Pole lathe photos

Flickr user timtom has posted some woodturning pictures taken at a Celtic festival in Switzerland. French turner, Jean-Paul Rossi appears to be making some sort of ladle, and I just love the way his lathe is constructed, especially the headstock which is a limb growing out of the bed.  Here is a Google translation of Jean-Paul's homepage:

"The turning of this utility crockery, starting from green heart, is a traditional craft industry of the Solid mass of the Wallows (Savoy - France). It is concentrated since always in the small hamlet of Magne, in Saint François the Dirty ones, close to Féclaz - Revard.

It is practised by the peasants in double activity for a very long time. Texts recently discovered by researchers of the Savoyard company of history and archaeology attests the presence of turners of bowls out of wooden since 1345.  The women, the children and the old ones sell this crockery the winter in the plains of the South-east and the East of France. The return to the country is done at Easter.

The wood of the country, especially the maple sycamore, half-compartments at the end of August, left rough are processed during the next winter, using the turn with pole installed in the house."

The handled items look particularly interesting. I can only assume that they are made by making the lathe turn less than one full revolution for each cut. If so it must take an awful lot of cordination to be able to do this.

Swiss turner Claude Veuillet is pictured using a small adze and a guillotine-like device for preparing blanks to go on the lathe.

Thanks to Timtom for posting these pics. They are fascinating.



Technorati Tags: woodturning, pole lathe, celtic

Technorati Tags: woodturning, pole lathe, celtic