Big bowls?

[Kevin J Lalonde]

Just wondering why I dont see alot of the 16" or bigger bowls from some of you guys with the bigger swings? I have turned a few green bowls of the 18" "with the outrigger" on the DVR and cant wait for the year to pass so I can finish them. I cut a 36" diameter tree a few weeks ago and have 8 huge pieces of walnut to get started on. Although I did fill 2 trashcans while hollowing the piece since I havent gotten a coring system yet. Just a question. thanks

[alex carey]

Big bowls are fairly hard to sell, the market for them is much smaller.
They take up a lot more space and take longer to dry.
Most people can't come by such big pieces or they can't handle them.


I certainly think they are much more fun but overall it's just harder.

[Mike Minto]

kevin, that question should answer itself, really; like alex said, not many folks come across logs of that size (i never do, anyway) and having the equip to transport, cut and then mount such a thing is something i would guess not everyone with a large swing lathe is capable of doing. many who have such big machines are older guys, finally able to afford that dream machine. my thought, anyway.

[Sean Hughto]

Ohhh ...

I like big bowls and I can not lie
You other brothers can't deny
that when a big 'ol burl
want to take a twirl
You just gotta ride that bevel

;-)

[Rick Hutcheson]

I have turned some 16" bowls on my lahe. They do take a lot longer to turn than say a 12" bowl. Then like they say they are just too big to have nmuch use. Finding the wood to turn that large has not been a problem, I just like turning the 12" and smaller more.

[Jeff Nicol]

Kevin, I have the 3520B and I have turned many 16" -19" pieces and have sold a few. The thing I really bought the big lathe for is tall floor vases and large hollow forms. I plan on doing some large wall hangings also and they will be turned off the end of the lathe to get upwards of 4' in dia. These will be glue ups to get the large blanks, I have big dreams!

We each have our reasons for the big lathe and most of the time it is the future will bring us the right piece of wood or the inspiration.

Jeff

[Frank Kobilsek]

Kevin,

All of the above is true but here is the real truth - You are obviuosly much younger than I. I'll see 50 next summer, God willing, and this past Saturday I roughed a 23" walnut blank. Parts of me still hurt.

Real big requires real youthful enthusiaim and real youthful bodies.

Frank

[Jim Kountz]

My lathe can only go up to 16" but for me thats plenty enough. Ive done quite a number at 15"+ and after loading them on the lathe, roughing them out and coring them Im about a beat pup. Yeah its fun afterwards to look at the huge bowl but that novelty wore off pretty quick for me personally. I will do some more in the future that size but its not going to something I do regularly.

[Ryan Baker]

I turned and cored another 16" blank this weekend (which is my lathe capacity without going outboard). It's a lot of work and really slow to turn blanks that size (except for those who have band saws large enough to round out such blanks). There's nowhere to put more than a couple bowls that size either. I'd much rather work on smaller bowls (say, 8-12"). Of course, I don't often have logs that size to play with anyway.

[alex carey]

Sean that was great.

[Greg Just]

I rarely get wood that big

[Bernie Weishapl]

I have turned 5 bowls 16" or bigger. I have sold one. They just don't sell well and had been sitting on the shelf for a couple of years. I finally gave them away to family. My biggest sellers are from 10" to 14". The others are also right. 16" and bigger are a lot of work.

[Sean Hughto]

Thanks, Alex. It's nice to know someone got it. I'm guessing that this forum doesn't necessarily attract too many from the Sir Mix-alot demographic?

[Prashun Patel]

I like big bowls and I can not lie

Nicely done.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Kevin,

I have a PM3520B and just recently I turned the biggest thing I have turned yet. It started out as a 20" bandsawed table top 8/4" cheery that I then turned to about 19 5/8".

I also bought the bed extension. So I can turn out to 53" in length.

Having extra capacity seldom hurts.