Here’s one way to recycle all those (unmentionable name) CDs you receive in the mail, rather than throw them in the trash. A CD Top’s rainbow reflections create interest, and the top spins for a long time. Color and texture add a lot of interest, so consider using these effects. 



I make the top quickly with one simple spindle that will hold a CD firmly. There are other ways, such as using two spindles with the CD sandwiched between them, or using dowel instead of square stock, or turning stock round then chucking, but this method works well with hardwood scraps left over from cutting larger turning blanks. 2x4 lumber ripped in half will work, but the wood can be soft and subject to grain tearing.\

What You Will Need


Wood lathe (duh!) big enough to hold a chuck and the wood blank

Chuck capable of firmly holding a 1.5 x 1.5 square cross-section (a standard 50mm set of jaws works well)

Saw (band, table, or [heaven forbid] hand) to prepare the wood blanks

Minimum 1.5 x 1.5 x 6 inch wood block with grain oriented for spindle turning (along the length)

Turning tools (I use a roughing gouge, 3/8 spindle gouge, and a parting tool, plus a scraper for the stand.)

Outside calipers or another tool to measure a 15mm diameter accurately

Sandpaper, finish, Cyanoacrylate (CA) glue, and a CD without cracks

Color markers, texturing tool, stain, spray paint, sparkles, … 

Step-By-Step Instructions


1. Mount the wood

The wood needs to have a reasonably square cross-section so that the chuck jaws will grip all four sides firmly rather than just two. If only two sides are gripped, the blank WILL fly out of the jaws while you’re roughing it round. Mount the wood as shown, with the jaws (not the base of the jaws but the jaws themselves) gripping the wood tightly. After tightening, check the wood to make certain it is held firmly.



2. Turn the blank round

I rough turn the blank round at 1000-1500 rpm. A roughing gouge, spindle gouge, or skew chisel is a better choice than a scraper. Save your tools and yourself:  Don’t cut near the chuck jaws. Once the blank is round, stop. Don’t reduce the diameter more. 



3. Shape the foot, or spindle bottom

Turn the lathe speed up to 1800 or more rpm. Successive cuts with a spindle gouge are quick and clean. Leave a fairly blunt but cleanly cut and centered tip.

4. Form a spigot to hold the CD

The center hole in a CD is 15mm in diameter. I set calipers to 15mm then use a parting tool and the calipers to create the spigot. If you cut away too much diameter, you might need to turn a new foot and spigot, so be gentle! Leave a flat surface to glue onto the CD. The wider that glue surface is, the better. That’s why I use 1.5 inch blanks. Using anything smaller leads to a small glue area and possible glue joint failure. A large glue area stiffens the CD and can prevent some cracks from rough handling.



5. Test Fit a CD

Turn the lathe off and slip a CD onto the spigot. If it doesn’t go on, shave a little more wood off and test the fit again. If there’s too much slop, make another cut with the parting tool to get a wider spigot or start again with the foot.

6. Turn the upper spindle (handle)

Begin near the flat CD mounting surface and work back toward the chuck jaws, turning a section to final diameter before working a new section. By doing that, the cutting area is always next to the full diameter blank and has maximum rigidity. If you texture the wide surface opposite the glue area, do so before turning the handle. That way, the surface to be textured will be stiffer during texturing. I leave a reasonably slim and long (3/16 to 1/4 inch by 2-3 inch long) handle to hold between the palms of the hand to get the top spinning, giving it lots of speed. Leave the handle fairly thick where it will be cut off to allow for sanding and finishing without twisting the spindle free.



7. Sand

I usually turn the lathe speed down to 1000 or less for sanding, but the speed chosen depends on the wood and grit. I usually sand with 150 and 220 grit, but you can take it as fine as you like. Anything coarser than 150 grit will shape the wood rather than smooth it. Don’t sand the spigot where the CD will fit or the flat surface that will hold the glue. Doing so can cause the CD to be mounted off-center or at an odd angle.

8. Finish

Use your preferred method to finish. Some finishes can interfere with the glue bond, so I prefer not to put anything except lacquer-based sanding sealer on the surface to be glued. I turn the lathe off, wipe sanding sealer onto the entire spindle, then turn the lathe on and “burn” the sealer in like friction polish at 1800 rpm or higher Since lacquers tend to cause paper towels to come apart, I use cloth but then have to be very careful not to let the cloth become wrapped around the spindle and cause harm (to me or the spindle). I then repeat the process with friction polish, leaving it off of the surface to be glued.

9. Color the spindle (optional), cut it off, finish the cut end, and glue the CD into place

Before cutting the spindle off, you can add color with markers or paint. Markers can be applied before the finish but might bleed and spread when the finish is applied. You can also glue the CD onto the spindle before cutting the spindle off, then with the lathe running slowly apply a spiral design to the CD surface. If you want a spiral on the CD, consider mounting the CD label side up. The label side will accept markers better. The CD can be spray painted before mounting for a different look and lots of color. Thick superglue seems to work better than thin only when the spindle glue surface is not sealed. If you use an accelerator, apply glue to the CD in a ring around the hole then apply accelerator to the spindle surface. Putting accelerator on the CD can cause spots and fogging. Let the glue harden completely before spinning the top; otherwise glue will seep out and spread over the top of the CD in streaks. When the CD and spindle are glued together off the lathe, it helps to immediately stand the completed top in the mouth of a small jar or glass to let the glue dry. That way, pressure from your fingers on one side of the CD won’t cause the CD to go askew.



10. Turn a stand from the remaining blank

If there’s enough wood left in the chuck, you can turn a small wooden stand to support the top while it is spinning. It adds a challenge to get the top spinning on the stand, and the top will spin much longer since the CD can tilt more before hitting a surface. I create a flat top surface with a small ledge at the edge using a scraper. Remember to mention that the stand is small enough to be a choking hazard, so it should not be used around small children and some adults!



11. Spin that sucker up!

When the glue is dry, you’re ready to go. Place the spindle handle between the palms of your hands, then move your palms to spin the top and drop it onto a nearby flat surface. This gives the top maximum spin. To spin it on the optional stand, you might have to use a traditional finger spinning approach at first, with the top touching the stand.