Could this technique make lathe turning of bowls obsolete?

It’s a neat idea but doesn’t make a very appealing looking bowl. I didn’t like the little decorative cuts at the end either.

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cool idea but it will never replace a lathe

-- when I am not on Lumberjocks I am on @ http://thisoldworkshop.com where we allow free speech

Interesting idea but I think I will stick with the lathe.

-- Jeff W., Boston, MA area, http://aspiringwoodworker.com

All the bowls will have the radius of the saw blade. If that’s what a person wants, they won’t need to buy a lathe. To me, not too interesting, in terms of variation and/or style.

Seems a lot of trouble to go through, building multiple jigs with circle cutters, etc., to make one size bowl, and that’s it.

Part of me cringed whenever he raised the blade on the piece. I’d never feel comfortable with that setup.

-- ian | "You can't stop what's coming. It ain't all waiting on you. That's vanity."

I don’t think the lathe industry has anything to worry about. That has got to be the ugliest bowl I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen some seriously ugly bowls.

Not to mention that looks like one dangerous way to use a table saw.

-- I'll grow up when ketchup bottle farts stop being funny.

I’m on the same page – thought it was very interesting technique on the use of the table saw but like Shampeon said a lot of work to make one size bowel. Ted right – the lathe industry has nothing to worry about. Besides, using a lathe is fun. It’s playing in the workshop and I like to play at times.

-- Bernie: It never gets hot or cold in New Hampshire, just seasonal!

I was not impressed by this either. I did not want to impact the initial response by offering an opinion ;-)) ;-))

-- "some old things are lovely, warm still with life ... of the forgotten men who made them." - D.H. Lawrence Wake Up America!! Please read; http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/01/26-0

There was once a LJ named BentleyJ (remember him? I miss him actually, he was a good and knowledgeable woodworker who was very helpful on the forums). Anyway, he has left the site and had all his projects etc deleted. But he had posted a project of an octagonal bowl done in a manner similar to this. The one thing that I remember about his project post was the number of comments from people who thought this was unsafe. I think we can see from the video that it is not necessarily as unsafe as people may have imagied.

But I doubt anybody is going to get rid of their lathe to do this instead.

-- I may have lost my marbles, but I still have my love of woodworking

This idea maybe is good for hollowing a spherical shape like a soccer ball, if we could reach full half blade by hollow two halves and then glue them together and finish the outside on the lathe. After all, it is just a challenge.

-- Sam Shakouri / CREATING WONDERS WITH WOOD.....Sydney,Australia....

You can make quite a large cove molding by a similar method. Two rails (2X4s, maybe) clamped diagonally across the saw table, centered on the blade, and of a width to accommodate the size of cove you want. You then raise the blade in small increments, and slide the stock diagonally across the blade. Sounds scary, but I don’t think very dangerous, as the blade is covered at all times. I have done this, and it works.
I don’t think this guy’s technique is really dangerous either, as the blade is covered at all times, and the jig prevents the “bowl” from getting hurled across the shop. No way you can contact the blade unless something really freakish happens.
I agree the bowl is unattractive, and all your bowls would be exactly the same style, even if different sizes. Boring. But what really annoys me about videos like this is it’s supposed to be a demo, but it’s almost all talk. He starts to do a step, and then backs up so he can say more about it, then starts again, then talks some more, yadda yadda yadda. If the demo is well done, there should be little need for a lot of palaver.

As far as thinking outside the box goes and using what you have in the shop it’s a smart way to get a
bowl from a table saw.
However, the bowl depth is very little compared to the thickness of the blank.

Thanks for sharing Topa, but this vid makes me love my little lathe and all her baby chisels even more.

-- A family man has photos in his wallet where his money used to be.

Hi Bob. I can appreciate the ingenuity of this approach, but frankly it is a ridiculous and monumental gimmicky waste of time. That said it’s always entertaining to see woodworking’s mad men ideas. So thanks for posting this.

-- Mike, American in Norway

This is one of those rare post where all the real woodworkers agree. I am also in that camp. However it was interesting to see the video. I haven’t turned a lot of bowls, but each one I have turned is unique and different style.

Bill

-- Bill R

With this method the wood has no say as to what it becomes. The reason I like my lathe is because I never know what the bowl, or most things I turn for that matter, will look like going in. I’m far from being any kind of good turner but as I begin to turn it sorta starts to take shape in my mind and I go from there. When you think of it when you don’t know what it will be you can’t be disappointed with the results. Less it bust on you. Haaa Haaa

-- Dewayne in Bainbridge, Ga. - - No one can make you mad. Only you decide when you get mad - -