We’re not so stuck up here at Toolmonger that we don’t acknowledge when things are beyond us. When we first saw this video we couldn’t imagine not posting about it. The caption listed in the video from Mr. King kind of says it all.
This young woodturner can be found plying his trade in the medina of old Marrakech. With just one tool (a skew chisel) he turns a chess piece on a bow lathe that would have been a familiar sight in ancient Greece or the Pharaoh’s Egypt.
So what excuse do we, with $500 plus of lathe gear that’s powered and everything, have for not carving? The correct answer is none. We have no excuse at all; this dude carves with his toes. Play the vid, then play it again and let that sink in.
I do wonder what kind of wood this guy uses on a day-to-day basis. Our hat is off and beer is up to this master turner — we’re not worthy.
Moroccan Bow Lathe [YouTube]