Poplar Salad Bowl ...

[Ron Smith ... Richmond, VA]

Here is a larger bowl turned from the Poplar some co-workers dropped off a couple weeks ago. I rough turned it Monday, soaked it in LDD Tuesday and Wednesday, air dried it yesterday and this morning, then finished turning. The lady specifically asked for (a) no stain, (b) a mineral oil finish and (c) for some tool marks to be left on it to show it was hand turned. I told her that could be a problem, as my turnings have absolutely no tool marks on them when I'm finished ... uh, yeah. Somehow I managed to leave her a few. The bowl is eight inches across and four deep, not counting the slight foot. Below is a picture of the beautiful tile work she traded me for five bowls. It's four inch tiles, four wide and ten tall. It'll have a place in my new home next spring, maybe on a shower wall. Thanks for looking and happy turning.

[Richard Allen]

Terrific work Ron. By all rights that bowl should check and warp fairly quickly. It looks like you have found the solution, dish washing solution that is, to preventing checks.

How long have you been turning wood?

Thanks

Richard

[Ron Smith ... Richmond, VA]

I've been turning for about five months now. When I started, all I did was dry wood blanks, then I used Bill Grumbine's advice and websight to start on green wood. The difference is like night and day. Green wood is a pure pleasure to turn. Once I started turning green, I read Ron Kent's article on LDD and decided to try it. I've been using the LDD method of soaking and drying green wood ... and have not had a crack or split yet. I have had minor distortion on one bowl, but that was all. I've had excellent results with using the LDD and recommend it to anyone who wants to turn green wood without waiting several months. I've only tried Maple, Oak, Walnut, Cherry and Poplar so far, but they've all done fine. With all of the great looking work being shown on websights and threads, I realize I have a long way to go to be close to some of these folks, but I'm having a blast and that's what matters to me. I don't intend to get rich from it. When I build my new home and shop next spring, I hope to start getting into some flat stuff, but that's a whole new ball game.

[Wayne Cease]

Nice bowl. I like basic unadorned bowls. Fancy ones are nice, but I'm afraid to use them. I like one that I don't worry about scuffing it a little.

[Dan Stuewe]

No offense, but I think you got a great deal. We priced some hand painted tile for our fireplace a few months ago and had major sticker shock! Beings that your wood for the bowls was probably free and the turning of the bowls provided such pleasure, you made out like bandits!

BTW, I noticed the bottom of the salad bowl looks pretty flat. Is that typical for a salad bowl? My first thought is that you would want smooth curves on the inside of the bowl fro tossing the greens. But I am no aficionado.

[Ron Smith ... Richmond, VA]

You're right about getting a great deal ... the tile picture had a price tag on it for $600.00 when she gave it to me. She said this was what she was getting for these pictures. I was shocked also and asked her if she was sure she wanted to trade for five bowls. She said she was positive and liked the bowls very much. Four of them are Cherry. She said she had always wanted some hand made bowls, but didn't know anyone who turned them. Lucky me, I guess. The inside of the bowl has a lot more slope than the picture shows, but is flatter than most I've done. I'm on the lookout for a good bowl scraper ... I've already warned SWMBO about one probably showing up around the shop soon.

[Garrett Lambert]

Very nice work. I'm amazed, to be honest, that you can include so much pith and not have it split after only a couple of days in the soap. (You might want to stay in touch with your customer just in case some after-sales service is in order.)

As for a new bowl lathe, check out http://www.kmstools.com/main.php?scripts/products/cat.php?4&2.
I just bought the 1225, 1' wide x 1/2" thick side scraper. It arrived in yesterday's mail and is the MOTHER of all scrapers. Won't be any chattering at the bottom of the bowl with this one.

Cheers, Garrett

[Jim Amundson]

And how do you use it? Thanks in advance. Jim A

[Ron Smith ... Richmond, VA]

Originally posted by Jim Amundson
And how do you use it? Thanks in advance. Jim A

JIm ... here's the best place you can go to review what, how, and why about LDD ... Liquid Dishwashing Detergent. It's been very beneficial to me. I think you'll have fun with it on green wood.

http://www.ronkent.com/RKhome.html

Let me know how it works for you.

[Jim Amundson]

Ill try it in a large red (Norway) pine I had to cut down this winter.