You can turn small things on a big lathe...

[Bill in Buena Park]

But you can't turn big things on a small lathe - I believe that is how the saying goes. If this video is any indication, I wasn't thinking big enough when I bought my lathe. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30zO31Xwud8

[capncarl]

That's scary. I like how he finally got someone to hold the start button on for him. I was suprised he didn't use a chain saw to do the rough in work while the lathe was spinning?

[Black wallnut]

I like that video. Looks like normal lathe work but on a bigger scale. Like making a 3/4" spindle out of a 2x2. The first cuts are a bit rough.

[gerti]

Just watching that made my heart rate go up!

[phrog]

To paraphrase Crocodile Dundee: "Now, 'at's a lathe."

Can you imagine the momentum?

Where does one buy a lathe that size?

[cwsmith]

Watching that guy do that initial start-up and cut, my first thought was "Are you out of your mind!!!?" I could just imagine that tree trunk coming of the spindle and flattening him into one big blood smear... like a giant rolling pin.

I remember taking 4 x 4 stock down to make tapered legs on desks we were making in a shop class. (My only experience with a lathe.) It was initially uncomfortable, until those corners came off. I didn't like that after the initial leg, started taking the blanks to the band saw where I could cut the corners down.

I think more could have been done to even up the surface before it went to the lathe, but even then it seems significantly dangerous. I would think that before anyone started this kind of huge project, they'd make some kind of brace or cage that would keep the log from coming back on them should it tear loose. Not being a turner, I don't have any experience to tell me whether or not it's a significant threat though.

Considering the danger there (my perception anyway), I'm not sure the final piece was worth the effort. Not sure though whether he was looking for a smooth, even piece or that he actually likes the uneven, discolored look with the severe splits.

CWS

[capncarl]

Watching the Alaska Bowl company cut bowls out of 16-18" hunks of tree trunks was kinda scary and they had guards all over the lathes.

The turner reminds me of a dear friend long gone. He owned an auto repair shop and I worked there on and off, I saw him,do some things that looked as dangerous as this many times and never got killed, hurt some but not killed. One memorable moment he was pulling the engine out of a TR3 using the hydraulic car lift for the hoist with a 2x4 across the ramps for the chain. It seems that the engine mounts had not been undone so when the hoist lifted the engine the car came up with it. When the motor mounts finally broke it launched the engine about 10 feet and it landed in the drivers seat! Not pretty. Glad no one was sitting there. His best stunt was driving a Jaguar XKE off the car lift. He had been adjusting something underneath and got in it to check it, put it in gear and drove it off, onto the other car in the facing stall.

[poolhound]

Literally the first words into my head were OMG!