General contractor Tom Silva tells us about one of his favorite hobbies: wood turning. While he doesn’t consider himself an expert, Tom loves to work on the lathe and has tackled small projects nearly all his life. Now that he isn’t running a contracting firm anymore, he’s able to spend more time turning, trying new things, and honing his skills.
He Plays on a Lathe a Little Bit
Tom Silva loves turning wood projects on a lathe. While everyone else considers him a lathe guy, he bows his head in recognition of the folks he believes are true experts. But, he’s been turning wood on a lathe since childhood, helping his father replace column bases and other details on his construction projects. According to Tom, however, he plays on a lathe a little bit.
Pro Tip: When it comes to lathe technique, Tom emphasizes that sharp tools are non-negotiable: “You have to make sure your tools are sharp because if they’re not, you’re not gonna get the kind of cut that you want.” He also stresses the importance of riding the bevel—using the angled face of the chisel to guide cuts—which prevents kickback and produces a smoother finish.
It’s Relaxing
One of the aspects of woodturning that Tom appreciates so much is that it relaxes him. He says he turns his lathe on at 2 in the morning when he can’t sleep. He’ll also work on the lathe when he has things on his mind that he doesn’t want to think about. Focusing on the details of turning allows him to reach his zen.
Pro Tip: Part of what makes turning so absorbing is the tactile technique involved. As Tom demonstrates on Ask This Old House, riding the bevel of the tool is key: “The bevel is doing two things. It’s making sure that my tool doesn’t kick back at me, but it’s also giving me a finish.” That seamless connection between control and craft is what keeps him coming back to the lathe at all hours.
He’s Really Turned It Up in the Past Few Years
While Tom did practice woodturning with his father and brother Dickey, it wasn’t until the past couple of years that he really started to focus on it. As a business owner, he didn’t have the time required to focus on turning, but since closing the chapter on that part of his life, he has more time for turning.
Pro Tip: Tom Silva recalls his earliest days on the lathe: “I think I used my first lathe when I was in high school. Probably 15, 16 years old. I made some vases and maybe a lamp or something.” Despite decades of experience, he remains characteristically humble: “I really don’t consider myself a lathe guy by any means.”
He’s Turned Some Fun Projects
Tom’s had his hand in quite a few fun projects. He’s turned burls into bowls, turned a wood beam into a cookie jar for a homeowner, a baby rattle, a baseball bat, some ornate table lengths, and even Christmas ornaments. He’s even turned an engagement ring and a box to present it in.
Everyone Needs a Hobby
Tom thinks everyone should have a hobby. He says he’s known so many people who have retired and aren’t happy because they didn’t have anything to do. He says it doesn’t matter what it is, but you have to stay busy. One of Tom’s preferred outlets is woodturning, but he says anything that challenges you will help.
Pro Tip: Tom’s lathe hobby goes well beyond simple projects. He’s experimented with dual-axis turning—a technique where a spindle is turned on two different centers to create an offset shape. As he showed off one of his weekend projects, a balustrade with a tapered foot and an offset detail, Tom admitted: “I’ve never done one like this. This is actually a dual-axis turning.” For Tom, it’s the challenge of trying new techniques that keeps the hobby fresh.
