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How-to Bandsaws Lathes

Make a Wooden Spatula

By George Vondriska on March, 3 2021

Here’s a great gift you can make on your lathe. The handle of this spatula is turned, and the end is shaped using the bandsaw and sanding. Make more than one, everyone you know will want a spatula. Check out this video for full how-to for this project.

 

Hard Maple Wood Surfaced On Laguna Planer

Hard maple is a great choice for this project. The board should be 3/4" x 4” x 14”.

 

Forming handle lines on the center of the wood

Mark two lines down the center of the board. The space between the lines should equal the thickness of the material. This will be the handle.

 

Drawing horizontal line to form the broad area of spatula

Mark a line 4” from the end of the board to define the broad part of the spatula. Use a roll of masking tape, or something similar, to trace a radius between the handle and the business end of the spatula.

 

Using a round shape you can trace a curved line to shape the spatula

With the layout complete cut the handle and curves using a bandsaw. A 1/4" 4-TPI blade is a great choice for these cuts.

 

Handle relief cuts

Fine the center of the handle, do relief cuts and drive your spur center into it.

 

Marking the center of the spatula head preparing for lathe work

Find the center of the opposite end.

 

Using a roughing gouge on a Revo lathe shape handle

Rough the handle round using a roughing gouge or spindle gouge. Lathe work is only done on the handle, not on the end of the spatula.

 

Using a skew design the handle

Add shape to the handle using a skew.

 

Smooth out handle and take off Revo lathe

Sand the handle smooth. Remove the spatula from the lathe.

 

Marking side of spatula

Mark a line 1/8” from the corner.

 

Drawing inner part of the wooden spoon

Draw a line from the 1/8” mark to the top corner.

 

Forming interior of the spatula with a Laguna bandsaw

Cut the angle using a bandsaw.

 

Draw a line over face to finish

Mark a 10-degree line across the face of the spatula using a sliding T bevel, and cut the line on your bandsaw.

 

Complete sanding the woodworking project

Sand everything smooth.

 

Sand the edges giving spatula roundover

Sand a roundover onto the point of the spatula. Seal the spatula with mineral oil, and it’s ready to go to work!

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