Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
What is the correct height to set your lathe spindle?
The answer is straightforward: somewhere around your elbow height. Stand next to the lathe in your normal working posture, and the spindle should be roughly level with your elbow. That puts the work at a comfortable height, keeps your shoulders relaxed, and lets you move the tool handle without fighting the bench behind you.
Too high and your shoulders scrunch up, you end up on tiptoes on a deep cut, and your face is closer to the work than it should be. Too low and you are bending from the waist, which puts pressure on your lower back. Neither is good over a long session.
Elbow height is the starting point. Once you are there, fine tune it until it feels right for you. The test is simple: if you find yourself bending forward or reaching up after fifteen minutes, adjust.
Part of the Ask Martin series, where I answer your woodturning questions in 60 seconds or less.
Leave your question in the comments and I pick one or two each week.
#AskMartin #woodturning #lathesafety
🎓 Want to learn in person? I run woodturning courses at my school in Hampshire for all levels — from complete beginners through to more advanced techniques. Details at www.thewoodturning.school 🛢️ My Finishes: yandles.co.uk/shop/?manufacturer=martin-saban-smith-woodturning 📘 Design and proportion in woodturning — I wrote the book: msabansmith.com/shop 📍 Based at Garthowen Garden Centre, Four Marks, Hampshire — next to the South Downs National Park. 🌐 msabansmith.com Facebook — Me: facebook.com/msabansmith Facebook — Woodturning School: facebook.com/thewoodturningschool Instagram — Me: instagram.com/msabansmith Instagram — School: instagram.com/thewoodturningschool The visual video content (including my voice), any text and any graphics in the video are Copyright © Woodturning Online Ltd 2015–2026. All rights reserved.
What is the correct height to set your lathe spindle?
The answer is straightforward: somewhere around your elbow height. Stand next to the lathe in your normal working posture, and the spindle should be roughly level with your elbow. That puts the work at a comfortable height, keeps your shoulders relaxed, and lets you move the tool handle without fighting the bench behind you.
Too high and your shoulders scrunch up, you end up on tiptoes on a deep cut, and your face is closer to the work than it should be. Too low and you are bending from the waist, which puts pressure on your lower back. Neither is good over a long session.
Elbow height is the starting point. Once you are there, fine tune it until it feels right for you. The test is simple: if you find yourself bending forward or reaching up after fifteen minutes, adjust.
Part of the Ask Martin series, where I answer your woodturning questions in 60 seconds or less.
Leave your question in the comments and I pick one or two each week.
#AskMartin #woodturning #lathesafety
🎓 Want to learn in person? I run woodturning courses at my school in Hampshire for all levels — from complete beginners through to more advanced techniques. Details at www.thewoodturning.school 🛢️ My Finishes: yandles.co.uk/shop/?manufacturer=martin-saban-smith-woodturning 📘 Design and proportion in woodturning — I wrote the book: msabansmith.com/shop 📍 Based at Garthowen Garden Centre, Four Marks, Hampshire — next to the South Downs National Park. 🌐 msabansmith.com Facebook — Me: facebook.com/msabansmith Facebook — Woodturning School: facebook.com/thewoodturningschool Instagram — Me: instagram.com/msabansmith Instagram — School: instagram.com/thewoodturningschool The visual video content (including my voice), any text and any graphics in the video are Copyright © Woodturning Online Ltd 2015–2026. All rights reserved.
