Bowl Turning Lathes

3 Comments

1. Here are just a few references on the subject.

   http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/woodworking/article/0,2049,DIY_14433_2361293,00.html

   http://www.bowlturningtips.com/index.htm

   http://smartflix.com/store/video/18/Bowl-Turning

   http://www.pennstateind.com/store/lbtvid.html

   http://www.shop.com/DVDs+%26+Videos_DVD+%2F+Videos-a-bowl+turning+video-p38648673-k36-st.shtml

   Be aware that wood turning is not for everyone. It looks easy when you see an expert do it but there is a lot that isn’t shown. You will need to invest quite a bit in not only a lathe but several very good chisels or gouges.

   Finally the key to all wood turning is having and keep good tools very sharp. You can spend as much time sharpening your gouges as you do turning.

   You should try to find someone who has a lathe and get a little hands on experience before you invest $500 to $1500 in all of the stuff you need to be a wood turner.

2. Well, I can’t tell you which lathe is the best, but, I can tell you something to look for because my lathe doesn’t have it. Get a lathe whose power head will swivel 90 degrees. That way you can turn bowls in front of the powerhead instead of on the side over the rails of the lathe. Hence, you can turn larger bowls. Most DYI lathes have a max diameter of the work piece of 12″ which is plenty if you are turning bed posts, but limiting if you are turning bowls. There are several attachements that mount your blank on the lathe for turning of bowls. Mine is a simple flange that replaces the live center on my lathe and is screwed to the blank. (watch how deep you turn!) Others work much like the chuck on a drill, except of course, designed to hold much larger pieces. And another style works in the opposite way, that is it enlarges to clasp the workpiece from inside a ridge of wood. You will need several tools that are especially for turning bowls.

3. This is one suggestion. It can rotate the headstock 90 degrees for outboard turning. This allows you turn turn objects larger than you could turn between centers.

   Grizzly G0584 VS – $495 delivered
   http://www.grizzly.com/products/VS-Wood-Lathe-w-Cast-Iron-Legs/G0584

   If you want, watch the classifieds or craigslist. Around here, lathes seem to come up fairly often. In addition to the lathe, you’ll need an assortment of turning tools (gouges, bowl gouges, skews, etc). You’ll probably want a 4-jaw chuck to grip the bottom of your bowl when turning. Green lumber also comes in handy as it turns much easier than dried wood. You’ll eventually want a couple of different tool rests to make it easier to get deep into the bottom of a bowl with your gouge.

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