One person's woodworking journey, with a focus on handtools, a nod to the past, and an appreciation for the creative spirit.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Bow Lathe and Fancy Footwork
Here is a captivating video of a woodturner in Marrakech who uses a bow lathe—a tool that's been around since the ancient Egyptians—a chisel, and his foot (!) to turn some intricate pieces.
Wow, that's minimalist turning at its best. One wouldn't assume that the product could have been created with such simple, but well-selected tools. The lathe - very simple but stable enough. The skew chisel - the most versatile turning tool. All it takes is the skill of the turner to show what can be done with them. The tood seems to be olive which turns quite well.
The LOML watched this video this afternoon. She has put my inadequate collection of tools up for auction on fleabay and has directed me out of the shop to my new woodworking venue at the edge of the road, down by the mailbox.
She let me keep a 1973 Sears Crafstman skew chisel and a pocket knife, the one with our wedding date engraved on it.
Good grief! I kept waiting for the blood when he casually turns his eyes away while doing the initial paring under his thumb at the beginning, but he seems to have done this work a couple of times before.
Now, THAT is barefoot woodworking!
ReplyDeleteVery impressive. Looks like the captive ring was almost an accident.
... and all with only one chisel.
I'm going to cancel those gouges I have on order, then go sit in a corner and cry.
Previous "anonymous" comment was mine. Blogger doesn't always expand the Name/URL option.
ReplyDeleteWonderin' how we can ever be as good as a kid with a bow and one chisel.
Thanks for the humiliation! :)
Gonna get him to turn a knob for your sawbuck table? :)
ReplyDeleteI sat here and kept saying WOW!
ReplyDeleteI think I am going to have to build a lathe similar to that.
Thanks for sharing this.
Wow, that's minimalist turning at its best. One wouldn't assume that the product could have been created with such simple, but well-selected tools.
ReplyDeleteThe lathe - very simple but stable enough.
The skew chisel - the most versatile turning tool.
All it takes is the skill of the turner to show what can be done with them.
The tood seems to be olive which turns quite well.
Alfred
There must be a "Hammer Toes" joke out there that would be apropos right about now, but I'm going to refrain from looking for it.
ReplyDeleteWow! That was quite impressive. Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteBut I have to wonder whether or not he goes home with an incredibly sore back after being hunched over like that all day.
Amazing! That one piece would take me about an hour... on my Rikon lathe! Maybe a bow lathe would be faster?
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing Kari!
I couldn't stop watching him. Truly incredible. He must have started at a very young age to be able to work like that.
ReplyDeleteWonder what he charges by the foot!
ReplyDeleteThe LOML watched this video this afternoon. She has put my inadequate collection of tools up for auction on fleabay and has directed me out of the shop to my new woodworking venue at the edge of the road, down by the mailbox.
ReplyDeleteShe let me keep a 1973 Sears Crafstman skew chisel and a pocket knife, the one with our wedding date engraved on it.
Good grief! I kept waiting for the blood when he casually turns his eyes away while doing the initial paring under his thumb at the beginning, but he seems to have done this work a couple of times before.
ReplyDeleteAll with one skew. Sigh.
Anon, nice one. heh heh
ReplyDeleteBob, what's your seller's name on ebay????? I mean, uh, sorry to hear that you have to get rid of all your tools.
Tom, that paring was a tad cringe-inducing, for sure. While I was watching, I started counting his fingers, and managed to relax a bit.
Very clever
ReplyDeleteGBF
Man, and to think I've been saving & saving to buy a nice lathe & plenty of tools.....
ReplyDeleteOY !!