My First Elm Bowl

[Steve Schlumpf]

Last summer fellow Creeker and friend, Pete Jordan, gave me a roughed out Elm bowl that he and Bob Hainstock had cored during Bob’s visit with him. Took awhile but I finally got around to turning it. I thought it turned out pretty good considering this was the hardest wood I have ever tried to turn! By that I mean hard – as in a rock! Sharp tools didn’t seem to make much difference and I actually found myself pushing the gouge through a cut instead of lightly rubbing the bevel! Tell ya, once this stuff has dried for a year it becomes really REALLY hard! :eek:

Once finished I showed my wife, Colleen, and she loved the color variations in the wood, the overall size of the bowl and the way the grain reflected light. She immediately claimed it! Well… as long as she is happy!

This Elm bowl measures 12 ¼” diameter x 4 ¼” high x 3/8” thick. It has 4 coats of Minwax Gloss Wipe-On Poly that I sanded down after each coat. I wanted the wood sealed but wanted to be able to feel the grain when handling the bowl. It also has 2 coats of Renaissance wax to protect the wood from fingerprints and water spots as well as give it a very smooth feel.

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A BIG thanks goes out to Pete Jordan for the blank! I really do appreciate it and I do apologize for taking so long to finally get it turned!

As always, comments, critiques and opinions are welcome!

Thanks for looking!

[George Guadiane]

Nice wood, nice shape, nice finish (all, as usual).
All in all, hard or not, the wood was worth the Steve Schlumpf touch.

[Mike Golka]

Not hard to see why your wife claimed it Steve. That's a beauty.

[David Christopher]

Steve, that is a very nice bowl.....the color is beautiful

[Chris Rae]

Beautiful bowl, I don't blame her a bit for claiming it! Your work is always great, and this is another example of it.

[Gary Conklin]

That, looks great! The one I turned a bit back was like having a brick on the lathe! Not to mention the fact that the shavings came off like hot little coals so much so I had to wear a glove. The really nice thing is that it is so hard it is almost impossible to blow one out!

[Mike Svoma]

Nice bowl Steve. I like everything about this one. I am sure that Colleen is going to enjoy it.

Mike

[alex carey]

Nice wood and nice form, not a big surprise she claimed it, I would of if id had the chance.

[Joe Aliperti]

Great bowl and photos, Steve. Makes me want to pick it up and hold it. Nice classic form.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

It looks like they got that piece of Elm just at the right time Steve, Elm that has died does degrade quite quickly in my experience, this one has just the right amount of coloration and a hint of spalting, and you did a very nice job of making that bowl out of the cored blank, I do like the warm color it has, very well done

[Scott Hackler]

Looks great Steve. I love elm. At first I accumulated a lot of it for "practice" since it is so plentiful around here, but the bowls I have done turned out so great I am always looking for that giant elm log. I agree about its hardness. I dont have a steady rest and with the pressure needed on the gouge to finish turning it... I have had chatter problems.

[Bill Bolen]

Very pretty piece steve. Love the form and a low luster finish sure worked well. I too love turning Elm but am about out of my once huge supply. Enjoy it while you have it in hand...Bill..

[Keith Burns]

You know Steve, most everyone thinks bowls are easy. But in fact they are not. You achieved a wonderful form with this one. The thickness fits it perfect. The wood is great. I give it a strong 10.

[robert hainstock]

As you know, I have the little brother to that blank that Pete and I cored out last summer. The blank I have is also very colorful, and the smaller inside piece of that blank. I have worked with a lot of elm, but never seen any color variation like that. I'm not at all suprised that Coleen wanted it. Good job!:D:D
Bob

[Curt Fuller]

That's a beautiful bowl Steve! I agree with what everyone else has said and would add that I really like the way you did the bottom. Looks good and will also be very stable.

[Bernie Weishapl]

That is a beauty Steve. Really like the form and finish. No wonder she loves it.

[Wayne Leach]

Steve,
I can see why the wife won't let this go. Simply stunning and needs no additional decorative work to perk it up. The bottom looks well planned and executed and not like an after thought. Very nice workmanship all round.
Wayne

[Bob Bergstrom]

Looks like your wife has the same great eye for a good lookin' bowl as she had for a great lookin' guy when she grab you for her own.

[Ryan Baker]

Beautiful bowl Steve. I got some elm very much like that from a friend that I have been making into various bowls. I need to find some more. Great color and figure. But you're right about being hard. That stuff sure does a job on the tools. You can count time between sharpenings in seconds. Another winner for your wife's collection.

[Glenn Weathington]

Nice bowl there, Steve. I like the shape and the grain pattern. I like how the thickness of the rim and its profile gives the piece a solid look. The diameter of and the fact the foot is recessed also imparts that impression. Excellent finish and really nice coloration also. Seeing this piece makes me want to turn the couple of blocks of dry elm I've got. Very inspiring.

[Cody Colston]

Beautiful bowl, Steve. It has awesome color and the simple shape doesn't take anything away from it.

[Barry Stratton]

Great job on one of my favorite woods to turn!!!

[Christopher Fletcher]

Steve, I hope my elm turns out half as nice as yours. Great job!

[Jarrod McGehee]

Steve that looks really nice. I like the small amount of bluerot in there too. it looks really good!

Chris, I do too! ha

[Jeff Nicol]

Steve, As already said the colors in this bowl are really something! I think the longer elm gets a chance to spalt up, it becomes amazing! I agree with Leo, you got it just at the right time. I have some that is to far gone and it gets little pockets of degredation in it that are tough to fix and take away from the total beauty. I can see Colleen's eyes as she adores her new bowl!

Great job,

Jeff

[Quinn McCarthy]

Steve

That is one awesome bowl. I can't believe the grain in that elm.

Quinn

[Norm Zax]

Classic! ... as always.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Wow! Thanks for all the kind words everyone! I really appreciate everyone taking the time to post their comments! It means a lot! Thank you!