Bowl lathe build?

[Endless Pursuit]

Anybody on here ever build a bowl lathe capable of a 36" bowl?

Not much of a turner but making BIG bowls has always been of interest to me. I have no idea why but it does and I've looked into what it would take and have distant plans to do so. Just curious for now. If anyone has, I'd sure appreciate a look at what you have so as I travel, I can keep my eyes open for " parts". -)

I've seen most of the stuff on YouTube and other sites. Curious if there's anyone local.

 

[Hmerkle]

Re: Bowl late build?

not sure what you mean by local - I know years ago there was a guy near Asheville that had one of these:

http://www.southern-tool.com/store/vega_2400t_bowl_lathe.php

yes, that is a 26" swing!

the basic problem is you need the Spindle to be rigid and the motor / spindle to turn S-L-O-W

 

[llucas]

Re: Bowl late build?

Here is a link to an artist extraordinaire in Charlotte...with some pics of his turning set-up.
Pretty fascinating..
http://www.anatolytsiris.com/?page_id=28

 

[Endless Pursuit]

Re: Bowl late build?

Here is a link to an artist extraordinaire in Charlotte...with some pics of his turning set-up.
Pretty fascinating..
http://www.anatolytsiris.com/?page_id=28

Thank you!

I've seen his work but never knew he was in Charlotte.

 

[Roy G]

Re: Bowl late build?

Look up the work of Ed Moulthrop. He did large bowls a few years ago. Some were so big that children could sit in them. He would turn them and soak them in PEG. I have seen pictures of his lathe and it was just a shaft in pillow blocks with pulleys set up for a real slow speed.

Roy G

 

[Hmerkle]

Re: Bowl late build?

Look up the work of Ed Moulthrop. He did large bowls a few years ago. Some were so big that children could sit in them. He would turn them and soak them in PEG. I have seen pictures of his lathe and it was just a shaft in pillow blocks with pulleys set up for a real slow speed.

Roy G

Here is one link: http://www.craftinamerica.org/artists_wood/story_373.php?

 

[Mike Davis]

froglips built one for his dad.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/showthread.php?t=13486&highlight=lathe+build

I think there is a build thread somewhere...

 

[Hmerkle]

Re: Bowl late build?

froglips built one for his dad.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/showthread.php?t=13486&highlight=lathe+build

I think there is a build thread somewhere...

and he referenced another guy - Bill Wallace?

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showphoto.php?photo=16725&title=bill-wallace-homemade-lathes&cat=1058

 

[dustin510]

Re: Bowl late build?

I built one a few years ago, unfortunately I don't have any pictures. I came across some pillow block bearings and a 7/8 shaft in a dumpster and got the idea.

First I spun (I think the correct terminology for metal) threads on the shaft for a faceplate I had. I then mounted the bearings and such on a large maple bench top attached to a treadmill motor after experiementing with pulley sizes. I chose a treadmill because of the easy variable speed controls and it already had a flywheel etc.

For a tool rest I cast a heavy 3-legged base out of iron and bolted on a pipe that I welded a flange to. At the top of the pipe I welded on some kind of homemade pipe/tool rest holder apparatus with set screws to hold a tool rest.

It works well, I need a stronger motor to do large turnings, it can get bogged down pretty easy. But essentially my swing is from the spindle (41") to the floor

 

[Steve_Honeycutt]

Re: Bowl late build?

Pictures please.

 

[llucas]

Re: Bowl late build?

+1 pictures PLEASE!

 

[dustin510]

Re: Bowl late build?

I'll take some and post as soon as I can! With unfortunate circumstances my lathe and all my tools are in storage a few hours from where I'm living now. Looking at Hank's post, I realize many things I would have done different.

 

[Truefire]

Jeff, check out this guy's site. He built a very sturdy bowl lathe, can get up close and personal while turning. No lathe ways in one's way. Very neat build.

 

[smallboat]

Chris- that's exactly what I imagined when thinking of a dedicated bowl lathe.
When I went to pick up my most recent donor lathe, I was talking to an old friend about just this sort of arrangement.

Its on my "someday" list.
I guess you could scale some elements up if you were going to work with really huge and unbalanced blanks.

 

[ScottM]

Re: Bowl late build?

and he referenced another guy - Bill Wallace?

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showphoto.php?photo=16725&title=bill-wallace-homemade-lathes&cat=1058

Bill Wallace has a shop in Wake Forest. He is a very accomplished wood turner and instructor. He teaches out of his shop and also does classes at Woodcraft. His brother Jim Wallace is another accomplished turner and a member of this site.

 

[Hmerkle]

Jeff, check out this guy's site. He built a very sturdy bowl lathe, can get up close and personal while turning. No lathe ways in one's way. Very neat build.

I REALLY like that build!
Two things I see - I would use a variable speed motor and have a remote pendent.

Other than that - the build looks great. (and somewhat reasonable in price - compared to a lathe that could turn something 18" plus!

 

[Truefire]

I REALLY like that build!
Two things I see - I would use a variable speed motor and have a remote pendent.

Other than that - the build looks great. (and somewhat reasonable in price - compared to a lathe that could turn something 18" plus!

Yeah, you could, would be a neat add...variable frequency drives are just so expensive. Would be a great amendment though...I could see being limited to only four speeds (with those pulleys) as being problematic though and even possibly dangerous dependent on piece. If someone gets injured one time, the emergency room bill would be much longer lived than the cost of a variable frequency drive. So might not be a bad idea after all. Everything's a trade off.

I'm certainly not knocking the man's work....AT ALL.....he done an outstanding job. Absolutely beautiful welds. That having been said, those belts and pulleys without covers would be high concerns for me. He may have them covered now, just saying it would bother me. But then again, he might have them covered by now or it just might not bother him.

I would definitely put this bowl lathe up against any standard, market lathe out there for turning bowls.

 

[Truefire]

Ok now smallboat, go ahead and move it closer towards the top of the list. You know you need this beauty sitting out there in the shop now.

Did you notice that the lathe bed could be moved up and down the vertical riser to accommodate various sized pieces? There are tapped holes along the vertical riser. Heck, if one is gonna turn a 18-22" bowl, what is a second or two to 'remove and replace four bolts' with a ratchet, right?

I really do like this lathe. I stumbled upon it online awhile back. The weird thing was, I wasn't even looking for plans on building a bowl lathe. I had seen some of his artwork and ended up on his page.

 

[smallboat]

Re: Bowl late build?

When I build my shop I'll set the studs in the concrete to bolt it down!
...someday...

 

[Truefire]

Endless Pursuit, is this something like what you had in mind? We could work it like a community turning...smallboat on one side, you on the front, hank working the center....sorry if I left anyone out. I was shooting off the hip. -you get the message- :rotflm: