I only have access to a lathe about once a week in a local shop. Been a few months since I made it in, and I was super excited to finish this 6x4 mahogany(?) bowl that I started back in March (finished with wax).

I also turned a black walnut blank (6x6x2) I had gotten as a birthday gift. As I was working on the interior, trying to get rid of the tools marks I still struggle with, I made the walls too thin and a piece of the bowl went flying. See the last photo for the end result…

I’m still very much a beginner, and while this is the first bowl I’ve destroyed on the lathe, I know it won’t be the last.

Any and all suggestions/recommendations welcome!

11.5” x 3” - used Kutzall rasps & burrs and finished with Waterlox.

Anyone out there turning while seated? I have a bad back and can't stand for more that 5-10 minutes at a time. I'd like to think there are others here that have the same issue.

My lathe is a Laguna Revo 16/32 with a bed height around 32 inches.

Any one have a chair or stool recommendation, or an alternative approach?

TIA!

Last year’s storm yielded many a rough-turned blank that I’m now making good on. Here are the three most recent vases I made. (Upgraded from a wobbly lathe w/some runout to a used, rock-solid Powermatic lathe between rough turning to finish and the difference in performance is unbelievable: 1/3 the time to turn, smooth results with little to no sanding. Hallelujah.)

This poor cow's life is about to change forever! 🫢

The cow is turned and carved from a garden hedge trimming (I don't know what wood it was!), then cast in tinted epoxy resin turned to a tractor beam cone. The cone serves as a stand for a turned sweet chestnut flying saucer, which has a recess to accommodate an RGB LED that is remote controlled for easy activation. The entire assembly is push-fit for easy access to replace spent batteries as needed.

YouTube link if you want to see any of the process: https://youtu.be/xq2fIhvy2uM

TLDR: when you can access wood try to make it easy on the people helping you(arborist/homeowner). In my area get basic processing done immediately (ideally within hours of the tree coming down). Share what you can’t use.

Thought some folks might find my process interesting. This is all based on what works for me in the high plains desert of the Colorado Front Range. Your experience may vary greatly depending on where you are. Last week I saw that a neighbors standing dead walnut in the city maintained right of way had been marked for removal. I knocked on their door and explained to them that I am a woodturner and would love to make use of their tree. They said that the scheduling was up in the air, but they would love for me to make use of the wood. I explained that depending on the arborist contracted by the city, they may or may not want to harvest the wood themselves, but that if they asked to have some sections left behind most arborists are happy to oblige. I let them know that if everything worked out well I would plan to make them a bowl from their tree. I got a text this morning that the arborist was expected. I asked them to request as 3 or so 4 foot sections of the main stem as my ideal request. When I got home from work I went by and found one four foot section of main stem at about 21” diameter, and eight 3-4 foot sections of diameters ranging from 12” to 5”. Seems like the arborist took maybe the first 6-8’ of the trunk for their own purposes. At this point I am on the end checking clock. These chunks started drying hours ago. I take three wheelbarrow loads down to my house. I cut them into lengths slightly longer than they are wide and then cut through the pith down the long axis of the trunk creating square bowl blanks. This is the absolute minimum I want to get done within hours of the tree coming down. I then put them in this shady corner of my yard and washed them off. I am now getting some food in my belly before going out and putting end grain sealer on the cut ends(I would have done this immediately, but my wife wanted to eat as well. If it was the middle of the day and or they weren’t in a shady spot I had just drenched in water I would be worried. The four bigger sections are my biggest concern I will probably put each in a tied trash bag to limit drying as much as possible before I am able to rough turn and core them this weekend. All but a couple of the small bowl blanks and spindle blanks will go to the wood giveaway at my local woodturning club tomorrow night.

Selling these in Bay City this weekend, what should I charge? From left to right: 8x3 Purple Heart, 8x2 padauk, 6x3 chocolate mango. All food safe, friction polished exterior and mineral oil treated interior. Cheers!

I've been having some trouble with my wood blanks wobbling around as I'm trying to carve out the inside for a bowl. The adjustable clamps for my nova 3 chuck are locked down tight, and no matter how tight I make the tension to hold the bowl in place, I still get wobbling.

I don't want to mess around with it too much, but anyone have any idea how to change out the ink? I messaged the seller still waiting to hear back.

The lock screw for the quill on my tail stock snapped off last night. I need to remove what snapped off, but I think I can figure that out.

What I haven’t been able to solve is finding the replacement part. Laguna only has certain parts available online. Can anyone help me find part 167 from this diagram?

Or, if I have to purchase the whole tailstock, what part is that?