To properly turn wood stock, which tool should be used?

The correct tool to properly turn wood stock is the lathe. A lathe is specifically designed to rotate the wood and allow the user to shape it with various hand tools as it spins. This process, known as woodturning, enables the creation of cylindrical shapes, such as table legs, bowls, or spindles, giving the woodworker the ability to create intricate and uniform designs.

A router, while useful for shaping edges or creating profiles in wood, does not provide the rotating motion needed to turn stock. Similarly, a jigsaw is intended for cutting curves and intricate shapes in flat stock, making it unsuitable for the turning process. A band saw is primarily used for cutting lumber into specific shapes or to resaw wood into thinner pieces; it does not allow for the continuous shaping that a lathe facilitates. Thus, for tasks requiring actual stock turning, the lathe is the appropriate and designated tool.