Turning in reverse?

[Mike Goetzke]

I've seen a couple of videos where the bowl turner was hollowing out the bowl in reverse. After thinking about it this may visually be a better way to do it???

Any turners here try reverse turning?



Thanks,

Mike

[Dwight Rutherford]

Normally I turn bowls conventionally, but when turning a bowl with an undercut rim, I find turning in reverse works well.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Check Don Derry's site. I got his little ornament hollower, and turn in reverse to make small hollow forms and ornaments. It works, there are advantages. It is more comfortable how you stand. Don't have to lean over the lathe. His regular size system can go in either direction. It's a choice, i use his regular system in forward though.
All my bowls are done forward.

[Steve Eure]

I have seen a few videos also but I would be hesitant to do it myself. I would think that the chuck would unscrew itself going in reverse. I guess if you lock the set key down that would eliminate that. I've seen several videos where the turner would spin on the chuck and never lock the set key. I suppose centrifugal force keeps it in place while in forward.

[Mark Greenbaum]

I have been turning a lot of bowls lately of a silver maple that fell in my driveway last summer. It's still green inside (spalting like crazy), but in order to get rid of some of the mass easily I've been using a carbide cutter that works well in reverse, because I can see inside better. Works well.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I do turn either way, just whatever feels best, a threaded on Chuck should be securely fastened, so it does not unscrew, especially if you use scrapers in reverse, a cutting tool has less resistance as it is slicing through he wood, still it would be best to fasten the chuck to the spindle.

If turning over the bed ways of the lathe, then standing on the back side of the lathe, would let you turn in normal forward motion where you would not have the problem of the unscrewing of the chuck.


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[John K Jordan]

I've seen a couple of videos where the bowl turner was hollowing out the bowl in reverse. After thinking about it this may visually be a better way to do it???
Any turners here try reverse turning?


I turn the insides of things in reverse if it lets me see better or provides a better tool position.

[Bill Jobe]

I was going to start a thread today about this.
Recently I've been experimented with turning in reverse and have really come to like it. I don't do rough turning or hollowing, but finishing cuts and scraping with tools I have ground down to form scrapers. I'm liking both ideas.

[Brice Rogers]

A couple of years ago when I got my second lathe, I positioned it in the open so that I could work from either side. I find, like Leo and others that working from the back side of the lathe has advantages for hollowing. It is much easier and I can keep my arms "tucked" in to provide more control than if I was trying to hold my arms outstretched.

I recently slid my headstock down to the end of my lathe and have turned a dozen bowls - - straight on - - from the end. I find that it is easier on my back. Also, on those rare occasions when something goes "airborne" I am less likely to be in the line of fire. :D

[JohnC Lucas]

I often turn my hand mirror bodies in reverse. It allows me to turn from the center toward the backside which is downhill with the grain and still have the tool next to my body for better control. To turn forward I would have my arm hanging out in space as I turn from the center out.

[Thomas Canfield]

WORD OF CAUTION. Be sure the set screw on the chuck or face plate does not engage any threads and is securely fastened when turning in reverse. DAMHIK. I did it once since I could not get to other side of lathe to have the clearance needed to use the bowl gouge in position needed to turn normal rotation. I had a little extra chore to perform when finished.