tall vessels

[WODAD]

How tall a vessel has anyone turned? I'm interested in working my way up to 3, 4, or even 5 foot tall if it can be done. Currently at two ft. tall and keep telling myself to push it and keep going. Need your experienceand any tips you may have to offer. Thanks for any and all input.

Frank D.

 

[Hstudio]

Frank D. Checkout the tall vessels by Anatoly Tsiris .


http://www.artnet.com/artist/424399745/anatoly-tsiris.html

 

[Steve Worcester]

I would guess that you have learned that thicker boring bars allow you taller (and further off the tool rest) vessels. Personally, I have only done about 24" but that was with a 1" bar, about the limits of that size bar.

 

[nicktodd]

Along with what Steve added:

1. Much past 12-14" you will have to make most of your own tools.

2. You'll want to look at getting a center Steady.

3. Reducing speed to very slow, will help cutting the bottoms of your vessels.

4. All of the vessels that I have done, have been less than 20" tall. But, I like you have greater plans. I have a Nichols Lathe.

5. My cutting tips are Ellsworth type tips and scrapers for finish cuts.

6. I would look at Ed Moulthrop tape from the AAW.

I hope this helps.

Nick

 

[jffink]

To see some really tall vessels that are at least partly done on the lathe, take a look at the work of Mike Bauermeister at www.michaelbauermeister.com. Some of these give new meaning to "tall vessel."

John

 

[john lucas]

I took a 1 day class with Frank Sudol and messed around with an 18" vessel using a 1 1/2" boring bar. I think Frank turned up to 36" with that. I believe he was working on a sliding tool rest of some sort that would go in the vessel. This would have allowed him to turn even deeper.
There was a hollow vessel at the Florida symposium that was at least 4 feet tall and maybe 20 to 25" around. I don't know who did it or what they used. Being the redneck that I am I'd probably mount a cutter on the end of a hay spike and use the tractor as a captured bar system.

 

[Richard Baker]

Cool stuff by Michael B., and/but appears to be layered, so not actually turned 5 ft. deep. Have also a couple 25" tall pcs., but segmented and turned only about 6" deep at a time.

John,
You're a genius. Still have my tractor but had to return the hay spear to its owner when we moved to Wimberley. Another opportunity lost cause I didn't think of it in time.

 

[Matthew Clarke]

You might want to get into contact with Brian McEvoy. He is a former student of Frank Sudol and does a lot of very deep hollow turning. I attended several of his demonstrations at Totally Turning 2007 in Albany, NY. At his presentation, I purchased a set of his engineer's drawings for a 72" long x 1-1/2" diameter boring bar and system. I am sure you can purchase a set and have the whole thing made up at a metal fabrication shop near you. His website is: www.onegoodturn.ca. You can also reach him by email at: brian@onegoodturn.ca. Check his website out, he does some phenomenal work.

matt

 

[WODAD]

You might want to get into contact with Brian McEvoy. He is a former student of Frank Sudol and does a lot of very deep hollow turning. I attended several of his demonstrations at Totally Turning 2007 in Albany, NY. At his presentation, I purchased a set of his engineer's drawings for a 72" long x 1-1/2" diameter boring bar and system. I am sure you can purchase a set and have the whole thing made up at a metal fabrication shop near you. His website is: www.onegoodturn.ca. You can also reach him by email at: brian@onegoodturn.ca. Check his website out, he does some phenomenal work.

matt

That's what I'm talking about! That is awesome. Thanks Matt! And everyone else, good stuff!

I have the PM4224 with the 65 in. bed extension, I have to use it

 

[Ed_McDonnell]

600lb log -> 12lb vase = a lot of work + a lot of wasted wood.

If I was going to tackle something that size I think I would seriously consider staved construction. Less wood turned to chips and no need for a forklift to mount the blank. Of course that approach has a lot less "gee whiz" factor than turning a 600lb chunk of tree.

Ed

 

[Hugh]

There was an article in "Fine Woodworking" magazine many years ago (10+) about a fellow who was turning large logs and making vessels.
Hugh

 

[Malcolm Tibbetts]

Frank,
I know this is not what you want to do, but the easiest method of creating a really tall vessel is to stack segmented rings and turn them in stages as you go. I've done vessels more than six foot tall this way and never had to extend a tool over the rest more than about 10". Have fun.