Less than 20 bowls done so I’m keeping it simple. 
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What’s on your lathe?
- Thread starter Rusty Nesmith
- Start date
Less than 20 bowls done so I’m keeping it simple. If you are using a chuck to expand into that recess, the shoulder I am referring to appears to be about 1/4 inch on the rim and maybe 1/2 inch thick on the bottom where it meets the curve of the bowl. I use a recess exclusively on my bowls and platters.
robo hippy
Nice white sapwood. Was the tree cut down recently?
Wow, it doesn't get any better than curly ambrosia maple!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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Probably been down a couple months. I’ve been trying to get to it before it sat to long, just been busy lately.
I’m hoping it is still there on the final turn. I rough turned the mating side and it also has the curly showing some.
I turned the mating side of the maple this afternoon. It is also showing some curly maple with the ambrosia. Hopefully I’ll start a hollow form this weekend and see how it looks. 17” and 13” core.
I finished turning a red maple blank I had put away several years ago. I had to seal and fill the inclusion with CA before starting. This is the first time trying out Howards Feed and Wax, the results look pretty nice.
I had some curly maple with a little bit of ambrosia a couple of years ago; I made a shallow bowl with it. I need to put my tree-man on finding some more. He can usually get me what I want if I'm patient.
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I made a simple bowl out of a badly cracked piece of spalted sugarberry, had put some thin CA in the crack. Was just about done and was then going to black epoxy it—was refining/finishing the bottom with the piece on the Cole, when BAM! It exploded into 2 pieces, virtually in half. It was actually good because I could see how even my hollowing was. I used Titebond, then black epoxy after it had been clamped a couple hours. Will clean it up and repost. Wood is too pretty not to finish.
Piece of canary wood.
Wow, if only you could ship them to us! I don't really turn green wood, but this blank I would definitely take!Well drive over to western NC and I’ll fix you you up with a blank or two
Core is around 13”.
View attachment 71791
It is really cool how the Ambrosia streaks "wiggle" along with the figured grain! Awesome stuff!
Going to try a end grain hollow form and see how they look.
Haven’t seen you do a hollow form! How big is that opening and what wall thickness is the piece?
Me, too, happy to pay shipping!
When I have time I’ll see what I can do! We keep our four year old granddaughter during the week, take and pick her up from PreK so until school is out I have limited time during the week. So may be spring break or when school is out.
It's only a 4 inch by 2 piece. I've done a few deep hollow projects. Need a bigger machine before I try anything big. Did this urn:
Also did this walnut project. It's hollowed to 3/8 inch walls.
I love how canary looks, but I think it stinks for cutting and sanding. Very pungent.
A natural edge Catalpa bowl, this is the second turning. I was pleased to keep the bark on; the wood didn't distort much drying.
Flipped the piece around this morning and also grabbed a piece of Osage orange.
This project was inspired by an article in this month's magazine. Maybe I'll carve and cut on the next one. Had fun and learned on this!
This project was inspired by an article in this month's magazine. Maybe I'll carve and cut on the next one. Had fun and learned on this!
Offset box elder burl bowl. A 6 inch faceplate was used to turn a recess and flatten the bottom.Now mounted in a Stronghold chuck in expansion mode, you can see the 6 screw holes. The top surface will be turned and a 5 inch diameter interior made. 
Still really new at this but I've been steady plugging along. Made a few bowls and learning a lot about what not to do. Critique and advice are welcome. 
A couple more.
How’d this one turn out?
@ Phil Hamel
Raymond, that sign on the wall made my day!
robo hippy
robo hippy
Ended up the umbrella project in the gallery.
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Spent a bit of time working out how to generate tool paths for creating flutes. It can already do rotations to make them "angled". The next step will be to add lead-in/lead-out distances.
@Alan Weinberg
The opening was 3/4 and the wall thickness was1/8.
How's this for a hollow form start? Think I made the hole to big already. Full of bug trails and cracks! Will finish it anyway.
14” maple bowl. One coat of Waterlox sealer. Will finish with 3 coats of Waterlox gloss.
Canary wood has a very strong odor. If you have ever green turned white oak (affectionately called piss oak) you can just imagine a dairy coral in the spring. For me canary wood resembles fruity vinegar. Rosewood smells like roses, mesquite smells like a heavenly BBQ and maple smells like burnt pancakes.
- Joined
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Now with lead ins and outs and a bit of a twist.
Did some chinese chestnut today. Has anyone turned any of this? If so how much does it shrink, does it have cracking problems? I had to cover the bed ways and oil them down before turning it, my friend told me it will turn your lathe blue. It did blue the tools. I oiled the chuck jaws too.
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Phil, nothing wrong with an enlarged hole to start. Much easier to get the technique down that way.
I turned some bowls for an auction to help artist that lost their shops during the hurricane. The wood was picked up from down trees during after the storm and one piece was some kind of chestnut. It was kind of had a sticky sap and I don’t really care to turn any more. They are drying now waiting for the second turning, at four months so far no cracking and doesn’t appear to have moved very mush at all.
Turned a walnut that was mostly sapwood today, too wet to sand so will sand it tomorrow. Also tried a piece of the maple as an end grain hollow form. Just need to hollow a little more in the bottom then turn around and finish the foot. I wrapped it good and will finish it tomorrow also.
