Has any one built a bowl lathe

[ELHEAD]

I would like to turn up to 16". Considering a build or riser mod to my old Delta 12". What HP, shaft size, treadmill motor or vfd. Suggestions appreciated.
Dave

 

[silverhawk]

For bowl turning, you need to slow it down. For 16", you will need to slow it down a lot. A small side effect of that is a less powerful motor becomes a bit more torquey (horse power isn't what you want, it's toque). Ther question is are you going to be making bowls out od exotic woods, like iron wood? That stuff dulled my wood chisels badly.

If you are doing the really hard woods, a 1hp motor should do nicely. For wood, I don't think you need much more than 1hp. Overkill doesn't always hurt (unless you get a chisel in the wrong place). My 1/3 hp motor does fine for smaller diameters. Do you have a regular wood lathe? You might be able to build something off of the back side if the spindle to handle bowls, depending on threads.

joe

 

[francist]

I can turn 20” diameter on the outboard side of my old Sagar. 1hp motor, belt drive with 4-step pulley, 450 rpm is lowest speed and 2250 the highest. Spindle is 1” - 10 tpi.

-frank

 

[T Bredehoft]

I gotta tell you, I really like your work on the top left bowl, the white (no idea what wood it is) wood with the bark still on it. The purposeful lack of symetry is what appeals to me. Usually it's grain that appeals to me, but that takes the cake.

 

[f350ca]

A lathe is on my list Dave. A bowl lathe capable of maybe a 24 to 30 inch swing was my first thought, then it morphed into a complete lathe with a long bed that reversed to turn bowls on the end of the headstock. My old Rockwell has a left hand thread on the outside for this but thought reversing the spindle would be easier and use a conventional thread. Variable speed would be a must, my Rockwell uses a Reeves type drive to accomplish it but thought a stepped pulley for ranges and a 3 phase motor with a VFD to fine tune would be the best.
Can't see needing more than 1 hp if your holding the chisel by hand.

Greg

 

[silverhawk]

My old Rockwell has a left hand thread on the outside for this but thought reversing the spindle would be easier and use a conventional thread.

Actually, left handed thread on the outboard would be what someone would want to turn on the outboard side of a spindle. If you reverse the spindle, you could have the resistance of turning the work piece causing it to come loose all the time. If the outboard end of the lathe spindle is left hand, you just need a face plate/ chuck to match that thread, and then some sort of tool rest structure to get you the clearance you need.

joe

 

[f350ca]

Sorry for the confusion Joe, I meant reverse the rotation of the spindle.
Interesting note, the cast iron Rockwell face plate has a 1" 8tpi left and right hand thread cut in it, to go on either end of the spindle. The threads criss cross and form a diamond pattern.

Greg

 

[silverhawk]

Sorry for the confusion Joe, I meant reverse the rotation of the spindle.
Interesting note, the cast iron Rockwell face plate has a 1" 8tpi left and right hand thread cut in it, to go on either end of the spindle. The threads criss cross and form a diamond pattern.

Greg

That will do it.

joe

 

[ELHEAD]

I gotta tell you, I really like your work on the top left bowl, the white (no idea what wood it is) wood with the bark still on it. The purposeful lack of symetry is what appeals to me. Usually it's grain that appeals to me, but that takes the cake.

Thanks Tom, that bowl is plain ole sugar maple, blown down In my neighbors yard.
Dave

 

[mike44]

I would like to turn up to 16". Considering a build or riser mod to my old Delta 12". What HP, shaft size, treadmill motor or vfd. Suggestions appreciated.
DaveView attachment 315221

There is a Taunton book by Richard Raffan that has 3 excellent drawings and articles on building a lathe. One of the drawings is for a heavy duty bowl lathe. For small turnings he describes the " beer box lathe". I made the lathe described as 8'0" long lathe. I made my lathe 6'-0 as I did not need the full length. I made this lathe 20+ years ago and still use it occasionally. I do mostly spindle turning.