Well I didn't break it, at least!

[Josh Bowman]

Per you all's suggestions, I started into the naked NE bowl this morning to finish it. It's not as thin as I would have liked but at least I didn't break it. I so wanted it to come out, it really became nerve racking....but fun. Everytime I touched a place with the gouge for the last time, I figured that would be the catch and I'd have bowl everywhere! It's not as nice as your stuff, but I'm darn proud. It's only got some Formby's tung oil at this time and magic marker to hide it's naked NE edge. I'll figure out what kind of real shiney stuff can go on the top of the Formby's in a few weeks, once it's dried some more. Also I have to even out the nub left from the tenon to make it set on it's base.
So let's see....the lathe was 2 grand, the tools another three hundred and a lesson for $85, that puts that bowls value at $2385, :p
Please critque at will!

[Dennis Ford]

It may not be perfect but its better than my first few NE bowls, definitely a "keeper".

[Brendan Stemp]

It's a beauty! Well done Josh. I think you have done an excellent job on this and I think it is thin enough just the way it is. Thin doesn't necessarily mean better. Too many turners get hung up over getting bowls thin to the expense of good design. Even wall thickness is more important especially in NE bowls where any 'unevenness' is very noticeable.

In your pricing of this bowl you didn't factor in the enjoyment and satisfaction you no doubt got from the process of making the bowl. So you calculations should be divided by 100 to take this into account.

As to the finish; please resist the "real shiney" stuff. A few coats of a danish oil will do the trick. The wood and design is good enough as it is without a glossy finish.

[David DeCristoforo]

Make one more and you can "pro rate" it down to $1,192.50. If it doesn't sell at that price, keep it. That's a spectacular piece of material and a fine job of turning it. I agree with Brendan on the "thin wall" thing. I actually like a bit thicker wall on NE pieces because it preserves more of the edge. I don't think this is at all "too thick" for it's size.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Josh,

Like most of us you are your own worst critic. Nicely done! I love the wood and the form is great.

If you do a search here on Mark Cothren or Travis Stinson or Keith Burns you can find some photos of some really nice pieces for examples but all in all you did well!

Just think......3,000 of these from now and you have the cost to under dollar and be ablel to market them to Walmart!:confused::rolleyes:

[Baxter Smith]

Nice wood and pretty bowl. Looks good as is!

[John Keeton]

Josh, it turned out very well! The wood looks great, and you should be very proud of it.

Formby's contains no tung oil, BTW. It is nothing more than a wiping varnish. I would let it dry for a few days, and lightly sand with 400 grit, and then apply something without so much gloss were it me. Just seems NE bowls of this style look better without the high gloss.

[Thomas Canfield]

It definitely looks like a keeper. The wood has a lot of character, and good form. I agree to not go with the shiny finish but instead build up with oil. Buffing multiple coats of a oil finish with triipoli and then reniance wax makes for a great semi glossy finish that has a really great feel. About the cost, I think when you amortize the cost of equipment, materials, and minimun wage then you get the price down to priceless for the enjoyment you get. I know that my work is still priceless - I still give it away, but the smiles and thanks are priceless in return. You can't compete with Wal-Mart. I bought a 8" Monkey Pod calabash bowl there for $8 and on same trip spent $12 (down from $18) for a Monkey Pod blank that would turn the same bowl a couple of years ago when in Hawaii.

[Don Alexander]

while it may be true that you can't compete with Walmart (for Walmart style stuff) none of the stuff i am seeing on here compares to Walmart stuff ............... its way past that level and therefore blows it away :)

[Dave Halter]

Great looking bowl. The form looks good to me and I love the spalting in the wood.

[Tom Sherman]

Nice job on the 'return' Josh.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Nice job Josh. Turned out pretty well and that is some nice looking wood.

[David E Keller]

Congrats on finishing the piece. You should be proud of it. I like the wall thickness the way it is.

Spalted wood can be pretty tough to turn, especially the end grain, so this was not an easy chunk of wood for your first NE bowl. I'm looking forward to your next turning.

[John Hart]

Good job Josh...you've come a long way in a short time. I know that it is worth nearly $2500....But don't sell it!! You need this bowl so that you can remind yourself of where you were...many years from now.;)

[Michael Short]

Josh,

$2385 for tools and Lathe, First bowl PRICELESS..

Great looking bowl.

[Allen Neighbors]

What they all said. Hold your head up, smile, say to yourself.... "thin ain't necessarily in". You did very well! :D

[Steve Mawson]

Nice bowl and just remember, in the future each one will cost less. If you do enough of them they will get down to almost-FREE. Then if you sell one free comes that much faster.