wood lathe bowl turners?

[yooperdave]

I have not purchased one yet, but I am considering the Nova 1624-44.

http://www.amazon.com/Teknatool-Nova-1624-44-Wood-Lathe/dp/B0032Z3C3C

It would be used primarily for bowls, so I do need the lower speed that this model offers.
Anyway, anyone out there turn wood bowls? Any advice or factors that I should be considering at this stage? Thanks!

 

[smokinj]

Sure looks like a nice bowl turner.

 

[greg13]

I think it may be overkill for bowls. I seem to remember seeing a lathe that was a power head only, no tail stock. it was mounted 90* on the bench so you had capacity to turn an almost 6' bowl (if the unit was mounted 3'off of the floor) .

 

[fishingpol]

I guess you need to know how big you are going to go with turning. If you are going to stick with smaller bowls, a regular variable speed lathe without a rotating head should be fine. If you go bigger, a rotating headstock would be needed. Then you need a portable tool rest, etc. I would suggest you look and see if there is a local woodturners club, or even a woodworking store that offers classes. Local woodworking stores around here have Saturday classes in all types of woodworking and you can pretty much leave with a finished product that day. Get into it on someone else's equipment and see what you think your limits would be and go from there. Turning tools and turning blanks can get expensive. If you access to trees, cut and anchor seal the cut edges and dry them.

I've stayed away from bowl turning due to wood shrinkage/warpage and cracking issues. Live edge bowls are my favorite though...