Turning A Bowl ??????
This video is best viewed right here on this page. However, in case of technical gremlins, it is also posted on YouTube and FaceBook.
After acquiring a block of green oak, my choice were limited. Often, I would simply rip it in half and two two bowls – one from each half. However, this block was short. Any bowl would have to be much smaller than the wood diameter would usually allow.
Instead, I turned it in to several cross grain tubes. Since the wood is still very green, I hoped for some dramatic warping. Alas, not so much. Now what?
I decided to make a bowl anyway while using the tubes. There were several alternatives. I chose to slice the tube into thirds and glue them to a base for a splayed rib bowl. However, there were issues:
- What to do for a center? For a foot, I laminated some dry oak together incorporating an expansion mortise.
- The tube slices are cross grain and very weak. I created a segmented ring to provide some support. That was still not enough. So I glued a spline of solid wood to the underside of each tube section.
- Epoxy would require a lot of clamping and forming. UV resin to the rescue. With this resin, I could apply small quantities of resin. Then quickly cure each application of resin before it dripped or ran.
In the end, the bowl seems a bit too “organic” for my tastes. However, I am open to ideas as I still have additional tubes.
Enjoy.
Alan, I was surprised to see that you assembled it with the convex side up! I think it would look a little more bowl-like had the ‘staves’ been concave side up. Perhaps the supporting ring could have been ‘taller’ and had small concave parts cut out of it at each stave’s location (each being 60 degrees apart) for a different kind of support for the staves.
None the less, I applaud your ‘thinking outside the bowl’ for this project.
On a separate subject, will you be attending SWAT this year? If so, I’d like to meet you.
All my best,
Walter Mooney
Board Member, Gulf Coast Woodturners Association
You have a good point about concave vs convex side up. For this project, the convex looked better. (And that is all I can say about that.)
Thanks for your ideas.
and, yes, I plan to be at SWAT. please look for me.
Alan