There was a lot more sap wood in this bowl than I expected. Still, the bark stayed on well and it warped nicely without cracking. The sapwood also makes a nice contrast I think.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bottom side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

you are good Steve...

I'll bet that was fun.

Very nice bowl. 

That's a beauty!

 

Di you use any CA to help stabilize the bark?

Spectacular!!

Outstanding piece Steve...agree the grain variance is very unique enhanced by the bark edge...

Great work on saving the sap wood. Never seen one with that much in it.

Nicely done Steve.  It is beautiful.  Someone will snatch that one up in a minute.

Thank you Gentlemen!!

 

Steve

  Great looking piece Steve. OK, based on the pictures the rim of the bowl does not appear to be on the same plain, also the bowl is not round. So my question is how do you turn a bowl and not end up round? When turning the inside would you start from the outside in or inside out?

13 hours ago, lew said:

 

Di you use any CA to help stabilize the bark?

 

 

Good question! Yes, copious amounts, inside and out.

 

Steve

43 minutes ago, DuckSoup said:

  Great looking piece Steve. OK, based on the pictures the rim of the bowl does not appear to be on the same plain, also the bowl is not round. So my question is how do you turn a bowl and not end up round? When turning the inside would you start from the outside in or inside out?

 

 

Thanks! You are right in your observations. The rim is irregular and it's not round. The key is, the bowl is turned from a piece of crotch wood, which is nearly always your basic "Y" shape. If done correctly and you get all three legs on the same plane it will end up being kind of a heart shape. That is, if it's turned natural edge. If turned like a "normal" bowl, it will look like any other with a smooth rim. Another reason to do them natural edge is it saves more of the ribbon figure that is in the grain. And again, with a normal shape bowl that figured grain would be turned away.

Since this bowl is so thin, about 1/4" the inside is removed in stages, working from the center out. However, a person can't completely remove the middle without shaping the rim as you go. If the whole center is removed the bowl will warp and you can't get a clean cut. Lyle Jamieson has a pretty good video on doing a heart shaped bowl here.

 

 

 

 

Steve

 

1 hour ago, Steve Krumanaker said:

 

 

Good question! Yes, copious amounts, inside and out.

 

Steve

Thanks!

To add to what Steve said about turning natural edge. I start by cutting the circle inside the bowl rim with a point tool or similar tool. By doing this the bark is less likely to fly off the rim and by establishing this early you can add CA to stabilize the bark. After this is established you can begin removing the center wood an inch at a time.

       Steve pointed out about warpage occurring during turning . This warping is worse in some woods than others and for this reason you do an inch at a time and then never touch a tool to that part again.

34 minutes ago, Gerald said:

To add to what Steve said about turning natural edge. I start by cutting the circle inside the bowl rim with a point tool or similar tool. By doing this the bark is less likely to fly off the rim and by establishing this early you can add CA to stabilize the bark. After this is established you can begin removing the center wood an inch at a time.

       Steve pointed out about warpage occurring during turning . This warping is worse in some woods than others and for this reason you do an inch at a time and then never touch a tool to that part again.

 

Gerald, the point tool is a great idea, I've not done that and hadn't heard of the idea before now, so, it's already been a good day! On a natural edge bowl I do my cuts a little differently than you, I try to plan so my last  cut is continuous and passes through the highest edge and lowest edge in one pass, that way I don't have to worry with little dips or humps where I picked up the cut, something I'm not the best at.  Can't always do it that way but most times I can. Like you said, once that cut is made I never go back to it.  Of course I also want the thickness consistent on both edges as well.

I don't normally apply the CA until I'm done turning and I brush on a generous coat of shellac inside and out first. On one of these bowls shellac is my end grain sealer and it keeps the CA drips from staining around the bark.  They then go in a paper sack on the shop floor for a couple or three weeks.

 

Steve

Great Job !!!!

Beautiful bowl Steve. 

22 hours ago, Steve Krumanaker said:

the bowl is turned from a piece of crotch wood

  This was the part I didn't pick up at first but your explanation & the videos cleared that up. The part in the 3rd video that shows how to set the sole of the tool flat with the wood and then turn into the cut helped me understand how you turn the wood and makes the voids less hazardous than what I originally thought.

  Thanks guys for the replies and videos.

  Again, great looking piece.