Try sveg turning

A pole lathe (sveg lathe) is a historical type of treadle lathe where you control the workpiece with your body movement. The lathe is pedal-driven and rotates the workpiece using a string attached to a flexible pole or branch, called a “sveg.”

In this course, you will experience the various steps involved in turning your own bowl using a pole lathe. The course covers:

• The lathe parts and function – how they are made, and what to consider if you want to build your own lathe
• Turning tools
• Turning hooks and tool maintenance
• Sharpening and honing
• Form and function – we examine different turned objects and discuss how they were made
• Selecting materials for turning – different wood types, advantages and disadvantages
• Preparing the material for turning (shaping with an axe, finding the center, etc.)
• Rough turning and fine turning – all steps to a finished bowl, cup, or other item
• Turning end grain and long grain – differences and function
• Surface treatment
• Ergonomics of turning

Bowls or cups of various kinds and sizes are the most common items to turn on this type of lathe, but you can certainly also turn plates, table legs, or completely different things.

Turning in this way requires some physical effort, but you choose your own pace and take breaks as needed.

A video showing what it looks like when turning a bowl on a pole lathe (not me in the video): Turning a bowl on the pole lathe