Are Wood Lathes Dangerous?

Woodworking or wood spinning is a relaxing, rewarding hobby. However, some people are hesitant to try it because of equipment concerns. The lathe, in particular, makes people nervous. It’s one of the most popular tools used in wood spinning, but is it dangerous to use?

Wood lathes can be dangerous if misused, just like any shop equipment. Common lathe injuries include:

Fingers or clothing becoming caught or pinched.

Airborne wood chips.
Even too much dust in the air.

Even so, wood lathes are less dangerous than their metal counterparts.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the most common dangers associated with using wood lathes. We’ll also discuss some of the things you can do to minimize your risk of injury and keep yourself and others safe while working with this tool.

Table of Contents

The Most Common Risks Associated With Wood Lathes

Wood lathes can be dangerous if not used properly. Below, you’ll find common types of risks and injuries and how to minimize them for your safety.

Fingers, Jewelry & Clothing Caught in Moving Parts

There are two main reasons fingers, and other items become caught in wood lathes. The first is due to the high-speed rotation common in the gear. Lathes contain several rotating parts, including the tailpiece, the spindle, and the primary workpiece. These pieces can catch hanging jewelry, loose clothing, and even hands if you aren’t careful.

There are also numerous spots on the lathe known as ‘pinch points.’ Many of these coincide with the rotating parts of the lathe. Others include the lathe bed and the tool rest. If the name wasn’t enough to give it away, pinch points are places where skin can become pinched, resulting in painful injuries.

Of the two types of lathes, hand-fed and automatic, hand-fed lathes are much more likely to cause these types of injuries.

Hand-Fed Lathes

When using a hand-fed lathe, a person physically handles specific tools to grind, cut, and etch the spinning wood. Because of this, the person’s hands are frequently very close to the spinning piece of wood, much closer to the rotating mechanisms of the lathe than users of automatic lathes. That’s why getting things caught or pinched is much more likely in hand-fed lathes.

Automatic Lathes

If you’re using an automatic lathe, you significantly reduce the risk of catching your clothes, jewelry, or hands in the rotating mechanisms or any of the other pinch points. That’s because the grinding, cutting, and etching of the wood are all done automatically by a separate part of the machine. The only way to suffer these kinds of injuries on an automatic lathe is if you’re trying to adjust or clean it before it’s completely stopped moving.

Unless you’re working in a large-scale factory that mass-produces goods, it’s much more likely you’ll be working with a hand-fed lathe.

Minimizing the Risk of Caught Jewelry, Clothing, & Skin

First, be mindful of what you’re wearing while working with a lathe. Don’t wear dangly jewelry or loose, flowing clothing around it. Fitted, tight sleeves work best, and it’s always a good idea to leave any jewelry at home when working in the shop anyway.

Furthermore, be careful not to get your hands too close to any pinch points or rotating parts on the lathe. If you need to clean or adjust something, turn off the machine and allow it to stop moving completely before you reach to touch anything.

Getting Hit With Flying Wood Chips

Although this video by Brian Procter shows him using a homemade lathe, it’s also one of the best videos showcasing how many chips can fly off wood being cut on a lathe.

Most of the chips are small and thin. However, occasionally larger chunks and sharp splinters will fly off the wood, especially if you make a mistake and gouge the wood too deeply. Unsurprisingly, most of these injuries will hit the hands, but other exposed skin areas could also be at risk.

Minimizing the Risk of Flying Wood Chips

As you can see from the video, Procter is wearing thick gloves to protect his hands from the flying wood chips. Wearing gloves is a good idea when working with a lathe, but try to find gloves that don’t limit your dexterity or hinder your grip. Keeping your hands steady and away from the spinning wood is also essential, so don’t sacrifice one safety measure for another. If your gloves are bulky or make it hard to grip the tool, find different gloves.

Wearing long pants, shoes that completely cover your feet, tight sleeves covering as much of your arms as possible, and safety goggles can help prevent injuries to other parts of your body.

Issues From Airborne Particles & Dust

Whether you’re using a wood or metal lathe, both machines work by using high speeds and friction to grind down and shape materials. A natural by-product of this type of work is lots of dust, splinters, and other small — nearly microscopic — airborne particles flying around in the air.

Not surprisingly, this can be hazardous to your health. First of all, breathing in all of that dust and those particles isn’t great for your lungs, especially if you’re asthmatic or have a diminished lung capacity.

Additionally, there’s also a risk to your eyes. Splinters, especially, can be very dangerous if they hit you in the eye. Luckily, you can guard against both of these dangers and minimize the risks with just a few precautions.

Minimizing the Risk of Airborne Particles & Dust

For the breathing issues, professional woodworker Terry Vaughan recommends a combination of breathing masks, dust extractors, fans, and air cleaners. Living through the COVID-19 pandemic has gotten us all a little more familiar with wearing the breathing masks, so those shouldn’t be as much of an inconvenience as they once were.

Strategically placed fans can help blow the dust out of your shop, and air cleaners can have a limited effect. Vaughan insists, though, that the dust extractors are the most important devices you can use. They actively catch dust before it begins to circulate, making these excellent machines to have in your shop.

To protect your eyes, you can buy a relatively inexpensive pair of safety goggles like these Dewalt Anti-fog Goggles. They’re comfortable, well-made, and fit easily over your prescription glasses if you wear them.

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This phenomenal video from woodturner Mike Waldt covers all the basic safety gear you should have while using a wood lathe.

Severe Injuries from Kickbacks

The most severe potential injury when working with a lathe is a kickback. Fortunately, kickbacks are also extremely rare. A kickback occurs when the piece of wood shoots violently off the lathe, usually flying towards you, the user. Depending on the size of the wood and where it hits a person, kickbacks can be fatal.

Minimizing the Risk of Kickback Injuries

Kickbacks on wood lathes are rare. However, you can minimize your risk by ensuring you’ve placed the wood firmly onto the spindle and locked everything tightly in place. Always double-check the placement of everything before you start working.

Final Thoughts

Any high-powered machine in a shop can be dangerous. Wood lathes are no more hazardous than hand drills, nail guns, and grinders, and they’re a bit less so than other equipment such as metal lathes, powered saws, and angle grinders. If you want to reduce your risk of injury, familiarize yourself with the lathe and its operating instructions before using it, and be sure to follow all safety precautions while using it.

Are Wood Lathes Dangerous?

The Most Common Risks Associated With Wood Lathes