How to Make a Wooden Spatula

A spatula may not look like a typical lathe turning project, but in this case, it is. The lathe is used to shape the handle and add accents. We’ll show you step by step how to make a simple wooden spatula.

Getting started

Lay out the spatula shape. Mark a line 4” from the end to define the length of the spatula portion. Mark two lines for the handle. The distance between these two lines should be equal to the thickness of the material. Create a curve between the spatula and the handle. Tracing a roll of masking tape or something similar works well for this. Cut the shape out on a bandsaw.

Lathe work

Mark out centers on each end of the spatula blank and mount the blank between a drive center and live center. Turn the handle round. A final diameter of ½” to ⅝” works well. Acoustic guitar strings, mounted between handles, work great for burning accents into turnings. Sand the handle.

Bandsaw, sand, and finish

There’s a little more bandsaw work to do (follow the directions on the video) and then it’s time for sanding. Feather the shapes together and clean up the curves. Apply a food-safe finish like mineral oil, and your spatula is ready to go to work. Now that you know how to make a wooden spatula, get ready to start taking orders.

Material: ¾” x 4” x 14” Hard maple
Food safe finish: Mineral oil
Accents on the lathe: Acoustic guitar strings