Camphor bowl - recommendations requested

[Don Armour]

Have a beautiful piece of camphor on my lathe. Would like to create a "angled bowl" as finished product - that is - bowl sits flat like normal but rim is angles so can see inside of bowl without peering down into it. Picts of current status and desired final shape attached.

Have thought of:

1. Cutting foot at angle then using glue block at opposite angle so can still turn round.

2. Cutting rim at angle before turning inside - doubt this will work due to inherent wobble cause of weight differences

3. Doing same as 1 but at rim/top then knocking off angled piece after turning. Have discounted this one as well due to concerns about breaking rim when try to part the two pieces and potential of joint breaking during turning.

4. Making bowl as normally would, then cutting rim at angle - most likely by making line for cut then using dremel. Considered bandsaw but concerned about safety and blowing up nearly finished bowl

Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

Don

 

[Michael Anderson]

I think your 4th method is the way to go. The 1st would give you balance issues. The 2nd would be okay, but the turning would be more challenging.

I suspect the bandsaw would be safe enough if you made a sled and used something like hot melt glue to keep the bowl stable. Dremel method would work well. Pro-tip, if you need a straight line, dunk the bowl, rim-side-down into some sort of liquid and then cut along the line. Or use some other guide. Clean-up the rim edge with a sanding disc or a piece of sandpaper attached to a flat surface. Most importantly, post a photo your final bowl to the gallery 😊

 

[Don Armour]

Thanks Michael. I'll likely do dremel and will use the liquid idea to get consistent line.

 

[stu senator]

If you did 4 remember to use a fine tooth blade, not the one you use for logs (3ti)

 

[Russell Nugent]

A spokeshave works well for me for adjusting the rim if I want too.

 

[Mike Shannon]

Here's a how-to video of a bowl in a bowl and the inside bowl is angled. (He also has another video on his YT page showing a different bowl in a bowl turning).

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKsGyRvEbn4

 

[Don Armour]

Thanks everyone. Pictures in current form attached. Just off the lathe and ready for sanding.

I have decided to forgo the angling of the bowl. First - to my eye it looks a little too short and I am concerned about the final appearance with the angle. I might end up building a stand that will allow it to be displayed at an angle. Second - the boss said she loved it just the way it is and since this is an anniversary gift I figured I had better listen 😊

I will definitely be archiving your replies for future reference so thanks again.

 

[Gregg Zank]

Don, good call on stopping where you did I think it looks great. And an excellent call in listening to "the boss" - you may even score one point for doing so!

 

[hockenbery]

have decided to forgo the angling of the bowl. First - to my eye it looks a little too short and I am concerned about the final appearance with the angle. I might end up building a stand that will allow it to be displayed at an angle.

When you tackle the angled rim in the future, Consider using the John beaver technique
He uses a sled that a chuck screws onto.
A safe effective way to cut a straight or a curve through a bowl.

A gentle curve might add to the design.

You won’t want to make just one.

Also I’d probably cut the rim off before hollowing and glue it back on with a paper joint, hot melt glue.
This way the rim edges will be sharp.

Also a wet turn bowl that will warp is another design feature.

 

[Alan Weinberg]

saw another option on a YouTube though might be a bit hazardous—angling the tenon in the chuck so the bowl spins a bit lopsided . . . anyone do that or is it risky?

 

[hockenbery]

saw another option on a YouTube though might be a bit hazardous—angling the tenon in the chuck so the bowl spins a bit lopsided . . . anyone do that or is it risky?

You can mount the blank at an angle between centers and the turning is like an off centered NE bowl
A lot of interrupted cuts. Takes a lot of skill to pull this off on a 12” blank. Easier on a 9” blank.
It’s One of those turnings where a near beginner might hollow a 5” diameter piece chucked at an angle and be hopelessly outmatched by an 8” diameter piece.

 

[Richard Coers]

Are you aware of the toxicity of camphor?

 

[hockenbery]

Are you aware of the toxicity of camphor?

Camphor is about the same toxicity as walnut.

Camphor oil is quite toxic.
Camphor wood rarely bothers turners.

The wood itself is like other woods and some people can get allergic reactions to it.
A lot of people avoid it because of the smell.

Camphor is turned by lots of folks throughout Florida where it grows as an invasive.
It’s one of my favorite woods to turn. It’s not unusual for 1/3-1/2 of a club instant gallery to be camphor pieces.

I have never had a problem turning camphor. It rare to hear of anyone having an adverse reaction to camphor beyond disliking the smell.

Camphor oil made by pressing the wood may be fatal of swallowed.

Checkout the wood toxicity database

Wood Allergies and Toxicity | The Wood Database

www.wood-database.com

 

[Alan Weinberg]

A lot of people avoid it because of the smell.

I love the smell. Vick’s vapor rub!

 

[Mark Jundanian]

Have a beautiful piece of camphor on my lathe. Would like to create a "angled bowl" as finished product - that is - bowl sits flat like normal but rim is angles so can see inside of bowl without peering down into it. Picts of current status and desired final shape attached.

Have thought of:

1. Cutting foot at angle then using glue block at opposite angle so can still turn round.

2. Cutting rim at angle before turning inside - doubt this will work due to inherent wobble cause of weight differences

3. Doing same as 1 but at rim/top then knocking off angled piece after turning. Have discounted this one as well due to concerns about breaking rim when try to part the two pieces and potential of joint breaking during turning.

4. Making bowl as normally would, then cutting rim at angle - most likely by making line for cut then using dremel. Considered bandsaw but concerned about safety and blowing up nearly finished bowl

Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

Don

I made a 4 or 5 inch angled bowl once using this method:
The wood blank itself was wedge shaped. I designated one surface to be the top with the turning axis perpendicular. I secured the blank top down in the drill press and used a Forstner to drill a recess just deep enough to mount the blank on long nose jaws no dovetail). I used this mount to turn inside and outside surfaces, but one could start on a screw chuck in the top then shape the outside and bore the recess on the lathe.

 

[hockenbery]

A good reference is a Tom Crabb article in the summer 2001 American Woodturner.
Tom is a superb turner. Who had extensive experience with turning natural edge. Article attached to comment.

 

[Don Armour]

Thks hockenberry. Had similar thoughts regarding toxicity after a bit of research.