For Bill Grumbine from below...
steve antonucci
>Wasn't sure you'd see this below and I wanted to answer your question, since you answered mine:
I have a Nova 3000, with 1 HP motor. With the headstock swung to 90 degrees, and the RPM's down to the lowest (~200), I roughed a bowl the other day that started at 20" and finished at 17.5". It weighed 77# at the begining, and 16# at 1.75" thick. When it was started, I use 8 - 2" screws in a 6" faceplate. Then I turned a tenon with a 2 1/2" small recess for the bottom of the bowl, and attached with 8 - 1 1/4" screws. The probably catch 3/4" in the wood, and held without any issues.
Took about 2 hours between the Stihl and roughing out at that speed. Once it was round, I moved to 400 RPM. I've done platters out to 22" and I just rougher the other half of the oak log to 22", but I was too tired to spin it.
I use a home made tool rest which is some blackpipe fittings connected to the bango and supported by a 2x4 stand on the other side. Work great for roughout, have to go slower for final cuts.
Anchorsealed this AM, wait until much later to turn...
Steve
P.S. Might just be a red oak. There were two logs, and I'm not sure how to tell them apart from just the bark. Wood looks like red to me.