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Best bowl truning set up

D

Dtoggs

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May 28, 2004
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Best bowl turning set up

:) What is the best bowl truning set up: regular headstock set up; swivel drive head;moveable head along bed; and lastly,rear headstock mounting? I believe a lot of the old pattern making lathes didn't have beds? Thanks,merry Xmas,Paul. :)
 
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I think all of your questions depend on what type of turning you are going to do. Sliding and swiveling headstocks are great, and a compromise in price/function, but each have their weakness in the struckture. Sliding headstocks will often "jack" or slide as you push the tailstock in further against the wood. Rotating headstocks will not have as much structural strength in that it is at a different angle to the bed (my personal opinion, I am not an engineer). If you anticipate doing even occasional large work (say greater than 24"), I would look at a purpose built lathe or one that has the heft to do the outboard capabilities for it. Personally I use a Oneway 2436 with standard capacity of 24" and outboard capabilites to 48" and it can be real harrowing to deal with something that big rotating that close to you. I think that even their outboard attachment isn't large/wide enough to adequately accomdate it's potential capacity.

As far as the pattern makers lathes that didn't have a bed, the ones I have seen did, it was just a very heavy steel plate setup that was the floor you stood on. They had dovetailed floors that allowed alignment of the pieces as they slid.
I found one a few years back, reasonably priced. Had about 60+" swing, but weighed 3000 pounds was 7'x14' of floor space and was in Rhode Island. I figured it would cost as much to ship as it did to buy.
 
In turning anything, including bowls, it's nice to have the ability to tailstock it for stability while large amounts of wood are removed. Unless you are going to be making very unusually sized bowls or turning primarilly one very large but consistant size, shoot for a lathe with a swing height about 2-4" larger than you plan to turn bowls (this leaves room for the banjo and irregularities in the stock) and the ability to reverse spin. This lets you actually turn the face of the inside of the bowl away from where you're standing, removing the need to lean over the bed. If you are going to be doing the unusual sized bowls or one large size very consistantly (for example, turning lampshades) then a purpose built or purchased lathe would be the way to go, although that tailstock is always a nice thing.

IMHO,
Dietrich
 
Bowl turning

:) Thank you for your responses. I probably would never turn more than 12"dia. I was very interested to learn about the foor "bed" on the pattern lathe you described, Steve. Its kinda on order of those roof mounted jig saw blades. I plan to save my coins and go to the local lathe stores,I really like the Nova lathes,some of the older lathes,Medfored,in particular,but probably buy American so as to get accessories. Internet and forums like this, do however,help for which ever brand. I like the Powermatic,but the Oneway promises tol be the lifetime choice-but damn,I like the looks of those old English lathes. PW :) :)
 
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