The turning of a paddle shaft somewhat resembles that of a straight middle-shaft, with the difference of a paddle-shaft not requiring its entire mid-portion to be smoothly finished. The turner should therefore centre a paddle-shaft to make its mid-part rotate truly, without specially regarding the two ends, unless the forging happens to have but little metal to be cut off the ends. A paddle-shaft can be easily so forged that its middle part shall be of the exact diameter required when finished, a thick portion being formed at each end, which is large enough in diameter to allow the flanges to be formed with turning to the finished diameters.

A paddle-shaft is first rough-turned, and reversed end for end in the lathe to equally wear the centre-recesses, the same as during the turning of other large shafts. The shoulders of the bearings are also produced, previous to the smoothing of any part. The smoothing of the bearing-necks and their curved corners, and also their final reduction, is the same as for middle-shafts' being effected with springy tools.