My First Bowl....almost

[Chris Huybregts]

Well, I was at woodcraft this Sunday and to drum up business, they had one of their employees (Sandy, for those familiar with the folks at Austin's Woodcraft) outside turning a bowl. As it was a lazy day for me, I watched him for a good hour and a half, this was my first "live" experience watching a bowl being made.

Talk about a learning experience! Anyway, after chatting with him, playing bowl catcher, etc, he gave me 3 pieces of wood. 2 Arizona Ash, with spalting, and 1 piece of pecan. Keep in mind I only have a 1014i from Jet :) so, no massive vessels for me.

Feeling the urge, I got home, put on my face shield, and went to town... well, first off, THANK GOD for the face shield. As these are little logs, I was attempting an end grain bowl. While hollowing out, the gouge caught and thwacked my face shield!

Also, while rounding the blank, I made a new friend. A wood worm was still in his home! He didn't live that long...

After coring out the bowl, I went to shaping the exterior, during that time, I had a significant catch and it tore a huge chunk of the side :( After parting off the wood, I only ended up with a little coin dish. But as with everything else, I've learned a lot and look forward to trying again on the ash!

Chris

[Steve Schlumpf]

Chris - congrats on your first bowl! They are very challenging the first few times but get a lot easier the more you turn.

Just a suggestion - on your next one - shape the exterior/outside of the bowl first, then hollow it out. You will find it works a whole lot better!

Have fun with it and make sure you keep your first bowl - sign it and date it! You just may surprise yourself at how much you improve over the next year or so!

[Richard Madison]

Chris,
You may already know that Austin is a veritable hot bed of wood turners. Google SWAT and that should get you on a path to one or more clubs based in Austin. They have some great turners who would be happy to give you some first hand tips. And you are welcome to visit my shop in Wimberley. I am surely no great turner but might be able to give you a few tips.

[Dewey Torres]

Chris,
I have a fleeing that is about what mine will look like. We will find out soon. Don't feel bad. I turned a nice hunk of firewood yesterday.

[Steve Mawson]

Not a bad start. It all takes some time to get comfortable with how it works.

[Chris Huybregts]

Chris,
You may already know that Austin is a veritable hot bed of wood turners. Google SWAT and that should get you on a path to one or more clubs based in Austin. They have some great turners who would be happy to give you some first hand tips. And you are welcome to visit my shop in Wimberley. I am surely no great turner but might be able to give you a few tips.

Yep, the ctwa.org is pretty active here, I want to join, and was looking forward to the meet this coming weekend, but, my Grandmother just passed I'll be going to that event instead. I appreciate the offer and will take you up on it, as soon as I'm sure I'll be around :)

I know I could use some guidance, it seems whenever something goes wrong, I feel like the cause would have been simple knowledge passed on :)

Chris

[David Christopher]

Chris,
I have a fleeing that is about what mine will look like. We will find out soon. Don't feel bad. I turned a nice hunk of firewood yesterday.


Dewey, do you need flea powder??

[David Christopher]

Chris, keep it up we all have to start somewhere. not a bad start

[Jim Kountz]

We all have some of those, dont worry I still make some like that!! Keep at it and like Steve said, sign and date it, it will be great to look back a year or so from now and see where you came from!!

[Dave Halter]

Chris,
First off -sorry on the loss of your Grandmother. Second - don't feel too bad about the bowl. I tried completing my first bowl last week. I had roughed it out last Spring when I took a bowl turning class at Woodcraft. I thought it looked great and then took it off the lathe. There was a quarted sized area on the bottom that was paper thin. So I parted the bottom off, glued on a piece of walnut, and promptly turned completely through the bottom. So although I've been able to make a bowl shape I haven't made anything that will hold soup yet.

Dave

[Bernie Weishapl]

I still have my first one I did like that. I dated it and signed it so I could see my progress. I do agree with Steve to form your outside first then hog out the inside. Keep at and keep'em coming.

[Marc Himes]

Chris a good way to learn and get familiar with the tools is to turn green wood while it is still wet. Leave it fairly thick and put it in a paper bag for a few months before you finish turning it or, turn it to its final shape and dry it in the bag. I found green wood much easier to turn and cheaper than dry wood and it still offers the chance to learn the techniques.

Marc Himes