Wood File Handle

• A wooden file handle is a good option for the beginner lathe user. This is a practical and simple project that can be used for many years. There are very little intricate designs in this tool and it can be tweaked to fit beginner and advanced students. Adding design elements to this projects can make it more difficult for advanced users.
  
  

Baseball Bat

• The sports enthusiast will love the project idea of creating his very own wooden baseball bat. This project will require some skill and mathematics to determine the difference of the circumference throughout the bat. Have students plan this project out on paper first to calculate the dimensions that they need to achieve. After the shape of the bat is complete, students will want to sand it and can then apply a stain of their choice.
  
  

Cooking-Tool Handle

• This project is very similar to the file handle. However, it can appeal to students who wish to complete a lathe project for use in the kitchen. Like the file project, a cooking-tool handle can be suited to the different skill levels that the students possess. After they have completed the outside of the project, they will have to drill a hole in the top roughly three inches long to secure the utensil. Have students firmly secure the handle in a vice grip before drilling.
  
  

Salad Bowl

• Students can make a wooden salad bowl that can be enjoyed for years to come. To design the bowl, students will glue strips of wood together and allow them to dry for one to two days before placing on the lathe. They will then shape the outside of the bowl, then the inside of it. Sanding the rough edges will be necessary for this project as well. The final step of the salad bowl it to apply a sealer that is safe for food.