Turning a Traditional Rolling Pin

by Jerome Laux

Choose appropriate hard woods (close grained hard woods are the best) such as maple or cherry.

1) Rough out a 16-20" piece of wood (3" or greater) between centers and square off the tail stock end.

2) Turn a tenon on the head stock end

3) Mount tenon end in chuck.

4) Finish off what was the tail stock end and drill a 2" deep ½" hole in this end. Bring up a cone center to fit in this hole.

5) Part off the cylinder at the desired length on the head stock side. Square the parting cut as you go. Figure that this has to go in a drawer or cabinet so if you figure on ≈9" for handles, the cylinder has to be on the order of no more than 12-14".

6) Reverse the piece in the chuck—I usually use a large rubber band to "cushion" and protect the roughed cylinder. Drill out the other end with a 2" deep ½" diameter hole.

7) Turn a jam fit tenon on the end of the scrap in the chuck ≈½" to fit in the drilled hole.

9)Turn handles—I usually rough out two small 2" cylinders that are about 4-5" long. I mount them in a chuck and drill a 5⁄8" hole through the handle body.

10) Turn a jam tenon in the chuck that is 5⁄8" to fit in the hole and bring up a cone center and finish turning the handles. Make sure that the handles are the same length.

8) Finish turning the cylinder between the jam tenon and a cone center. Raise the grain with water a couple of times before the final sanding.

11) Take two pieces of 5/4 wood that are about 8" long. Rough them out between centers. You want about 1½" of ½" diameter on one end. The body of the "handle shaft" is just under 5⁄8" so that it will turn smoothly in the handle. The 5⁄8" portion is about 1⁄16" or so longer than your handles. You want a "button" or knob that is greater than 5⁄8" on the other end.

12) Wax the 5⁄8" handle shaft—make sure that you don't get wax on the ½" portion or the glue won't stick (DAMHIKT).

13) Part off the shaft at the desired length.

14) Test fit the handles on the handle shafts.

15) Glue together. I usually use Titebond II, which is water resistant.

I usually coat with light mineral oil (Butcher Block oil).