A couple of months ago we started a redecorating project in our half-bathroom, updating the paint scheme and a few of the fixtures to clean it up and add a fun new nautical theme. To cap it off, I made a ship’s wheel to surround the round LED panel mounted in the ceiling. I started off with a design in CAD to get the proportions right, then printed out shapes to glue to plywood to make router templates.
This was also my first time making something on the lathe with a purpose, and while they weren’t at all perfect or perfectly identical, I think the handles turned out alright:
The glue-up included 18 distinct parts, so I did it incrementally, with pocket hole screws holding the large pieces together in the back.
Some geometry and compass work gave me the lines I needed to position the walnut dowels (mostly decorative but not not helping):
And then finished in Danish Oil and installed to complete the bathroom:
Goldheart Woodworking 
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