Turners check this out!

Al, that Canadian fella is bush league. This is a big bowl lathe:

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I can't find the video of this one, but it's out there somewhere. :D

As an aside, the dropped extension bed on my Powermatic lathe gives me the capacity to handle a 3' bowl. It's just hard finding a 3' blank. It's also hard finding a buyer for a 3' bowl. ;)
 

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Yep, wat Vaughn said. In fact my Grizzly at the end of the bed or doing the swivel head thing will go over 3'. There are some high end (price wise) lathes that are dedicated for bowls that do big stuff. What those guys are doing with the van looks dangerous to me.
 
Al, that Canadian fella is bush league.
Literally and figuratively ;)

The dropped extension bed on my Powermatic lathe gives me the capacity to handle a 3' bowl. It's just hard finding a 3' blank. It's also hard finding a buyer for a 3' bowl. ;)

Vaughn, you need to step up and ditch the extension bed and move to the outboard turning stand.. Then you can go center to floor which is .. large .. 6'? Maybe 7'?

More seriously I have the extension bed (came as part of a package deal) and ~1.5 years later still haven't decided if I want it in high or low mode yet so have left it in the box until. I have actually turned a few spindle like things (large spoons mostly) where a couple of inches of length would have been useful and the idea of turning a bowl larger than the lathes natural swing scares the poop out of me. OTOH I have plans to eventually do some spinning wheels and could definitely use the swing for those (using the lathe to do the finish true up and profiling on the outside).. Decisions decisions...
 
Ryan, I mounted my extension bed before I ever used the lathe. I figured that was as good of place to store it as any. ;) It's not too hard to move from one position to the other (especially if you've got someone to help). I've used in in both the upper and lower positions, although it generally stays in the lower position. I seldom have a need to turn anything as big as it can handle, but the lower position works as a handy spot to set the tailstock when I need to remove it from the upper bed.

I could see using the extra capacity for things like spinning wheels or tabletops. I've turned a couple of 22" to 24" bowls, and while the challenge is fun, there really isn't much market for bowls that size. They are hard to store, they're too large for most shelves, and they pretty much overtake any table they are put on.
 
Ryan, I mounted my extension bed before I ever used the lathe. I figured that was as good of place to store it as any. ;) It's not too hard to move from one position to the other (especially if you've got someone to help). I've used in in both the upper and lower positions, although it generally stays in the lower position. I seldom have a need to turn anything as big as it can handle, but the lower position works as a handy spot to set the tailstock when I need to remove it from the upper bed.

I could see using the extra capacity for things like spinning wheels or tabletops. I've turned a couple of 22" to 24" bowls, and while the challenge is fun, there really isn't much market for bowls that size. They are hard to store, they're too large for most shelves, and they pretty much overtake any table they are put on.

Good to know its easy to move; I have some open joists over it so could hook up a small winch easy enough :D

Right now it would be in the way of my back door in either position, I need to move everything ~18" to the left before I assemble it anyway and it hasn't been compelling to do so yet.
 
Reading the comments on the video, I can't believe that some folks are offended by the humor. (threatening to cancel their Fine Woodworking subscription) One guy tried to deflect the issue by claiming the video was actually made by Yoopers, of course he exposed his ignorance by not knowing how to spell the term. You have to admire the effort and ingenuity to come up with the idea and actually do it. What else is a person supposed to do when there is 3-4 ft. of snow on the ground and it's cold enough to freeze your brain clear through in 5 minuets. I'm surprised they haven't hooked an air hose up to the end of the turning pipe to keep the tip clear.

Just to set the record straight. that particular accent is not indigenous to just Canada, I've heard it right clear in both "Nordern Mini-soda" an "da yooperland" I should know, I'm a proud yooper by marriage!
 
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