Wood turning equipment can be hazardous, so before you begin your wood turning project, take note of the precautions set out in the safety manual that came with the machine. First, never wear loose clothing, long hair or any other accessory that might get caught in the machinery, but do wear safety glasses at all times. Also ensure that all of the wood turning machinery's guards are in place and that the chuck keys and tommy bars are removed before you begin. When you first start the machine, start it at its lowest speed and stand to one side so that you won't be hit by anything that might fly off it.
The speed at which your wood turning machine rotates should be adjusted to suit the size, balance, length and condition of the piece of wood you are turning. The speed specifications for each wood turner are different, but generally the larger the diameter of your piece of wood, the slower the wood turner should be. If you need to even out the piece of wood so that it is symmetrical on each side, turn it a low speed to begin and then turn it quicker as it becomes more even.
Before you begin using a wood turning tool like a chisel, make sure it is firmly resting on the tool rest and that it remains there throughout the process. When you're using your tool, ensure that its bevel is in contact with the piece of wood at all times to give the cutting edge support and to control the depth of your cut. Your tool should also be in line with the point of contact on the piece of wood and the tool rest. This will prevent the turning motion of the machine from twisting or moving the tool out of place.
When you're cutting the piece of wood with your tools, always cut with the grain and from the largest diameter to the smallest diameter. If you have to use scraping tools on a job such as a bowl, cut from below the centerline of the piece when you're working on the outside and cut from above the centerline when you're working on the inside. If you have to remove waste from a piece of wood, begin by cutting away the waste from where it is most concentrated.