Chinese Pistache and Greed

[David E Keller]

Here are a few photos of my latest disaster. This is an attempt at a natural edge Chinese pistache bowl measuring 8 inches at it's widest point and 3 inches at the tallest point. The walls are 1/16" widening to about 3/32" at the bottom. Two coats of antique oil and a coat of paste wax then hand buffed.

The disaster occured while trying to finish the bottom. I was attempted to finish the bottom with a jam chuck method(don't have a vacuum). I got a little greedy when trying to minimize the small tenon where the tailstock was holding... trying to avoid a little hand sanding. The small bridge of wood broke and the bowl was slammed into the lathe creating the two cracks seen in the photos.

I'll keep it as a reminder... hope this keeps somebody else from destroying an otherwise pretty piece of wood.

Comments and criticism welcome... helpful hints always appreciated.

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[Steve Schlumpf]

David - sorry about the mishap - that sure is one pretty bowl! Beautiful wood! You did a great job on taking the wood that thin! When it comes to finishing off the foot area - there are a few options other than a vac system - like a donut chuck. Still - very nice work! Thanks for sharing!

[curtis rosche]

i have done that too, did it once with a vacuum chuck that didnt have enough pull also. i normally work it down so that there is only a 1/4 or so diameter nub that the tailstock is in, then either take off the nub with a chisel and finish, or just take the bowl to the drill press and use a drill bit to take off the nub

[Skip Spaulding]

A very nice bowl, I can't tell from the pictures if you have tried a repair on the cracks, if not a little CA in the cracks with fine sanding dust from the same wood might help.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Good looking bowl and a bummer with the mishap. I have used a donut chuck for a long time before I got my Vac Chuck and still use it at time. Really works well finishing the bottom with no tailstock in the road.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

David,

Nice form and pretty wood!

I use a donut chuck. When using it to turn the tenon off a NE, I use a cone to support the NE and keep it's edges from touching the base of the donut chuck while the donut holds it in place. The tapered cone is made from pieces of 2" thick rigid foam insulation adhered together using double-sided tape. I cut as many... say 9" squares of 2" foam insulation as necessary. I adhere them to each other using double-sided tape. Then, I adhere them to the base of the donut chuck using double-sided tape. Then I turn the foam squares into a tapered cone with a blunt end. The NE is placed over the blunt end of the cone. The cone is tall enough to support the NE and prevent the sides of the NE from touching the base of the donut chuck. Then I place the donut portion over the bottom the of the NE and use the normal bolts to hold it in place. Then I turn away the tenon from the bottom of the NE. After I am finished, I detach the foam from the base of the donut chuck. I reuse the foam without taping it to the base thereafter.

[Curt Fuller]

Too bad about the mishap. I think most of us have been there and that's how we've learned. That said, the bowl is really nice. I like the thin walls and the dark center heartwood vs light outer sapwood really provides some great contrast.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

David, As the others have said, very pretty but so sorry about the mishap. Been there done that but I glued my back together(a segmented bowl) and learned a lesson like you. I still have the bowl and it doesn't look bad. It's worth a little more work to repair since it's such a pretty bowl. Good luck. Alan (D.M.D. retired)