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What’s on your lathe?

Switch off the walnut to see what the maple I got last week was going to look like. Had a large crotch piece that I wanted to try. It ended up have two offset piths in the top section so both bowls will have a pith in them. Hopefully it won’t crack but there was no way to cut the two blanks with out getting the pith in them. If they crack too much I’ll fill them and they will become give away bowls. Currently 14”x 7” but should finish out once dry at 13.5” x 6.6”

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David nice piece, I have used thin CA to help prevent new turnings from splitting, also knots and the pith areas on the rim, just that bit of CA will strengthen and also slow down the drying of these spots, better outcome.
Got a picture here that shows where I did this, knots and pith areas and inclusions, the bowls dried without splits and were returned and finished.

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David nice piece, I have used thin CA to help prevent new turnings from splitting, also knots and the pith areas on the rim, just that bit of CA will strengthen and also slow down the drying of these spots, better outcome.
Got a picture here that shows where I did this, knots and pith areas and inclusions, the bowls dried without splits and was returned and finished.

View attachment 71660
I did soak the pith area with thin CA on both bowls. It surprisingly soaked it up fairly well, usually green wet wood won’t soak up CA that great but these did.
 
Switch off the walnut to see what the maple I got last week was going to look like. Had a large crotch piece that I wanted to try. It ended up have two offset piths in the top section so both bowls will have a pith in them. Hopefully it won’t crack but there was no way to cut the two blanks with out getting the pith in them. If they crack too much I’ll fill them and they will become give away bowls. Currently 14”x 7” but should finish out once dry at 13.5” x 6.6”

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Wow!
 
A small sipo(*) twig pot, slightly larger than the one I posted in the gallery, this one commissioned by a friend. Applying BLO now, then shellac over the weekend.

IMG_1505.jpg

I decided to make the first twig pot after getting an email about this Rude Osolnik auction. I wasn't intending to make a copy, but clearly I had Osolnik's piece in my mind!

(*) I think? I keep getting my sapele and sipo blanks mixed up.
 
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Finished this small walnut bowl, 7" x 2". It had a recess on the bottom I'm trying to decide whether to make it a footed bowl or leave it as is. The pencil line is the depth of the recess. What's everyone think? I've never made a footed bowl and thought this might be an opportunity.
 

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Finished this small walnut bowl, 7" x 2". It had a recess on the bottom I'm trying to decide whether to make it a footed bowl or leave it as is. The pencil line is the depth of the recess. What's everyone think? I've never made a footed bowl and thought this might be an opportunity.
Another nomenclature problem for wood turners (most recent - "jam vs. friction" chucking). Many turners would call this a "footed" bowl as it is. If you are talking about carving away material to get 3-4 small feet I would say no. Not enough material to get a continuous artistic curve. But do it anyway ... good practice for the next one where you plan ahead.
 
Another nomenclature problem for wood turners (most recent - "jam vs. friction" chucking). Many turners would call this a "footed" bowl as it is. If you are talking about carving away material to get 3-4 small feet I would say no. Not enough material to get a continuous artistic curve. But do it anyway ... good practice for the next one where you plan ahead.
Yes, I'm talking about making it a 3 footed bowl by carving away material.
 
Finished this small walnut bowl, 7" x 2". It had a recess on the bottom I'm trying to decide whether to make it a footed bowl or leave it as is. The pencil line is the depth of the recess. What's everyone think? I've never made a footed bowl and thought this might be an opportunity.
I am attaching 2 photos of the process I used on an end grain bowl, however the amount of material in the bottom may not be enough to make that continuous curve. The grain orientation appears to be side grain on yours, so you would need to have a balky leg to make up for the weak side grain. The way you are set up you will not need the live center support as shown here, however your setup will not work for a natural edge bowl.
DSC00748.JPG
The continuous curve was checked with a profile transfer gauge that easily shows if the curve is continuous on both sides of the leg ring with a small cup center holding the bowl against the jam/friction chuck. On this bowl I marked the locations of the leg by setting the index then made a pencil mark off the tool rest and moving to the next index point, 120 degrees for 3 legs or 90 degrees for 4 legs. The marking jig as shown is used to mark each leg to assure similar contour.
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This shows that the contour of the legs was cut close to the lines and then beginning to cut out the material between the legs. The final shaping can be done with files, sand paper, carving knives or whatever works for you.
 
Refining the ability to do basket illusion lines in particular regions. 200 perfectly indexed horizontal segments in 25 minutes. I need to get some real beading tools to make those look nicer.
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Screenshot from 2025-01-31 22-43-34.png

Edit: added image showing how the region selection works and the job run time.
 
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Working in the shop past midnight last night yielded this 12" Australian Bimble Box Burl bowl featuring an undercut rim. There are a couple of cracks that have been filled with Titebond mixed with sanding dust, one of which is in that dark area on the rim.....

20250201_000130.jpg 20250201_000155.jpg

=o=
 
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Working in the shop past midnight last night yielded this 12" Australian Bimble Box Burl bowl featuring an undercut rim. There are a couple of cracks that have been filled with Titebond mixed with sanding dust, one of which is in that dark area on the rim.....

View attachment 71762 View attachment 71763

=o=
Just stunning work and wood.
 
I am attaching 2 photos of the process I used on an end grain bowl, however the amount of material in the bottom may not be enough to make that continuous curve. The grain orientation appears to be side grain on yours, so you would need to have a balky leg to make up for the weak side grain. The way you are set up you will not need the live center support as shown here, however your setup will not work for a natural edge bowl.
View attachment 71753
The continuous curve was checked with a profile transfer gauge that easily shows if the curve is continuous on both sides of the leg ring with a small cup center holding the bowl against the jam/friction chuck. On this bowl I marked the locations of the leg by setting the index then made a pencil mark off the tool rest and moving to the next index point, 120 degrees for 3 legs or 90 degrees for 4 legs. The marking jig as shown is used to mark each leg to assure similar contour.
View attachment 71754
This shows that the contour of the legs was cut close to the lines and then beginning to cut out the material between the legs. The final shaping can be done with files, sand paper, carving knives or whatever works for you.
That shoulder is not strong enough to survive the stresses of turning a bowl that size. You would have to VERY gently turn out the inside of the bowl, and not have even the slightest catch.

robo hippy
 
That shoulder is not strong enough to survive the stresses of turning a bowl that size. You would have to VERY gently turn out the inside of the bowl, and not have even the slightest catch.

robo hippy
I am not sure I understand what shoulder you are talking about.
The post I made was just a methode to carve feet with enough ifs thrown to account for the unknowns. The bowl appears to be done on the inside since it is mounted on the Cole jaws, ready to finish the base.
If there isn't enough material or strength to carve feet then he could easily attach legs such as this photo.24025Bowl4.jpg
 
So, what is it about the interior you're not happy with?

=o=
Thanks for asking! I felt like the interior was too shallow and didn't follow the contours of the exterior. I put it back on the lathe and removed a little more wood from the center of the plate/bowl. I suspect if I cut it in half the interior and exterior profile wouldn't match but they would be closer than before and I'm happier about how it looks.
 

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I felt like the interior was too shallow and didn't follow the contours of the exterior.
Hello Charles:
Having the interior follow the contour of the exterior is one "rule" that shouldn't be a rule!
I suspect if I cut it in half the interior and exterior profile wouldn't match but they would be closer than before and I'm happier about how it looks.

^^^^^ That I've highlighted in bold above is the only thing that really counts, so follow YOUR OWN plan and always be happier! :)

=o=
 
Hello Charles:
Having the interior follow the contour of the exterior is one "rule" that shouldn't be a rule!


^^^^^ That I've highlighted in bold above is the only thing that really counts, so follow YOUR OWN plan and always be happier! :)

=o=
I know and I am happy with it. It was just so flat I wanted it to have a little more depth.
 
This piece of Box Elder burl has been sitting around the shop for too long (40 years). Time to do something with it. Thinking of squaring the corner and turning an offset bowl in that corner. On the left side is the underside of a Tree of Heaven rimmed shallow bowl, needs its final coat of wipe-on poly. IMG_2100.jpeg
 
Wow! I’d love to find wood like that! Super!

I agree.....that is one of the better Ambrosia Maple blanks I've seen.

Do some searches for "ambrosia maple" on eBay......they come up now and then....

=o=
 
Wow! I’d love to find wood like that! Super!
Well drive over to western NC and I’ll fix you you up with a blank or two😁. I have about 13 more foot this diameter, 20-24”, and about a 8’ section around 14” diameter. I’m going to turn a few more bowls out of it then try some hollow forms. I’m hoping the rest is marked up like this!
Core is around 13”.

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Last night was small chunks and scraps to make a lidded rice bowl. Tonight I attempted a Longworth chuck.
Ah.. rice bowl is green turned first turning.. paint pen in white has the month/year... As a final turning it would be for runway models only as it could hold up to a 1" cube of cheese at the moment
 
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