BIG vase turning from You Tube

Frank Fusco

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This from one of the penturning forums.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydDQQQww1AA
He certainly has it down to a system.
I do wonder about the stresses on the lathe bearings. If that Nova holds up for years to that kind of use, it certainly would be an endorsement.
His chainsaw application looks very scary but he, obviously, knows what he is doing.
And, y'all, note, he uses a portable, floor mounted tool rest.
 
I.m sorry but to me it seems a testimony to bad practice. Using a chainsaw on a moving piece of wood, wearing gloves whilst turning. stopping a piece at 500 revs with a file, Starting up withoutchecking if the rest is totally clear...The lathe as a far as I can see has no bed, head and tail are on seperate supports. Its an bad accident waiting to happen.

Pete
 
Looking at the lathe it looks like he has a box frame supporting/connecting the head and tail stocks. He places the tool rest away from the piece and then does final adjustment to the piece after it is spinning. The size of the project has made him make decisions on how to handle such a large piece that requires making calculated choices probably based on his experience and comfort level. There is an incredible initial risk just with the mass and inertia involved with a piece that large.

There are inherent risks that all of us take when using machinery and in my opinion his are not unreasonable based on his experience turning such large pieces. Except for wearing gloves when stopping the piece with the file.

For myself: if I took the time to box frame the lathe I would also make a long tool rest and not use the chainsaw.

But overall I believe I understand why he feels his choices are acceptable for his style of woodworking.

Cheers.
 
I'm not an expert turner, but I've got to think there's a better way to rough that thing out than a running chain saw....

I really like the finished product though.
 
I tend to agree with Dan on this one. He's doing quite a few things that I'd not do, but the guy in the video seems to have his process well thought out, and appears to be comfortable with it.

I think what impressed me the most about his work is how unimpressed I am with his final forms. I'd think one would want something a bit more shapely than "I got it round, so it's done" after going to all that work.
 
They are just kind of slab sided aren't they...

You could probably make something similar with a faux wood finish on a sonotube... :eek:
 
I tend to agree with Dan on this one. He's doing quite a few things that I'd not do, but the guy in the video seems to have his process well thought out, and appears to be comfortable with it.

I think what impressed me the most about his work is how unimpressed I am with his final forms. I'd think one would want something a bit more shapely than "I got it round, so it's done" after going to all that work.

I agree with you. The shape are very basic. However, his technique does not involve hollowing. He does not start with a solid log. The layers have big holes cut in them before glue-up. All he really does is smooth the outside. The 'massivness' is not real, compared to what we are used to the appearance of that big rough hunk on the lathe is very misleading.
 
Hi folks,
I should add that in spite of my scary chainsaw comment, I think his work is pretty good. Very interesting way of getting the large blank into the lathe also.

Bob
 
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When I saw this a couple of months ago, my first thought was of how much patience he takes to get that bunch of wood assembled. Then he has designed and engineered a lot of stuff to make it possible to turn. This guy's no dummy. Then he pulls out the chainsaw. How many rules of safety is he breaking all at the same time. Then to find out that he does none of the inside, well that just blew the whole wonder for me. He could at least do the opening where folks can and will look in. Just the neck is all I'm asking. Like Vaughn suggested, his outter forms are not that great either. Put all that together and once you get over the wow factor of the initial mass and enormity of the piece, you're left with mediocore turning at its best. Of course, this is only my opinion. Your milage may very well vary.
 
When I saw this a couple of months ago, my first thought was of how much patience he takes to get that bunch of wood assembled. Then he has designed and engineered a lot of stuff to make it possible to turn. This guy's no dummy. Then he pulls out the chainsaw. How many rules of safety is he breaking all at the same time. Then to find out that he does none of the inside, well that just blew the whole wonder for me. He could at least do the opening where folks can and will look in. Just the neck is all I'm asking. Like Vaughn suggested, his outter forms are not that great either. Put all that together and once you get over the wow factor of the initial mass and enormity of the piece, you're left with mediocore turning at its best. Of course, this is only my opinion. Your milage may very well vary.

It's a commercial thing for him. It looks like he has hit on a successful product to sell. If they sell and he profits what we think of technique or style doesn't matter a whit.
 
Frank, you are right about that. However, should one of us have the desire to knock off his idea, then by discussing it and thinking about it, we'll have an idea of how to make the final product even better than the original.
 
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