Woodturning Safety

AAW strongly recommends wearing a full face shield whenever the lathe is turned on. If you remember one thing from this page, that's the one.

Using a lathe safely and effectively takes knowledge and good habits. Read, thoroughly understand, and follow the warning labels on your lathe and the warnings in its owner/operator’s manual. Learn safe procedures from an experienced instructor, a video, or a book. The rules below are the ones that matter most. Please work safely.

The rules that matter most

• Wear a full face shield whenever the lathe is on.
• Tie back long hair. Don’t wear gloves, loose clothing, or jewelry.
• Check the lathe speed before you switch it on. Start slow and speed up only once the piece is balanced.
• Step out of the “red zone” when you switch on the lathe. That’s the area in line with the spinning wood, where a piece goes if it flies off.
• Rest the tool on the tool rest before it touches the wood.
• Never walk away from a running lathe. Wait until it has fully stopped.

Choose a topic

• Lathe safety basics. Protective gear, setting up, turning, and your shop.
• Teaching safely. Running a class, and making toys that are safe for children.
• Wood dust and toxicity. Protecting your lungs and skin, and what to do if you react.
• Fractal burning. Why AAW says never do it.

Safety books

Safety Guidebook for Woodturners. A free booklet on safe practices at the lathe. Download PDF

Safety for Woodturners. AAW’s printed safety book. Members can download it free. Download for members. Buy the printed book.

In a turner’s own words

“Safety Matters: From the Eye of a Survivor,” by Lynne Yamaguchi, American Woodturner, June 2014. Download PDF