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plug it?????
- Thread starter Charlie Knighton
- Start date
Don't burn it! You can save it!
Charlie:
Of course I've never done this before 😉
I wouldn't plug it - it will look like a "patch job" at best.....
When faced with the same situation, I have parted off the bottom of the 'holey' bowl, and then glued in a solid piece of contrasting wood (in this case I'd use something like walnut), and then just re-turned the bottom. You could also make a segmented ring of the same species as the bottom, glue it to the rim, and re-turn the lip of the bowl too.
When done, it will look like you planned to do it that way. I've sold at least three or four pieces recovered from the exact same stage. I have since learned how to measure depth better.....
Good luck...
Rob
Charlie:
Of course I've never done this before 😉
I wouldn't plug it - it will look like a "patch job" at best.....
When faced with the same situation, I have parted off the bottom of the 'holey' bowl, and then glued in a solid piece of contrasting wood (in this case I'd use something like walnut), and then just re-turned the bottom. You could also make a segmented ring of the same species as the bottom, glue it to the rim, and re-turn the lip of the bowl too.
When done, it will look like you planned to do it that way. I've sold at least three or four pieces recovered from the exact same stage. I have since learned how to measure depth better.....
Good luck...
Rob
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I have done both Charlie, plug it with coffee grounds to look like a limb knot , pluged with saw dust/chips and or glued to a contrasting piece and turned like Rob suggested. You have a neat little pot there so I would do all I could to save it, coloring with ritz or aniline dyes would be fun , drill some holes in the rim / top area . try some simple carving on it , make dowels to fashion some legs ....but paaaleaseeeee don't toss a perfectly great chance to experiment... 😉 . let us see it when ya get 'er done .....
Steve Worcester
Admin Emeritus
Use it for coloring practice or burn it and learn from it. Going through the bottom happens, turn another one, it's just wood.
I'm for option 4 too
after all wood does grow on trees around here.
Richard Baker
RIP
Charlie,
I like Rob's ideas. It could be a useful exercise. Can not tell from the picture, but if end grain turning, you could make a new end grain bottom. If face grain turning, a new face grain bottom with grains of both pieces aligned.
I like Rob's ideas. It could be a useful exercise. Can not tell from the picture, but if end grain turning, you could make a new end grain bottom. If face grain turning, a new face grain bottom with grains of both pieces aligned.
I'm gonna vote for patching it; but a bit differently than previously suggested.
I'd turn the bottom perfectly flat - removing that ridge - and glue a contrasting piece to it. Then, when dry, I would turn the interior down to meet the new contrasting colored bottom. I've tried cutting the bottom out and plugging it with contrasting wood but it's difficult to get the contrasting piece in precisely enough to avoid getting slightly out of round appearance in the bottom when I use that approach. The contrasting wood must be at precisely 90 degrees to the center axis to avoid that appearance and flattening the bottom and doing the glue up before finish turning seems to work the best.
Walnut, purple heart, whatever you prefer would look pretty good.
If you think the single layer of contrasting wood will look strangely out of place, turn a shallow groove part way up the side and laminate in a piece that matches the base.
I'd turn the bottom perfectly flat - removing that ridge - and glue a contrasting piece to it. Then, when dry, I would turn the interior down to meet the new contrasting colored bottom. I've tried cutting the bottom out and plugging it with contrasting wood but it's difficult to get the contrasting piece in precisely enough to avoid getting slightly out of round appearance in the bottom when I use that approach. The contrasting wood must be at precisely 90 degrees to the center axis to avoid that appearance and flattening the bottom and doing the glue up before finish turning seems to work the best.
Walnut, purple heart, whatever you prefer would look pretty good.
If you think the single layer of contrasting wood will look strangely out of place, turn a shallow groove part way up the side and laminate in a piece that matches the base.
another idea
How about making a top for it, drilling a hole in the side and making a dowel stick out (bird perch) and make a plug for the bottom -all for a nice birdhouse. The plug helps you clean it out!!!!😉 Gretch
How about making a top for it, drilling a hole in the side and making a dowel stick out (bird perch) and make a plug for the bottom -all for a nice birdhouse. The plug helps you clean it out!!!!😉 Gretch
Sometimes if it is a nice piece of wood I will slap it in my donut chuck, square off the bottom and glue a piece of walnut, cherry, etc. turn the inside down to the new wood. Then finish the bottom.
Go Play!
Hey Charlie,
While Steve is right, it's just wood and I'm sure not one to presume, but I'd take the chance to play with new techniques. My series of Heavy Metal pieces began as an errant hole in a piece that I otherwise was fond of. It wound up being something far different than I'd imagined and it led me down a totally new path.
It's very elegant piece, so maybe put it aside and look at it for a bit, while weighing all the suggestions you've gotten. Then if you really aren't inspired you can always recycle - play with cutting and re-gluing, try my wood shavings and epoxy deal, sand blast, scorch, make the hole deliberate and create another piece coming through.....HAVE FUN!
Hey Charlie,
While Steve is right, it's just wood and I'm sure not one to presume, but I'd take the chance to play with new techniques. My series of Heavy Metal pieces began as an errant hole in a piece that I otherwise was fond of. It wound up being something far different than I'd imagined and it led me down a totally new path.
It's very elegant piece, so maybe put it aside and look at it for a bit, while weighing all the suggestions you've gotten. Then if you really aren't inspired you can always recycle - play with cutting and re-gluing, try my wood shavings and epoxy deal, sand blast, scorch, make the hole deliberate and create another piece coming through.....HAVE FUN!
- Joined
- May 16, 2005
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Appears to be an ordinary piece of wood. I'd chalk it up to experience and pull down another chunk to work with. Use a gauge more often when planning and executing your bottoming. Can be something fancy or as simple as your gouge and finger. Could live somewhere as a oops and pencil holder if you want to do it over for practice.
When I took expert advice to bore a hole first for hollowing it did this depressingly often. Seems I used to forget the point of the bit made a deeper center hole. Really deep with spade bits. Brad point bits with long wings gave me problems where the cutting rim fooled my gauge and left areas of transparency or worse on my ornaments. I just use a pointy gouge to work a hollow now. Or make mighty damn sure I stop a half inch or more from the bottom.
When I took expert advice to bore a hole first for hollowing it did this depressingly often. Seems I used to forget the point of the bit made a deeper center hole. Really deep with spade bits. Brad point bits with long wings gave me problems where the cutting rim fooled my gauge and left areas of transparency or worse on my ornaments. I just use a pointy gouge to work a hollow now. Or make mighty damn sure I stop a half inch or more from the bottom.
(1) AND (2):
Turn a socket in the bottom. Turn a stem with tenon of contrasting wood, to create a goblet. If available, turn a foot from the parent wood, with similar socket and tenon connection. Make it look like it was planned that way all along.
In other words, seize the opportunity for "mid-course correction."
If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. If life gives you limes, make Margaritas. Sorry, couldn't resist the temptation.
Joe
Turn a socket in the bottom. Turn a stem with tenon of contrasting wood, to create a goblet. If available, turn a foot from the parent wood, with similar socket and tenon connection. Make it look like it was planned that way all along.
In other words, seize the opportunity for "mid-course correction."
If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. If life gives you limes, make Margaritas. Sorry, couldn't resist the temptation.
Joe
plug it
thanks for all the suggestions,
well, since i had a hole in the bottom i wanted to use the piece to experiement, it was suggested (thanks Rob) to cut off bottom and replace bottom, only i had never done that
guys & gals, that sounds pretty straight forward and i only had to stop and try it another way a couple times, i could not get a grip that would not slip with just the jaws expanded in the mouth of the hf, i finally had to use a scrap piece of wood across the bottom with the tailstock pulled up
i did not refinnish the bottom on the inside(George & Bernie), but see now how it could have been done, and it would have looked a whole lot better because i do have some squeeze out ca glue on inside
i definitely learned a little, Malcom may just shake his head, but i did get a little satisfaction after my 😱
now since this is sort of plain maybe a little color, see ya in the gallery if i don't have to really burn it after the next experiment
thanks for all the suggestions,
well, since i had a hole in the bottom i wanted to use the piece to experiement, it was suggested (thanks Rob) to cut off bottom and replace bottom, only i had never done that
guys & gals, that sounds pretty straight forward and i only had to stop and try it another way a couple times, i could not get a grip that would not slip with just the jaws expanded in the mouth of the hf, i finally had to use a scrap piece of wood across the bottom with the tailstock pulled up
i did not refinnish the bottom on the inside(George & Bernie), but see now how it could have been done, and it would have looked a whole lot better because i do have some squeeze out ca glue on inside
i definitely learned a little, Malcom may just shake his head, but i did get a little satisfaction after my 😱
now since this is sort of plain maybe a little color, see ya in the gallery if i don't have to really burn it after the next experiment
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Well done Charlie. Looks great.
Norm
Norm
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If you feel you must save it. Drill the hole in the bottom out with a drill bit a little biger than the hole. Then turn a piece if contrasting wood with a tenon that will fit the driller hole. Then glue the hole thing on the bottom. Turn the bottom to the shape of the bowl and clean the inside up. It will look like you ment to di it that way.
Last time this occurred to me I plugged it and made it a feature,Used some mallee burl offcut to plug a camphor laurel bowl. Worked out fine and the recipient was very happy with the uniqueness of it
If it's a bowl made from wood that isn't very spectacular anyway, I'd be very tempted to just use it for experimentation......practice cuts and finish techniques, etc.
However, this very thing happened to me this past year on a bowl that I'd put quite a bit of effort in. It was a very nice bowl......a tribute bowl for the three daughters of a friend of mine. Darn, if I didn't break through the bottom.....while doing the foot. The bowl was finished, otherwise. I sure hated to lose this one.
Anyway, I took a piece of scrap wood from the pile, and decided to try and save it......it was worth a try......what the hell, nothing ventured, nothing gained.....so, they say!
The bowl turned out pretty good......and, was presented to my friend, who really appreciated it. I told him about the mistake, but it didn't seem to make any difference. This bowl is now in his home.....a family memento.
......might as well give the plug idea a shot! Who knows......if it was destined for the scrap pile anyway.....you've got nothing to lose.
otis of cologne
However, this very thing happened to me this past year on a bowl that I'd put quite a bit of effort in. It was a very nice bowl......a tribute bowl for the three daughters of a friend of mine. Darn, if I didn't break through the bottom.....while doing the foot. The bowl was finished, otherwise. I sure hated to lose this one.
Anyway, I took a piece of scrap wood from the pile, and decided to try and save it......it was worth a try......what the hell, nothing ventured, nothing gained.....so, they say!
The bowl turned out pretty good......and, was presented to my friend, who really appreciated it. I told him about the mistake, but it didn't seem to make any difference. This bowl is now in his home.....a family memento.
......might as well give the plug idea a shot! Who knows......if it was destined for the scrap pile anyway.....you've got nothing to lose.
otis of cologne
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Looks like you did well Charlie. I did that on a couple of bowls. It is one of my wife's favorites and sits on her desk as a candy dish for the kids.