Woodturning:
Form and Formula

On 180 quality pages, discover how timeless design principles can transform your turning. This book makes the Rule of Thirds and the Golden Ratio simple, practical, and ready to use at the lathe.

With clear explanations, step-by-step projects, and inspiration from world-class turners, you’ll learn how to design and create pieces that look right, feel right, and stand out.

Pre-order soon. General release Friday 24th October.

Woodturning is far more than good technique. It’s about proportion, balance, and form. Some pieces feel instantly “right,” others do not. This book explores the why and the how.

In Woodturning: Form and Formula, Martin Saban-Smith RPT draws on the timeless principles of the Rule of Thirds and the Golden Ratio, showing how they can guide your eye and your hand at the lathe. With practical projects, clear guidance, and thoughtful reflection, this book helps you bring harmony into your turning.

Form and Formula is about curiosity, creativity, and joy at the lathe. Whether you are a beginner building confidence or an experienced turner refining your eye, this book will help you see your work differently and create pieces that truly resonate.

Inside, you will find:

  • Simple explanations of proportion using simple mathematics

  • 7 Step-by-step projects (102 pages!) that put design principles into practice

  • Sketches and diagrams to train your eye for balance and flow

  • Examples of examplary turnings, exploring their proportions

  • Tips on tools, timber, and finishing to bring out the best in your work

  • Encouragement to experiment with both tradition and creativity.

Please note that if you are ordering from overseas, additional customs or tax fees may be applied by your country’s authorities.

Available for Pre-Order Soon

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Guest Editor of Woodturning Magazine February 2025

I’m very honoured to have been invited to be the guest editor of Woodturning Magazine for the February issue (#406).

Learn more about what we do here at our workshops in Hampshire and a little of the busy history of my journey through turning.

A man in a leather vest and cap smiling in a workshop with wood turning equipment behind him, and a magazine cover featuring the same man holding a decorated wooden disc.

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