• September 2025 Turning Challenge: Cindy Drozda Finial Box! (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Dave Potts, People's Choice in the August 2025 Turning Challenge (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Jim Hills for "Textured Ash Bowl" being selected as Turning of the Week for September 22, 2025 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

David Susag

D

David Susag

Joined
Nov 17, 2023
Messages
7
Likes
0
Location
Lanesboro, MN
I am a Minnesota based spring pole lathe turner. I have been turning on a spring pole lathe for about 11 years and this year I started teaching. I have also started forging my own hook tools for the pole lathe. I am a member of the Zumbro Valley Woodturners and I joined the MN Woodturners this summer after the AAW symposium. I am mainly inspired by Scandinavian ale bowls. I demonstrate the pole lathe at different locations in MN, ND, Iowa and WS.
I bought a "forever lathe" in April and I am waiting for some rewiring for my garage so that I can use the lathe. Right now I have a nice 700 lb. shelf for charging my cordless batteries. My experience with the power lathe is limited but I want to learn more about the power lathe. My plan is to use both lathes depending on what I am turning and the size of the bowl.
A highlight for me has been demonstrating the spring pole lathe at the Norwegian Embassy in Washington DC last May. Have lathe will travel.
 

Attachments

  • trailsidefolkart_3.jpg
    trailsidefolkart_3.jpg
    500.7 KB · Views: 14
  • trailsidefolkart_2.jpg
    trailsidefolkart_2.jpg
    390.7 KB · Views: 15
Wow, spring pole turner! Welcome to the gathering of woodturning mania. :)

There might be woodturning clubs in your area - one of the best ways to learn more about electrical powered lathes.

I've never used a spring pole lathe but have friends who have. Just a couple of weeks ago we were looking for someone with one do show and demonstrate for a local children's ranch where we sponsor a woodturning program.

I know someone who used to have one and and used both it and the powered lathe.

Such lathes have always fascinated me, especially after reading about the boggers who would travel to the woods and harvest coppiced areas, turn chair legs and such on foot-powered lathes, then move on.

I saw an interesting foot-powered lathe recently at the National Building Museum in DC. It was in a fascinating room they called the "Visible Vault", lots of interesting and sometimes unrelated things in glass cases, cabinets, and large pull-out drawers, thing that other small museums might store out of sight in a vault until needed for a display. It was continuous direction with a manual sewing machine-type foot mechanism.

20250322_113457(1).jpg

(This museum is close to but not a part of the Smithsonian, well worth the short walk.)

Maybe I should build a spring pole lathe! Do you have any good references with suggestions and plans?

JKJ
 
John K Jordan said:
Wow, spring pole turner! Welcome to the gathering of woodturning mania. :)

There might be woodturning clubs in your area - one of the best ways to learn more about electrical powered lathes.

I've never used a spring pole lathe but have friends who have. Just a couple of weeks ago we were looking for someone with one do show and demonstrate for a local children's ranch where we sponsor a woodturning program.

I know someone who used to have one and and used both it and the powered lathe.

Such lathes have always fascinated me, especially after reading about the boggers who would travel to the woods and harvest coppiced areas, turn chair legs and such on foot-powered lathes, then move on.

I saw an interesting foot-powered lathe recently at the National Building Museum in DC. It was in a fascinating room they called the "Visible Vault", lots of interesting and sometimes unrelated things in glass cases, cabinets, and large pull-out drawers, thing that other small museums might store out of sight in a vault until needed for a display. It was continuous direction with a manual sewing machine-type foot mechanism.

View attachment 79758

(This museum is close to but not a part of the Smithsonian, well worth the short walk.)

Maybe I should build a spring pole lathe! Do you have any good references with suggestions and plans?

JKJ
Click to expand...
The next time I am in DC I will have to check out the lathe.
I am a member of two clubs in Minnesota and a member of a pole lathe group in the U.K. I went to northern England last year to a festival with 21 pole lathes. Had a great time surrounded by other pole lathe turners.
I have built 11 lathes. The first one was mostly built by eye. The last ones I have used plans that are for sale on www.woodspirthandcraft.com.
 
Gabriel Hoff said:
Welcome @David Susag! One of our club members built a spring pole lathe and I was able to get up close and personal to it over the weekend. It really takes a lot of skill to operate that kind of lathe!
Click to expand...
The main problem that I have with a power lathe is that I walk away and forget to turn it off. I have friends that turn on the pole lathe and when they first start on the power lathe they do the same thing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top