I'm making a set of oval bowls. A few test cuts to verify the most pleasing oval shape.
The "optimum techniques" thread got me to thinking, what's the optimal way to make an oval bowl? The Vicmarc attachment at around $3500 plus that much more for a lathe large enough to use the attachment? Then add in gouges and a$$ociated sharpening equipment. After all that expense you've still got a difficult machine to work with.
The picture shows two degrees of oval-ness in maple. the other is test cut in rough desert iron wood that the oval hardly shows up. Note the smoothness and no need to sand. Cuts were made with 2 flute HSS ball end mills (better cutting geometry than wood router bits).

A few years back I posted about this and a lynch mob came after me. "It's not woodturning" blah, blah, blah. So what? A good many of the art pieces published in the journal aren't turned either. Anyway, I have the feeling a number of the forum regulars now have CNC and more are sure to come.
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The "optimum techniques" thread got me to thinking, what's the optimal way to make an oval bowl? The Vicmarc attachment at around $3500 plus that much more for a lathe large enough to use the attachment? Then add in gouges and a$$ociated sharpening equipment. After all that expense you've still got a difficult machine to work with.
The picture shows two degrees of oval-ness in maple. the other is test cut in rough desert iron wood that the oval hardly shows up. Note the smoothness and no need to sand. Cuts were made with 2 flute HSS ball end mills (better cutting geometry than wood router bits).

A few years back I posted about this and a lynch mob came after me. "It's not woodturning" blah, blah, blah. So what? A good many of the art pieces published in the journal aren't turned either. Anyway, I have the feeling a number of the forum regulars now have CNC and more are sure to come.
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