Easy peasy bow lathe

[Nobody Special]

So, I was reading a book from 1902 on silversmithing couple days ago and ran into some pictures of a bow lathe, something I hadn't seen before being used for polishing and bowls and such. Quick! To my trusty Google page! And I came up with this.

 

[Eddie Mullins]

Treadle power has caught my attention as of late, but I am not so sure I am ready to pull the boots of and hold the tools with my feet LOL. He has definite talents though.

[DSW]

Amazing what he can manage with his feet. Chisel is VERY sharp as well.

[Nobody Special]

Found another version on there somewhere on which they guy had put it on a stand to bring it up to chest level and use his other hand.

[ThomasPowers]

Look at some of the videos of blacksmithing in countries like India where they are using their barefeet to hold hot steel!

Impressive callouses...

[Frosty]

I guess that's what he can fit in his area or pack with him on his rounds. A spring pole or LATHE is just as simple and a lot more effective. The lathe (turning machine) got it's name from the planed spring pole (lathe) used to drive it. Anyway, it's as simple as bending a suitable branch over and tying a cord to it. The body of the lathe is tied or even clamped if you're a high tech wood turner to a horizontal branch or one lashed to the tree, shrub, etc. the spring pole branch is growing from.

 

Set your points and wrap the cord around the stock. If the foot loop isn't where it should be retie it. That's it, nothing but a couple boards, a couple nails some cord and sharp chisels.

 

This same basic lathe is the earliest known mechanical metal working machine, a metal spinning lathe. I don't have a reference for the lathes themselves but there are tool marks from spinning on ancient pieces. Dad and I went to the museum in LA once just to look at visiting Egyptian artifacts the gold cups, bowls, etc. specifically. Some were raised but some were obviously spun even though great pains were taken to eliminate tool marks.

 

Frosty The Lucky.