Wood Turning: Three styles of Barley Twist

In this video, I demonstrate the step-by-step process of carving a barley twist on a lathe. This video covers how to carve three different styles of Barley Twist. This traditional woodworking technique requires skill and precision, but with practice and patience, you too can create a beautiful and unique piece.
Below are the tools used in this video:
Marples Chisel: amzn.to/3ktBgmV
General Lathe: amzn.to/3iLJ96D
Round File: amzn.to/3QQRK4j

[@meganslater5421]

I just made a unicorn wand using a tapered barley twist... allllll by hand. I like the idea of using a saw to put the twist into the wood first. 😊 I may need to do that

[@JShawFurniture]

Nice! It’s important to know how to do it by hand. Especially when most things these days are routed or CNC’d.

[@josephwise485]

One of the nicest videos on barley twists that I've seen, thanks.

[@JShawFurniture]

Hey Joseph, Glad to hear that, thanks for the comment!

[@AngelHernandez-qu1dx]

Thunderous applause. Just great. Thanks.

[@8360365]

Thank you for posting this!!! This is EXACTLY what I've been wanting to do

[@JShawFurniture]

Thanks Paul, Glad it helped!

[@brandonmccoy2414]

The hollow barley twist is awsome. Thanks for sharing this video. I really enjoyed watching it. Good job!

[@JShawFurniture]

Thanks Brandon

[@mrcpu9999]

I enjoyed this. Well edited as well, kept my attention.

[@ernestomelendez6772]

Congrats! This is a very well filmed/edited video. I have no clue what is a barley twist, now I have an idea. Very simple instructions! Really enjoyed!

[@JShawFurniture]

Thanks Ernesto, glad you enjoyed it!

[@DrDobbe]

Nice work! Hell of a gouge for roughing it out!!

[@johnstoltzfoos3218]

Thank you.. very good video

[@ajithckumara]

What a marvelous..........

[@diylife9151]

I played this video very much. You are a real master, thank you, hello from Russia, I really love DIY. Happy New Year, health and happiness to you and your loved ones

[@stanrezong7225]

Thank you very much❤️❤️

[@deemanster]

Just Fantastic!!!!!!

[@JShawFurniture]

Thanks for the comment!

[@umlooad]

Very good demo. Thanks for sharing.

[@JShawFurniture]

Thanks for the comment!

[@samuelsmith5773]

Interesting. I’ve only done a few hollow barley twists. I lay it out as you did. Drew a dark, center line between two, lighter lines. Then use a drill bit smaller than the distance between the light lines to drill consecutive holes ½+ depth past the center point. Where holes overlap, the wood interior disappears. Then just a rasp to start evening up the light lines. Then sandpaper grits to fine-tune the line....using sandpaper on the backside of the wrap to ease the surface. For tables, you must make two, left-, and two, right-twisting twists so not all four legs turn the same direction. Your way is great if you have super-sharp chisels to make the cuts. Most of my time doing this was in the craft center at Army posts: we were lucky to have a lathe, let alone chisels with sharp cutting edges! Excellent video. Thnx! Tchuss!!

[@JShawFurniture]

Thanks Sam. Yeah, the chisel does need to be sharp! I’m currently carving a mahogany Pepper Mill with 4 Twists and 1” thick wall. Half way there and I’ve already had to sharpen twice and keep a strop close by. The drilling out method is a good one too.

[@taher_farid]

*تسلم ايدك عمل رائع*

[@SabotPottery]

You let your talent speak for itself. I love your music and wondered if a couple were from Stéphane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt, two of my favourite musicians. Great work, thanks from Salisbury East in South Australia.

[@JShawFurniture]

Excellent Comment! Django Reinhardt is one of my favorite guitarist too, Three Fingered Lighting!

[@jvmiller1995]

Man I must say I have gouge envy. I am all about high speed steel over the carbide and I can free hand sharpen almost as fast as a person can change a carbide. You know if you are just maintaining a good edge opposed to grinding a new edge. That gouge is a beast! Pretty cool way of turning.

[@JShawFurniture]

Yea, the 2” roughing gouge is a monster. It’s fast and makes it easier to control where the shavings go.

[@michealreynolds-yf1ym]

Very good

[@JShawFurniture]

Thanks Michael!

[@jazzman1626]

Those, especially the hollow twist, would look amazing either side on the hood/bonnet of a grandfather clock.

[@JShawFurniture]

Agreed. Especially carved in walnut or mahogany.

[@dilanpradeep3272]

❤❤❤❤

[@philipvanderwaal6817]

Very nice greeting from New Zealand

[@JShawFurniture]

Thanks Phillips! I have a few woodworking friends from New Zealand, some of the most amazing unique trees from there.

[@eliyaedward4284]

Nice

[@n.jorgji8101]

Άξιος.

[@Zulok18]

Damn. The paper trick for the flutes blew my mind harder than it should have. Earned my Sub! Glad to have stumbled across your channel man, much love from a fellow woodworker!

[@JShawFurniture]

Thanks Fuzzy 🙏

[@vdsmade]

Super job 👷👍

[@JShawFurniture]

Thank You 🙏

[@petermarsh4993]

Dear Jesse, that was a fabulous demonstration of how to do a series of barley twists. I was bowled over by your roughing gouge. Where did you find such a mammoth tool?

[@GianbrunoPirona]

Che abilità sorprendente..

[@JShawFurniture]

Thank you

[@Alexander-wq7qo]

I plan on making a unicorn horn Harry Potter style wand. Thank you!

[@JShawFurniture]

Cool, that will look great!

[@The_Conqueeftador]

Any reason why you use a drill instead of a jacobs chuck?

[@JShawFurniture]

Good question, there are a few reasons. If using a chuck there would need to be a short tenon at the end to hold the piece of pine. It also gets in the way when sawing and carving the flutes.

[@MrTrickydick33]

What’s the Smallest stock you can use? I’ve got some 19mm hardwood stock. I was wondering if that is too small?

[@JShawFurniture]

19mm is cutting it close but should be fine for a standard twist.

[@MrTrickydick33]

@@JShawFurniture I was also wondering how you could Truro square stock into a wand? Like dumbledores wand lol!! I have table saws and band saws and pillar drills, routers, trimmers, and a host of tools and other machines I failed to mention, but they are in storage what with the VIRUS!!! So I’ve bought a dremel and whole host of attachments, I’m thinking with patience I can gradually grind away the bits I don’t want and leave a finished wand! Is this way too complex for my first try at this?

[@JShawFurniture]

@@MrTrickydick33 A lathe would make the job much easier. The tricky part will be rounding it but if you have a spokeshave, block plane or chisel you should be fine. Carving the barley twist with a dremel will work well especially with a good carving bit. Make sure to layout the grid first to see what it will look like.

[@contezelig]

What kind of wood Is that?

[@JShawFurniture]

These ones are Pine.

[@user-cheredavalvas]

а фрезером эту операцию можно сделать?

[@JShawFurniture]

Yes, two of them can be done with a router. The exception is the tapered barley twist.

[@user-cheredavalvas]

@@JShawFurniture нет перевода на русский

[@johnwhite2267]

Great video but pity about the very annoying music. Its every video I watch these days have to have horrible music I would rather just hear the wood being worked on. Apart from that a very informative demo than you.

[@rd-ch1on]

100% agree

[@JShawFurniture]

Thanks for the feedback John. I also enjoy the sounds of the shop in action. Something to consider for the future.

[@mrmashta1877]

Great video buddy, and where the hell did you get that gouge. 😮

[@JShawFurniture]

From a wood turner named Alan laser. Back then I had to buy the steel and make the handle, but nowadays it’s a lot easier to find online.

[@JShawFurniture]

2” Roughing Gouge: amzn.to/48uIJG1

[@ronmiller7916]

This vid was in my list because I do woodworking. I gotta say I cringed at that chisel work where your hand was in front of the iron. I've got a nice scar from when I was dumber. That said, great video.

[@jesseshaw2569]

Thanks Ron. It may look a little dangerous because it’s sped up but I’m not pushing the chisel toward the wood. The cut comes from rotating the wood into the chisel which is planted firmly on the toolrest. My thumb holds the chisel down at all times so it can’t go anywhere.

[@Know-Expert]

Hi Jesse, great stuff simply explained and amazing results. Kinemaster editing app? Same music as my channel. New sub..... Know Expert

[@JShawFurniture]

Haha, yeah KineMaster is good, but they need new music!

[@Know-Expert]

@@JShawFurniture yep, I’m with you on that one...... Know Expert.

[@vinceearl4240]

I have the indexing plate on my lathe, which makes layout much easier. But if I didn't, would turning the tapered twist work if you turned to a cylinder, put in the twist, and then turned the taper in, going back to deepen the flutes where needed?

[@8360365]

Why... His method was so simple

[@vinceearl4240]

@@8360365 Thanks for your condescension! I found it so super helpful. The specific suggestions your comment contained were exactly what I was looking for. I don't know what I'd have done without the insight that provided. To answer your question, because in my mind the method I was asking about seemed simpler, and I was wondering if there was a reason I wasn't seeing why my method *wasn't* simpler. Maybe in the future make constructive comments instead of implying that other people are stupid.

[@taher_farid]

*احلي اشترك*

[@glencrandall7051]

Great wood working. Terrible audio. This is an instructional video so please instruct, as in talk to me. Music not required.

[@JShawFurniture]

Thanks for the feedback Glen!

[@woodworkdhanasshekarshekar9187]

Nice

[@woodworld8242]

Nice

[@JShawFurniture]

Thanks 🙏