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Incredible Sidewalk Craftsman Demonstrates Using a Bow Lathe

By Rain Noe - January 9

in Tools & Craft

"I don't know exactly when the earliest wooden lathes were invented," writes Joel Moskowitz, de facto woodworking historian and founder of Tools for Working Wood. "I do know there are turned things from ancient Egypt, and earlier."

"The most primitive form of lathe, a bow lathe, is powered by a bow going back and forth on the work held between two pivots. This type of way is still being used in parts of the world for making beads and other small things. The movement of the work is intermittent, and backwards and forwards, but with sharp tools this type of lathe is remarkably efficient."

This video, shot on a sidewalk in Marrakech, Morocco, shows the incredibly skilled craftsman Mostopher Dnouch using a bow lathe to crank out chess pieces:

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Juan Cano

10 months ago

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What a skill. Unusual to see someone working crouching using his feet. I watched a very well produced video of a Japanese custom shoe maker, and almost the whole time he is sitting and cradling the shoe in his hands, not working at a table. I was wondering, is it a US thing that we have to work on desks or desk height machines? Is it more of an industrialized leftover? Or maybe I am seeing a trend where there is none.

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- Felipe Jerez
  
  Juan Cano
  
  10 months ago
  
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  we have lots of bad habits in this part of the world (europe americas)
  
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Roberto Briceño

10 months ago

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Been thinking a LOT about using my feet on my work. Specially after seeing how some people from India and Africa.

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