Pole Lathe

I started learning about wood turning this past week. Although the person I am learning from uses an electrical lathe, I am planning on building of these next summer.



Anybody has experience with those?

He has a sense of humour

http://fr.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bodger

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodging#Cultural_references

Don't know if it's used in the us?

Very northen english word.

You gotta be into very specific things to hear the word bodger here, but you can run into it if you try!!

Are you building your pole lathe? What about a tredle? Tredle give you continuos movement, that can be very beneficial to the finish, especially when you are starting out.....

That is another option, the only criteria I have is that I don't want to invest in a motorized one.

The skill counts for at least as much as the tool.

An electric motor is nice if you're in a hurry.


You will develop (arguably better) skills running a very low power (hand or foot) lathe. Tool sharpness is not just critical, it won't work without it.

Here's another fascinating data point where a guy makes a chess piece with a minimal foot powered lathe and one turning tool...



It doesn't have to be fancy to do good work.

It's also much harder to injure yourself on a low powered lathe.

Well said Troy!

Hand tool use is far superior in both the finished product and the ability to teach the user. Unfourtunately it is a part of tradeswork that has been in decline for a long time, and I don't see the youth picking it up in great numbers....

Wow! That guy with the bow lathe is talented!

Here is another really good one!