Natural Edge bowl process help for newbie??

[Keith Palmer]

I am hoping to attempt my first NE this afternoon. Do you still just rough turn the bowl and let it dry before finish turning? OR do you just go for it all at once? If you go for it all at once, what do you do with the foot to keep it flat once it dries??

What are some of the processes you folks use?

Thanks for all your great help in advance!!

[John Fricke]

I have only attemted a couple of NE bowls with mixed results. The best luck I've had was to round the blank, Super glue the bark around the perimeter, Turn the inside, Superglue the bark around the interior. Let the blank dry and finish as normal.

[Dennis Ford]

Keith;
I turn quite a few natural edge bowls. I have rough turned some and finish turned after drying but my preferred method is to finish turn while green.
I start with a section of log as long as the diameter or 16" long whichever is less. I try to cut one end perpendicular to the grain.
Then I put the section on my bandsaw setting on the square end and cut through the pith.
Next I lay one half flat side down and cut it approximately round (use a circle made from scrap 1/4" ply to cut around).
Then I screw a faceplate to the center of the flat side and turn the bowl. Be sure to leave enough wood at the bottom to remove the screw holes and not have a funnel. Pay close attention to wall thickness, any variations in thickness will affect the appearance of the bowl.
Once turned, I reverse the bowl on a jam chuck and turn away the waste wood where the screw holes are and finish the bottom.
If turned thin, it won't crack and will be dry in a few days if not the next day. You can let dry before or after turning the bottom but either will require at least some freehand finish sanding (I use a close-quarters drill with hook & loop foam pads).

If you don't have a large bandsaw or can't get a square end, use a chainsaw and start between centers to get the alignment right.