Well as usual, I'm a day late (and a dollar short). And may I add- I hate computers.

With all the other things that happened this week, I spent very little time in the shop and that time was devoted to working on a walnut shotgun case. I'm going to have a tough time figuring out how to use the lathe on this project!

The other week, Cliff posted a bowl project on which he was working. Personally, I found the shape of his bowl very pleasing. Then I saw a video from Craft Supplies about turning a "Calabash" bowl (No relation to Jimmy Durante, I guess). Anyway, it got me to thinking about bowl shapes and are there specific names to various bowl shapes? An Internet search uncovered some really neat information. 

Apparently the Hawaiian culture had a lot of influence on shape and design-

http://www.patkramer.net/html/traditional_bowls.html 

Other early cultures no doubt had similar influences, as well, I just thought the above link was interesting (and I was in Hawaii in the early 60's).

Here's a link to the video for turning the Calabash bowl. It is not a tutorial but it does give you some ideas.

If you find this type of bowl is something you'd like to turn, here is a link to a PDF that is a pretty good tutorial-

http://www.sdwt.org/other/techniques/CalabashBowls.pdf

In a previous "Wednesday's...", I showed some pictures of a compression collet I made. Here's a link to a video show what you can do with a professionally create version-

Safe Turning!

Lew, thanks for the effort you put in to this topic. This is awesome information. You are completely right about that bowl and the shape and feel to it, I especially love that lip around the top edge. I saw Cliff's bowl and I was impressed too, I believe Cliff has not been turning that long and he comes up what he did! I only have dreams of doing something like that at this point. Baby steps with me though.

Turning overwhelms me, it's a completely separate discipline in woodworking that holds an entire world of tools, machinery, techniques, and a whole lot more. The facets of woodworking are many, and turning is a main facet in the overall category of woodworking, and I am rambling now, sorry. But just wanted to say thanks for taking the time to do your Wed topics, I enjoy them, I read every one of them, and though I may not post, it does not mean I am not reading, thanks for your time Lew and all you do here for TPW.

Thanks, John, for the kind words.

Life can be a bit sparse around here Lew, I know that. But rest assured folks are lurking, watching, reading, and enjoying it all.

Life can be a bit sparse around here Lew, I know that. But rest assured folks are lurking, watching, reading, and enjoying it all.

Love the bowl and thanks for the link to the names. I guess I never gave it much thought. I love to turn them, but I have no idea what I am turning until it starts to take it's own shape. I'm not one of those that can look at a piece of wood and see the object in it. I wish I could!