Again, lathes can be used to turn plastic or metal, so when doll artists need to create parts or accessories for their custom creations the same processes that go into creating the full-sized items can be used in creating realistic miniatures as well. Turned sticks of wood or metal can become candlestick holders, a floor lamp can be turned from a rod of metal or plastic, thimble-sized pots for plants, chair legs... Look around your home as you are reading this, what do you see that may have been turned into flowing round shapes by a lathe?

Jodi and Richard Creager are friends of CDHM that you may all be familiar with, expert collectible dollmakers with decades of experience who create stunning works of art that many times include mini dioramic scenes. Richard is an expert at creating items you would swear he used a shrinking machine on and uses just these sort of tools. Among his creations - I'll use just one example - is a wheelchair for a privately commissioned portrait doll. The wheelchair looks so real I had to keep going back to look at it to be sure my eyes were not deceiving me. In the photos you can see Richard turning a piece of wood into one of the wheels of the wheelchair.