Woodturning Smock Buyer’s Guide

If you’ve spent any time at the lathe, you know the struggle: you finish a session only to realize your favorite shirt is covered in finish stains, your pockets are overflowing with wood shavings, and you’ve got a neck full of itchy sawdust.

Traditionally, a smock is a loose outer garment designed to protect the clothing underneath. For woodturners, it’s an essential piece of safety and shop gear. At Craft Supplies USA, we spent years testing different designs before creating our own in-house line.

In this guide, we’ll break down the essential features every turner needs and help you decide which fabric is right for your turning style.

The Anatomy of a Great Turning Smock

Regardless of the material you choose, a good smock should be designed with the specific movements of a woodturner in mind. All of our smocks share a core set of “must-have” features.

The High-Neck Collar

Shavings have a way of finding their way down your shirt. Our collars are cut high but feature an elastic stretch panel in the back. This gives you maximum protection without feeling restrictive when you move your head.

Covered Heavy-Duty Zippers

Dust and resin can easily gum up a standard zipper. By covering the zipper with a fabric placket, we ensure it stays functional and durable for years.

The Essential Pencil Pocket

Every turner needs a pencil handy. Pro tip: Mike suggests cutting a couple of inches off your shop pencils so they sit deep in the pocket and don’t fall out when you lean over the lathe.

Safety-First Sleeves

We designed our sleeves to stop just before the elbow. Loose, long sleeves are a major safety hazard near a spinning lathe; our length provides protection for your arms and t-shirt without risking entanglement.

Extra Body Length & Side Pleats

Our smocks are cut longer than a standard t-shirt to act as a shield for your pants pockets. To ensure this extra length doesn’t make the smock feel “boxy” or tight when you sit down, we’ve added side pleats for extra mobility.

Rear Storage Pockets

Keeping your calipers, tape measures, or chuck keys in your back pockets keeps your lathe bed clear and your tools within reach.

Choosing the Right Fabric for Your Shop

The features are the same, but the fabric makes the difference. Here is how to choose the right one for your environment:

The Traditional Smock

• 85% Polyester/15% Cotton blend.
  
• Best for most shop environments and general turning.
  
• The Woodturners Smock is the “Gold Standard.” It is comfortable, sheds shavings effectively, and has a very slight stretch.
  
• The tan color can show stains from “wet” woods (like Walnut tannins) or finishes over time.

The Lightweight Smock

• 100% Polyester.
  
• Best for hot, humid climates or turners who like to layer over sweatshirts in the winter.
  
• The Lightweight Smock is made from material that is incredibly stretchy and breathable. It’s so light it never feels “claustrophobic.”
  
• Because the fabric is thinner, it isn’t quite as water-resistant as the others, and heavy tools will cause the back pockets to sag.

The Camo Smock

• 50/50 Nylon-Cotton Ripstop (BDU Style).
  
• Best for turners who are “messy” or do heavy-duty harvesting.
  
• The Camo Smock is our most durable smock. The ripstop material is incredibly tough, and the camo pattern is perfect for hiding CA glue or finish stains. It breaks in beautifully after a few washes and becomes very soft.
  
• A portion of the proceeds from every Camo Smock sold goes toward our Veteran Scholarship Program, helping veterans attend woodturning workshops at our facility.

Final Thoughts

Investing in a proper smock isn’t just about fashion, it’s about safety, comfort, and saving money on ruined clothes. Whether you prefer the stretchy comfort of the Lightweight or the rugged durability of the Camo, having a dedicated garment for the lathe will make your shop time much more enjoyable.