Does the lathe have to be a Swivel head machine ?
No in fact all the current OT turning is done on machines with small fixed capacities. The slide movements on the Nova OT have been deliberately designed so that a wide range of functions can be achieved. However a machine that has a sophisticated swivel head will enable OT turning to be taken to a different level. With a normal fixed head machine you will be limited by the travel of the slides for maximum size. By being able to rotate both the head and the OT slide you are able to say Ornament the outside of a 16″ bowl. It also enables the complex positioning to achieve patterns in areas difficult with a fixed spindle.
