Thread: Making a vertical lathe - and very large bowls

So you want the work piece to be horizontal, you having to lean over the piece to shape it, be in the line of fire . . . . You would have to be able to fix your blank to the platen in both orientations, as a big blank has terrific centripetal force even at low speed (<50rpm). Also, how high is the lathe? I have a stuffed back, so leaning over a workpiece for any length of time is out.

Just a few questions. Have you drawn up a plan? Looked at the physics?

Not saying it's impossible, but maybe not efficent or practical or safe.

I have only been turning for about 26 years, and have made bowls/platters 500mm and larger over that time. A dedicated bowl lathe is available from several different sources, and many have made their own, but I have never seen reference to a "vertical" lathe. Maybe all those points you made seem valid to you, but a normal wood lathe with beefed up headstock bearing arrangements and a heavier shaft will do the job. The only other comment I have is, that I hope you have very strong and long-lasting back muscles and spine, to cope with all the bending your "vertical" lathe will force you to do. A dedicated bowl lathe, or even one with a swivel head, will allow you to turn larger bowls and platters in a great deal more comfort, standing right in front of the piece you are turning. Good luck! Doug .

A vertical lathe is something that has been thought of at some level. There are attachments you can get to use a drill press as a vertical lathe.

What you say about gravity and balance makes a lot of sense. However while this might be good for holding the work you would be fighting against gravity in using your tools.

Either way I would be interested in following what you do. I imagine an 'L' shape tool rest to hold your chisel up and to hold it against rotational force at the same time would be in order.

Relatively cheap would be a basic swivel head lathe which would let you swing a larger bowl along the length of your bed.

1 there is no getting out of the line of fire.
2 unusual tool positions holding the tool above the work rather than at your side as the depth increases or decreases
you would be stooping or on a ladder.
3 bending overt he work I didn't think of originally until I thought about holding the tools and getting the swing you
may want to use on the handle good chance for a catch to clipp one in the head.
4 fixture would be the same as on a horizontal set up



For platters have you considered a "T" shaped lathe?
for bowls it is hard to beat several of the inexpensive yet very robust DIY designs out there.

The issue - as many previous responses pointed out - is that using a HAND-HELD tool is always going to be too dangerous. However, in metalwork, vertical lathes are common for large objects: https://www.google.com.au/search?q=v...w=1366&bih=643
If you were thinking of mechanically positioning your cutting tools then this is not such a silly idea.
The other option is to use 'live' tools (a router for example), positioning and holding that mechanically and using very slow rotational speed might make for a whole new concept!
On the other hand, large bowls are turned the 'conventional way' too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEO43Zo6CbY

Originally Posted by jhovel

The issue - as many previous responses pointed out - is that using a HAND-HELD tool is always going to be too dangerous. However, in metalwork, vertical lathes are common for large objects: https://www.google.com.au/search?q=v...w=1366&bih=643
If you were thinking of mechanically positioning your cutting tools then this is not such a silly idea.
The other option is to use 'live' tools (a router for example), positioning and holding that mechanically and using very slow rotational speed might make for a whole new concept!
On the other hand, large bowls are turned the 'conventional way' too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEO43Zo6CbY

Yes, I did intend to use some method of mechanically positioning and holding the tool. This was going to be the subject of a second post - I was keeping the topics separate in the hope of concentrating on the engineering aspects of spinning the bowl first. I can see now it probably wasnt the best way to approach the subject.

I am interested in a mechanical tool holding because I have Injuries to my hands and arms which make prolonged holding of turning tools too difficult.

However, some good points have been raised. I cant help thinking that even if a mechanical cutter did most of the work I would still need to do plenty of finish work with hand tools and I dont think that would be possible.

I also doubt my ability to make an effective tool holder.

Its starting to sound like a misguided attempt to reinvent something that doesnt need reinventing. Thanks for the guidance so far.

Cheers
Arron

Now you are moving into an area that I have some experience! My dad started out using converted metal lathes in the late 1940's. He ran a production wood turning business for over 60 years. The lathes I have built are a little different. all can be used freehand but they are made to be copy lathes. they are not CNC. I use a typical tool holder for a metal lathe and typical tooling for metal but sharpened for cutting wood. the cross feed screw is replaced with a lever and a template is mounted behind the bed for a finger on the cross slide dust cover to follow. I have adapted lathes for the physically challenged with specialized tooling and user specific adaptations. I would be happy to help any way I can.

Hi all, Sounds like we are getting into the likes of Stephen Hogbin who was mentioned in an earlier post he did a lot of experimental (out there) work on extremely large turntable with an articulated arm with a router attached to the end of the arm. He made some really wild sculptures on it. There were several photo's as I recall in the book he did while here in Australia.
Regards Rod.

Try thinking about a truck differential and rear axle. They would be strong and depending on the ratio maybe turn the wheel hub with a motor, effectively reversing the ratio. eg one turn of tailshaft = 3 turns of wheels. therefore 3 turns of the wheel then only 1 turn of tailshaft. There would be ways to easily mount a faceplate and driving attachment for wheel/axle. as the diff and wheels are mounted to a vehicle body they should be able to be adapted for a solid horizontal mount, to have the tailshaft end vertical.
I hope you can understand the idea. I know others have used this method for large horizontal turning, so adapting it for vertical shouldn't be too much more.
Lyle.

It strikes me that there are two major issues.

1. It is easier to balance a blank vertically when it can freely fall to the bottom.
2. Waste falls off a "normal' lathe - a vertical lathe work area would always be choked with sawdust unless a blower or DC can be attached.

Comments from other members are equally valid - if you are re-engineering a CNC machine, limiting it to a single axis rotary table seems a backward step.

Attaching a conventional rotary table to a Wood Wizz would seem cheaper and more capable.

Best of luck!

Originally Posted by Lyle

Try thinking about a truck differential and rear axle. They would be strong and depending on the ratio maybe turn the wheel hub with a motor, effectively reversing the ratio. eg one turn of tailshaft = 3 turns of wheels. therefore 3 turns of the wheel then only 1 turn of tailshaft. There would be ways to easily mount a faceplate and driving attachment for wheel/axle. as the diff and wheels are mounted to a vehicle body they should be able to be adapted for a solid horizontal mount, to have the tailshaft end vertical.
I hope you can understand the idea. I know others have used this method for large horizontal turning, so adapting it for vertical shouldn't be too much more.
Lyle.

the differential is a reduction from drive shaft to wheel the drive shaft makes more turns than the wheel does. I used one for a machine to cut granite circles up to 8 feet in diameter and it was set so the granite was horizontal.

On a "normal " lathe gravity is actually helping you do the turning as the wood is falling on the tool spo to speak instead of you having to push the tool down.

But having also done pottery and turned the foot of bowls maybe it would work. The chisels would need to be differant through. In pottery the tool is a loop tool with the blade perpendicular to the handle. Like the hook tools that are used to do bowls on pole lathes. And you might need to sit like a potter to do it.

Holding the tools like a metal lathe would be taking all the fun out of it for me.

If you want to trial it before a major commitment you could mound a mini lathe on its end and jut try some stuff first

I actually love to see someone trying something outside the box


Dave the turning cowboy

turning wood into art

Proserpine Big Bowl. Their web site is down, do a Google search and talk to some turners about the big bowl.