Charlie
I have not made doll house size plates and bowls and such for a while but
when I did all I had for a lathe was my Canadian Tire single tube, 12" x
36". I made a lot of bowls and vases under an inch on that as I recall.

--
God bless and safe turning
Darrell Feltmate
Truro, NS Canada
www.aroundthewoods.com

"charlieb" wrote in message
...
I earlier asked about why some people want to Go BIG
and questioned the need for a lathe in the Stubby
range, capable of turning 600 pound chunks of wood
into enormous objects. I understand better now.

Tonight I saw a demonstration of the other extreme,
GOING small - I mean REALLY small. I watched as
a bowl, maybe 3/8" in diameter by 3/16th deep
was turned on a little metal lathe with a shop made
tool rest and an odd combination of turning tools
made by adapting a few small carving tools, a
dental tool ground for parting, etc.. In fifteen minutes
it was turned AND finished. Could've been done in
even less time, but when you do a demonstration
you have interruptions to answer questions and
you need to slow down and describe what you're
doing.

Now I can imagine making doll furniture at 1/12th
scale or maybe even 1/24th scale though working
at 1/48th scale remains unimagineable. But to
do vases and bowls and cups and goblets at that
scale?

Though it seems crazy, I think I may break out the
little Unimat, make some little tools and have a
try at GOING small.

That's the great thing about turning - so many
ways to go and so many ways to get there.

Fun this wood working thing.

charlie b