• Hard hat with face shield and hearing protectionsafety helmet image by Alison Bowden from Fotolia.com
  
  Use eye protection. A full face shield is best. Safety goggles or safety glasses with side shields are good but they don't protect your face from a flying tool.
  
  Don't wear long sleeves, gloves, watches, rings or other things that could get caught in the spinning lathe. Tie back long hair.
  
  Wear hearing protection.
  
  Use a dust mask or respirator. Wood dust is hazardous to your lungs. Use a dust collection system if you use the lathe often.
  
  

The Lathe

• Headstock of a lathe with a silver chuck for holding the workpiece.lathe image by Tomasz Plawski from Fotolia.com
  
  Read and follow the lathe's owner's manual for proper operation.
  
  Look for damaged parts, alignment problems, and tool rest alignment before starting the lathe. Turn the workpiece by hand to ensure that it doesn't hit the tool rest or the bed of the lathe.
  
  Make sure belt guards are in place. They cover the belts that run from the motor to the spinning lathe.
  
  Guard against electric shock. Check switches for damage and cords for fraying. Avoid the use of extension cords.
  
  

Lathe Tools

• Various grits of stones used to sharpen tools.oil and grindstone image by Aleksandr Ugorenkov from Fotolia.com
  
  Use approved tools for your lathe. Keep tools sharp. Use them only as intended to be used. Dull tools cause you to use too much force, breaking the tool or losing control.
  
  

Workpiece

• Don't use wood with splits and cracks.wood image by Amjad Shihab from Fotolia.com
  
  Check the wood for defects, cracking, splits or knots. Shape the wood to rough dimensions with a saw prior to mounting on the lathe.
  
  Double check that the workpiece is firmly clamped in the chuck or between centers. Remove the chuck key before starting the lathe. It will become a flying projectile.
  
  

Lathe Operation

• Wood lathe in operationWoodman at work image by CJD from Fotolia.com
  
  Start at low speed following owner's manual recommendations. The workpiece should spin smoothly without vibration.
  
  Turn off the lathe immediately if the workpiece begins to vibrate. Check that the workpiece is centered and all clamps are tight.
  
  Remove wood in small increments. Adjust the tool rest position as the diameter of the piece decreases. Always turn off the lathe before adjusting the tool rest.
  
  Maintain good balance and proper footing. Don't over-reach while using the lathe.