# Has any one built a bowl lathe



## ELHEAD (Feb 29, 2020)

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


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## silverhawk (Feb 29, 2020)

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


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## francist (Mar 1, 2020)

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


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## T Bredehoft (Mar 1, 2020)

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.


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## f350ca (Mar 1, 2020)

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


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## silverhawk (Mar 1, 2020)

f350ca said:


> 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


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## f350ca (Mar 1, 2020)

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


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## silverhawk (Mar 1, 2020)

f350ca said:


> 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


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## ELHEAD (Mar 1, 2020)

T Bredehoft said:


> 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


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## mike44 (May 11, 2020)

ELHEAD said:


> 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
> 
> 
> ...



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.


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## ELHEAD (May 11, 2020)

Thanks  Mike, I used to do a lot of furniture repair/ refinish. I did quite a bit o spindle turning then, but self employment stopped that type work. Now I just hate to throw a beautifully grained piece of wood into the wood heater. I will look into Raffans book. Did he do more than one book . What is the title?
Dave


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## tony a (May 11, 2020)

I do some wood turning, mainly hollow forms and bowls and I would go at least 2 hp. Looking at your work above you appear to have good skill levels, as getting a big catch with a big motor will be ugly. My current lathe has a 1 hp motor and I  regularly stall it on heavy cuts. I would definitely go for a vfd, three phase motor with a single phase in to three phase out vfd. Build it heavy, that will add to the stability of the machine and reduce vibration.


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## John O (May 11, 2020)

Have you looked at the ONEWAY lathe design, a friend has one and is very happy with it.


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## gcaldicott (May 11, 2020)

I have a Blount Patternmaker's lathe that will turn 20" over the bed and quite a lot more outboard.  It has a 2 hp, 4 speed motor plus a VFD for speed control.  The spindle is 1-1/2" 10 TPI.  The outboard spindle has geared speed reduction.  I think it turns about half the speed of the spindle over the bed.  I would not go less than 2hp.


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## tony a (May 11, 2020)

gcaldicott said:


> I have a Blount Patternmaker's lathe that will turn 20" over the bed and quite a lot more outboard.  It has a 2 hp, 4 speed motor plus a VFD for speed control.  The spindle is 1-1/2" 10 TPI.  The outboard spindle has geared speed reduction.  I think it turns about half the speed of the spindle over the bed.  I would not go less than 2hp.



That is magnificent old lathe you have there sir.


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## ELHEAD (May 11, 2020)

I have a Blount Patternmaker's lathe that will turn 20" over the bed and quite a lot more outboard. It has a 2 hp, 4 speed motor plus a VFD for speed control. The spindle is 1-1/2" 10 TPI. The outboard spindle has geared speed reduction. I think it turns about half the speed of the spindle over the bed. I would not go less than 2hp.

Love that lathe. How much does it weigh?
Thanks for the input Tony.
John I  will look into the ONEWAY, thanks
Dave


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## gcaldicott (May 11, 2020)

The lathe weighs about 1,300 lbs.


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## mike44 (May 14, 2020)

ELHEAD said:


> Thanks  Mike, I used to do a lot of furniture repair/ refinish. I did quite a bit o spindle turning then, but self employment stopped that type work. Now I just hate to throw a beautifully grained piece of wood into the wood heater. I will look into Raffans book. Did he do more than one book . What is the title?
> Dave



I was mistaken about the author. The book is LATHES AND TURNING TECHNIQUES , this is from the best of fine woodworking.
The heavy duty lathe starts on page 75. Richard Raffan is an accomplished turner and author but he did not write this book.
mike


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## ELHEAD (May 14, 2020)

Thanks , mike
Dave


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## Capt45 (May 16, 2020)

My next door neighbor has one he hasn't used in a few years that's built like a tank.  Probably sell if someone made him a good offer.  I'll try and get some pics so you'd know of which I speak.


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## rock_breaker (May 23, 2020)

Beautiful work. 
A cousin does this with Aspen, his lathe is similar to the left end of the lathes discussed here, home built. The chisel rest is on a stand so it can be moved easily and my guess at his homemade chisel length is 30". He hunts for particular shapes for his work and I believe he travels to Arizona to sell his work. 
Have a good day
Ray


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## Braeden P (Oct 1, 2020)

My grandfather build t lathe can hold a 4ft diameter piece of wood, bolted down to the floor has a 3ph 3hp motor with a 2 to 1 reduction with two pillow block bearings a 12in by 3in piece of round steel as an face plate plus 1000lbs of steel plates on the base and he made vases 3ft deep on wood 200 years old. That thing is big and scary.


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## silverhawk (Oct 2, 2020)

Braeden P said:


> My grandfather build t lathe can hold a 4ft diameter piece of wood, bolted down to the floor has a 3ph 3hp motor with a 2 to 1 reduction with two pillow block bearings a 12in by 3in piece of round steel as an face plate plus 1000lbs of steel plates on the base and he made vases 3ft deep on wood 200 years old. That thing is big and scary.


Can you obtain pictures? That sounds amazing. 

joe


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## Braeden P (Oct 5, 2020)

silverhawk said:


> Can you obtain pictures? That sounds amazing.
> 
> joe


maybe not for awhile but i will try once i get my shop built that will be its new home


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## ELHEAD (Oct 23, 2020)

Sorry for no replies folks. Father in law, 91, broke hip in May, took sister that lives in FL from my home in AL to Mayo in MN in June for open heart surgery. Then major home maintenance for months, finally a little slow down. Maybe a chance o think more about lathe project. Only one bowl turned since last spring as a gift to be given away for a breast cancer charity golf tourney run by a friend . I prayCovid has not fought any of you unprepared.
Dave


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## silverhawk (Oct 24, 2020)

We can wait. Take the time you need to ensure family is good. Wishing your family a speedy recovery. 

joe


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## Braeden P (Nov 14, 2020)

There is 1000lbs of steel to hold it down and bolted to 8 inch concrete the face plate is 4 inches thick and 16 inches across with a 3 horsepower motor with a 6 to 1 belt reduction and about 1000 rpm motor with VFD.


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## silverhawk (Nov 14, 2020)

Whoa! A16" face plate with all of that. You could turn some seriously hard woods with that - those tough to turn things most of us like to see done. You have some marvelous capacity with that gem!

joe


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## Braeden P (Nov 14, 2020)

silverhawk said:


> Whoa! A16" face plate with all of that. You could turn some seriously hard woods with that - those tough to turn things most of us like to see done. You have some marvelous capacity with that gem!
> 
> joe


My grandfather spent about 40 hours making vases that are 3 feet wide and 5 feet tall and the one tree was 211 years old quite amazing once I get my shop I will probably turn bowls but he had to use an engine jack to pick up the logs.


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## f350ca (Nov 14, 2020)

Now thats impressive !!!!
A bowl lathe is on my list of to does, but probably not that grand.

Greg


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## ELHEAD (Nov 16, 2020)

Talked to a guy the other day, he tells me his bowl lathe is powered by a 36 hp Isuzu diesel. Didn't even ask about capacity but did get directions to his shop and a phone #. Gotta see this. I really think it's a bit of overkill for me though. I'll try to get pics.
Dave


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