My First Bowl

[Bob Borzelleri]

This should probably go as an update to my "Things That Happen in Vegas..." thread but I have to admit to reading all those "My First Bowl" threads with wonderment if and when I would be doing the same.

Well, I just got back from 3 days with Jimmy Clewes and three other fine folks who were there for his class and here is my first bowl.

I also added an "in progress" shot as well as a shot of the bowl alongside my mallet that started out as a scrap piece of ash that I could learn various cuts on. Jimmy thought that it might have a new life as something other than kindling.

I'll add to my original post about my impressions of the class after I decompress. As a tidbit, I offer the punch line now; Clewes is a great teacher.

[Billy Tallant]

Nice bowl & mallet there!!!

[Roger Bullock]

Nice work, so it did happen in Vegas, you got photos. I's say this is one Vegas trip that you can say you came out a winner. :rolleyes:

The mallet appears to have an insert in the end, what is it and where can a guy get them. I made a couple a few years ago (without inserts) and it's time to make new ones. A guy can't have enough mallets around the shop. ;)

[Dennis Ford]

Good job! That came out very nice, I bet that you will make a lot more bowls.

[John Keeton]

Nice bowl, beautiful wood!! The mallet looks great, and I particularly like the handle shape and the embellishment. I would say the class was a success, no doubt!

[Baxter Smith]

Great looking bowl. You must have paid attention in class!

[Donny Lawson]

Very nice bowl.Soon I will try my hand at those too.I really like the design on the mallet.Keep up the good work.
Donny

[Bob Borzelleri]

Thanks everybody for the positive reinforcement. Roger, there are no inserts. What appears in the photo is the result of me leaving the stubs on after I finished the mallet. The faces are simply rough sanding; I plan on finishing up the faces now that I am at home.

Thanks for the comments on the handle. We started out with me learning to do beads and coves and when I was just about ready to take out the practice piece and toss it in the kindling pile, Clewes brought over a mallet with a simple radius handle, put it up on the little rubber tray on the PM3250B and said, "keep looking at this and use what you have learned to turn your practice piece into a handle that you like and you will soon have a nice shop mallet" (or words to that effect).

I should add that I have had a couple of bowl blanks that I paid $20 for at a woodworking show. They have been sitting on a shelf and daring me to work on them and I have responded by staring back.

This bowl started out as a block of Ambrosia Maple that Clewes handed me with a $54.95 price penciled on it. After balking at the thought of ruining blanks that I had paid $10 apiece for, the $55 maple felt very heavy in my hands. After I completed the finish on the outer surface, I was tempted to stop there, plop the unfinished end down on a table and call it a large maple truffle; but I forged ahead.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Excellent bowl and mallet Bob! I would say it was worth the time, effort and money!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Bob - beautiful bowl and a great looking mallet! Good to hear the you enjoyed the class! Looking forward to hearing more about it!

[Bernie Weishapl]

The bowl is a beauty out of some beautiful wood. Mallet looks great. Looks like time well spent.

[David E Keller]

Glad you had a good time, Bob. Nice looking bowl and mallet. I'll be there with Jimmy toward to end of May, and I'm so excited that your experience was a good one. Looking forward to your summary of the course.