Introduction
Here’s how to make a disc swing in two different ways. An elaborate version using a woodturning lathe and a simpler version using a router.
Tools Required
- 5/8″ Forstner bit
- acid free permanent markers
- angled skew
- chuck with cole jaws
- Four jaw chuck
- Jacob’s chuck
- Miter saw
- Paint brush
- parting tool
- spindle gouge
- spur drive
- tail stock drive
- Wire
- wood mallet
- Woodturning lathe
Materials Required
- 2” X 13” X 13” slab of Maple wood
- Assortment of sandpaper grits
- Clean cotton rags
- Exterior grade Spar varnish
- Gulf or candle wax
- Paper towels
- Walnut oil
Building a disc swing using a woodturning lathe is probably one of my favorite projects. Truth be told, anything made on a lathe will be among my favorites because it is my all-time favorite tool! Once you know the woodturning basics, making a disc swing on a lathe is woodturning 101.
A woodturning lathe is statistically the last tool a carpenter sets out to use. It does have a steep learning curve, and the initial investment to get started can be pricey. However, there are ways to get your hands on a lathe without purchasing one. Some woodworking stores give lessons and have open studio time, and many woodturning clubs have lathes available to their members. I promise: once you try woodturning, you’ll want to do more.
Here I share the steps to making a disc swing on a lathe, a very easy woodturning project once you have mastered the basics. Alternatively, you may choose to use a router to construct the swing, which I also discuss below.