Project Tutorials

Crochet Hook

I start all my small turnings in a 4 jaw scroll chuck so I have positive drive and support without excess pressure from the tailstock that can cause the shaft to bow and whip while turning. This also self centers the headstock end of the blank.

I do not use the point in my tailstock center and since I cut my blanks about 1/2" square centering is easy with the 7/16" cup of the center. I also do not want a point sticking into the wood that may tend to split a small spindle.

Once the blank is round, I set the caliper to 3/8", which is the finished diameter of the decorative area of the crochet hook. I leave the entire blank this diameter in case I mess up the first time on the beads I can always turn them on the other end and haven't wasted a blank, unless I slip on both ends.

Lay out the v-cuts with a storyboard. A storyboard is just a flat piece of wood used to keep a record of the main diameters and length of a spindle and marks at the transition points like the sides of beads or fillets. I use my skew to cut a small V groove in the storyboard for the pencil to sit in. With a storyboard, every hook has the same reference. Repeating a design for matched sets is easy this way.

Make the V cuts between the beads and other elements that require them. Keep your pattern close for reference to make sure you are cutting the right shapes where you want them. If it has been a while since you turned a certain pattern or you are just starting to turn a design, it is easy to turn the wrong shape with only V grooves as guides.

Shapes the beads with the skew or a gouge. I already have the skew in my hand so I use it but a gouge works just as well.

This is a view of the bead’s surface cut with the skew. Cut the grain as clean as possible to minimize sanding later.

Using a gouge to make the cove cuts.