Natural Edge Bowls

[William Rogers]

I just finished a natural edge bowl, however I got carried away and turned really thin. This is only my second attempt. The bark seems secure as I used thin CA during the turning process on the bark edge. I'm slightly under 3/16" thick on the low side and a bit over 1/4" thick on the high sides.

Is there a process or technique to turning natural edge. I've never seen a demo on this and have not had any training.

Would you consider this bowl sale able? The bark is tight. All C&C welcome.

 

[Tom Albrecht]

It looks like you figured out a technique. Your bowl is well balanced in terms of it's size and grain pattern. It is difficult to tell how good the finish looks in your photos. Is it saleable? Anything is saleable now days if you have the patience to wait for the right buyer.

 

[hockenbery]

great bowl for a second one.
Looks good nice curve.

If I were to nitpick the curve may have a slight flat going into the bottom but it may be more the camera angle than the bowl. Overall the curve looks good.

There are several processes for doing natural edge bowls. Most all begin between centers, roughy the shape, adjust the tailstock to balance the rims, turn the outside, hollow, and then turn off the chuck tenon.

I started a thread on turning a natural edge bowl from a crotch - link below
It has a link to a video of a demo I gave on it. Video shows exactly how I go about it.
It’s a method that works well for me but there are other methods too.
http://www.aawforum.org/community/index.php?threads/naural-edge-bowl-from-a-crotch.11058/

While this is a crotch. I use the same process for 1/2 log natural edge bowl except the rim alignment is
Alain the to high ends the align the two low ends with the high point parallel to the floor.

 

[William Rogers]

Thanks for the feedback Tom and Al.

Tom, I only had one coat of lacquer on the piece when the photo was taken.

Al, great video. I have done some of the things you did and also learned new things. As for the bottom I put on the bottom. I used my vacuum chuck. Does it matter if you put a foot on a natural edge bowl?

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

When I started turning NE I asked a older club member about losing bark and he told me there would be plenty on the floor. So I always save some for restructuring some spots. I have had good luck by using a parting tool to cut the inside line of bark making hollowing easier.

 

[Richard Coers]

It's okay to sell, but I would either knock back the gloss with 0000 steel wool, or add more finish. To me, the finish is neither natural or smooth enough for that gloss level. Consistent wall thickness is achieved with practice and learning how to use calipers.

 

[hockenbery]

it matter if you put a foot on a natural edge bowl?

Bottom treatments is a whole subject unto itself.

I make rounded bottoms on most of my NE bowls. I also take the bark off so the bowl can be functional. The rounded bottoms and no bark make a more functional bowl than one with bark and a small foot.

Bottom treatment is all up to the turner.

i see a lot of pieces in the instant galleries have feet the size of the chuck or faceplate tenon. To me only a lazy or uncaring turner would let the equipment dictate design. Most often a tenon sized foot is too big of a for a small bowl and maybe not large enough of a foot for a large bowl. For very few bowls is it just right.

@James Seyfried carves feet in some of his bowls for a nice effect that seems natural. A real challenge to have the feet be part of the piece instead of the main feature.

 

[hockenbery]

there a process or technique to turning natural edge. I've never seen a demo on this and have not had any training.

One thing I should have mentioned earlier is that the basic NE bowl is wider than tall which can emphasize the ovalness and be a functional bowl. The less common is one taller than wide which are rarely functional and tend to look more round and even Vaselike.

My freind James McClure turns quite a few of the taller than wide ones. James did a demo for the Sarasota club in June. Their host Advantage Lumber streams the demos live to YouTube where they stay. The video has a few spots where the streaming misses a beat. In the beginning James talks about design. James also does some cutting rim to foot which many NE bowl turners do. Well worth a watch.

James McClure Live Turning Demonstration | 6-20-18 -

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

 

[William Rogers]

Al, I watched it the videos, I’m more the rustic style, but may try the other. Regarding the bark I find people prefer it on rather then it removed. Yes, not as useful, but more artistic. The bowl is sold.

 

[Richard Coers]

Al, I watched it the videos, I’m more the rustic style, but may try the other. Regarding the bark I find people prefer it on rather then it removed. Yes, not as useful, but more artistic. The bowl is sold.

Might be a little early to predict customer preference on the bark, wasn't this your second attempt? There are many more options than just bark on and bark off. I prefer a pyrography option. Bark on for this season does not predict a long life with all the bark on. We have a Grandson and had a big lab with a coffee table clearing "happy tail". Bark on could definitely not be displayed below 4' in our home!

 

[William Rogers]

Might be a little early to predict customer preference on the bark, wasn't this your second attempt?

Richard, my statement is not based only on my limited experience selling. I have a turner friend in another city that turns many bowls. He has told me those with bark on sell quicker than those that do not. However I know this can vary from show to show and local. Last show I mainly sold hollow forms. The previous show no hollow form, but bowls. My preference would be bark on, but someone else may prefer bark off. There is no right or wrong.

 

[Joseph Maiorano]

Very nice bowl!!! Is it once turned or twice turned?

I think it's hard to predict sales especially when it comes to discretionary spending . I had a woman pick up one of my bowls and was blown away by the grain pattern. Did she buy it, no.

 

[William Rogers]

Very nice bowl!!! Is it once turned or twice turned?

Once turned. The bowl is sold. The wood was dry. I have some smaller blanks, but there is some cracking. I'll see if any are any good.