So, as I stated in my introduction, I began turning while stationed in Alaska. Several of my neighbors were wood turners and after watching them, I was hooked. I spent countless nights in my freezing garage cranking out bowls. We even hooked up with a local knife company, and turned dozens of Ulu bowls.

 

Alaskan Birch is one of my favorite wood species to turn. I also love White Spruce, but the sap gets everywhere when you turn it wet. It was so easy to get wood for turning up there, not so much here in Florida.

 

WOW!!!!

Those are awesome!

 

Can you explain what is a Ulu bowl?

Very nice!  Are they all Birch.  The last one has  Cherry look to it.

2 hours ago, lew said:

Those are awesome!

 

Can you explain what is a Ulu bowl?

Ulu bowls are a Native Alaskan thing. The picture below is an Ulu or the knife, and the bowl. The bowl matches the curvature of the blade.

1 hour ago, HandyDan said:

Very nice!  Are they all Birch.  The last one has  Cherry look to it.

The large salad bowl is Spruce, 4th picture. The last one is a Birch burl. That is what gave it the cool look. I haven’t had the pleasure of turning Cherry into a bowl yet, but I hope to.

6 minutes ago, PatriotWoodturning said:

Ulu bowls are a Native Alaskan thing. The picture below is an Ulu or the knife, and the bowl. The bowl matches the curvature of the blade.

Thanks!!

So it is a small soup bowl then?   

6 hours ago, Gunny said:

So it is a small soup bowl then?   

Gunny it is for chopping.

 

Doug those are some nice bowls. You will find after you give away a few bowls folks will bring you wood or call you to pick it up.Happens to me all the time but I have been in the same place almost 20 years.

Those are some nice looking bowls Doug.

As a source for local lumber you might make contact with a few tree cutting services near you.  Might get some pine or live oak.  If only there was some use for a palm log!

12 minutes ago, Cal said:

Those are some nice looking bowls Doug.

As a source for local lumber you might make contact with a few tree cutting services near you.  Might get some pine or live oak.  If only there was some use for a palm log!

Yeah, I know a few tree services from my landscaping days that I could try. 

 

I have seen people use palm infused with epoxy to make turning blanks. However, I don't have a pressure pot or much experience with epoxy or resin.

Really nice work and beautiful bowls.