If you are familiar with regular pole lathes you will have noticed that mine doesn’t look like any you have seen before. When you are turning large lumps of wood using aggressive tools then you need a machine that is going to take the strain. My first lathe was based on the one used by George Lailey which is the centre piece display at the Museum of English Rural Life at Reading. Since then I have bilt others and found illustrations of many lathes dating back to Medieval times all of which are documented in my book.
My tools are also not like the average pole lathe turner’s and there are rather a lot of them! I make these “hook tools” myself from tool steel and each one does a slightly different job.
I don’t sell tools and haven’t yet found anybody who makes reliable tools for a beginner. If you want to try some I recommend you find somebody locally who does blacksmithing or learn it yourself. Here’s a short clip of me hand forging some new bowl turning hook tools and also having a go on a power hammer.
More of the Craft
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