What is turning?

	Turning is a technique used to shape, finish and polish cylindrical objects such as table or chair legs.
	A lathe is a forming machine that rotates a piece of material around to provide consistent cutting around its circumference.
	This process produces a more precise and finer cut than using a woodturning chisel, which cuts deeper and is more effective as a shaping tool.
	Special files called long turning files are designed for use in this process, although milling files can be used as both types of files are flat and single. For more information about these file types, see: What is a mill file?и What is a long angle lathe file?
How to saw on a lathe
	Step 1 - Prepare the workpiece Securely clamp the workpiece to the lathe and turn it on. The material should rotate towards you.
	If the lathe is not turning fast enough, you may end up with an uneven shape (called "out of round").
	If this happens too quickly, the teeth of the file may slide over the workpiece, damaging it and possibly breaking the file.
	Setting the lathe to rotate around 600 rpm should be correct.
	Step 2 Grasp the file securely with both hands. Hold the handle of the file in your dominant hand with your thumb on the top of the handle pointing towards the point. Hold the point with your non-dominant hand between your thumb and forefinger.
	Step 3 - Check Your Positioning Keep an eye on which of your elbows is closest to the lathe chuck (the part that grabs the material and does the actual rotation).
	If possible, it is recommended to work with the left hand so that the elbows do not interfere.
	Hitting it with your elbow can be very painful, and it can also lead to a huge filing error that can ruin your work!
	Step 4 - Turning Saw the workpiece in short forward motions until it has the smooth surface you are looking for. Just as you did with cross filing, move the file slightly to the right as you move it forward, making sure the file's point is always angled straight away from you.
	Pressing too hard on the lathe can break the teeth of the file and cause you to lose control of the file, which could damage the workpiece or yourself! With turning grinding, you can apply slightly less force than with grinding or cross grinding.