Newbie question here. Can a lathe make a 20" bowl? The ones I have seen look smaller. Does it require a special extra large lathe? If so, any suggestions on what I should buy? thanks
Dan
Something of that size is only realistic for a very serious woodturner, but 20" is not unheard of on a more common full size lathe. A large bowl may not be the best project to start learning to turn, though. My $.02 is take a woodturning class before shelling out a few grand on a big lathe.
Its hard to store 20" bowls in most cabinets with 12 to 14 inch shelves. They do make great center piece on table with dry flower arrangements. Most turners sell bowls in 12" or 14" range and smaller serving bowls.
Thing haven't mentioned before thinking about big lathes you should consider is your access to wood and how often will come across big bowl blanks. Depending upon your budget and access to wood either a 12", 16" or 18" lathe might serve you better. Not a big fin of outboard turning although some turners have no problem with it.
If got the budget, strength to process and lift those big bad boy blanks go for it!
I have a Vega 2600, which can make a 26" platter/bowl. There are many lathes available with swings of 20" and more. As others have said though, this size may not be the best if you are looking to sell them, and not the best to start out on.
I would be concerned with the attributes of your lathe, such as speed, face plate, spindle size etc. At 600 rpms, the rim speed of a 20" off balance blank would be scary. If this is a one time attempt, do your best with what you have.
Due to time and waste created turning large bowl blanks most turners resort to coring system or boring bars so don't waste lot of wood and get more than one bowl out of a big blank. These tools don't have the same limitations with reach over the tool rest you have with a bowl gouge plus don't waste wood and get more than one bowl out of a large blank.
Boring bars started out homemade but think might fine one or two companies sell them can go more than 18". Not for faint of heart due to skill require to be successful! Not sure if any turners still use them but could be wrong.
The lamp you designed in not hard to turn basically talking about four pieces. You would need a skilled turner with larger lathe with ability to hollow thin or less than 1/4". Might have more luck with smaller diameters. Don't know any turners that would turn something like that for you unless involved big bucks!
The top or finial bowl turned thin, upside down closed form bowl or shade, and vase body, and base. The finial & base not much of a problem with conventional turning tools. Finding the right size lamp loader (weight) for the base could be an issue. Simple hollowing tools will take care of shade and base. Only issue is hollowing them thin enough for your purposes.
Had bunch of long leaf pine turned into lamps tops and bases hollowed to almost uniform thickness of 1/4". The finial single piece drilled & turned.
My lathe only has 16" swing and although turning for lot of years only started hollow turning 4 or five years and still go thru sides now & then even with my laser assist. https://www.lumberjocks.com/projects/169770
Ok, thanks for all the info. I am thinking that this model is just too hard to prototype and I will sadly have to shelve it.
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