First Bowl (Apple) - C&C Welcome and Couple Q'

[Ben Martin]

Well, some of you might remember my mother load of apple thread from a while back:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=149603&page=1

Well, since then I have been busy with a multitude of other projects, but the Nova G3 chuck being on sale at Woodcraft pushed me over the edge and into the vortex! $340 later last night, I was the proud new owner of a Nova G3, Crown Ellsworth Pro-PM Bowl Gouge and a couple other things, I guess I went a little overboard... :D

I have about 30 bowl blanks cut up already and still have a couple more pieces to go, the scraps are going to friends who BBQ and I expect a couple free meals will follow!

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp325/martbj/General%20Workshop%20Pictures/702570717_photobucket_12689_.jpg

(the blanks that are circular there are 11" around and about 3-6" tall, for reference)

So today, I got to turning my first bowl and what a load of fun that was! The Crown gouge made it a joy from my previous experience. My Delta 1460 vibrated quite a bit until I got the pre-cut blank perfectly circular, but functioned great after that. I can't wait to find a 3PH motor so I can use my VFD for speed control. The Nova G3 worked great as well, I used the screw chuck that came with it.

The only problem I had was while trying to work the lip, the bowl sort of exploded on me, a quick google search found that this is a very difficult part of the bowl to turn, any tips here would be greatly appreciated.

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp325/martbj/General%20Workshop%20Pictures/702570717_photobucket_12770_.jpg

Now, on to the "finished" bowl, it got a couple inches shorter because of the mishap, but still came out pretty good if I might say so myself. I sanded it from 100-400 grit, but didn't apply a finish.

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp325/martbj/General%20Workshop%20Pictures/702570717_photobucket_12767_.jpg

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp325/martbj/General%20Workshop%20Pictures/702570717_photobucket_12768_.jpg

(the dark horizontal streak in the lower picture required some CA glue, it was starting to crack)

Now on to my question, it relates to drying, this bowl is roughly 6" in dia, 3" tall and the wall thickness is about 3/8". I currently have it in a yard leaf bag (equivalent to two paper bags) filled with shavings and am planning on letting it air dry. I am a bit worried that it will crack (instead of warp), and am thinking that anchor sealing it and coming back once it dries with a final re-turn might be a better possibility. I like the feel of bowls with a thick wall so I do not see me wanting to go much thinner.

I realize that cracking is an inevitable, but I would like to increase my odds as much as I can!

Thanks,

Ben

[Jim Burr]

Just drop that little guy into a DNA bath and wrap it up for the winter!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Ditto what Jim said or you could anchorseal the whole bowl and let it set for the winter. I do this with great success.

[Reed Gray]

I am guessing that your bowl is finish turned. If you try to dry it and return it round later, it will have move too much to return. I take the stretch plastic film, available at any office supply place, and STRETCH it around the rim a few times, with about an inch on the inside, and the rest on the outside. Your rims are nicely rounded over. I start them out on the floor for a few days, and then up on a wire rack to finish. Usually dry in about 10 days. This method works better for me than paper bags, or shavings, or plastic bags. It looks pretty clean as in maybe already sanded. You could go ahead and put some finish on it, or wait till it drys. If you anchor seal it, and don't return it, I don't think that stuff comes off.

robo hippy

[David E Keller]

I agree with Reed... I don't think you'll have enough thickness left in the walls to return it regardless of how you dry it. It's a good looking bowl!

[Dave Ogren]

I agree with Reed and David. From what I have read those that want to re-turn leave a 10% wall thickness. I have never returned. I finish turn to a 5% or less wall thickness, then let it dry.
Good Luck, Your bowl looks great. Many more.

Dave

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Ben, your other option on future bowls is to boil them right off the lathe. Hope it doesn't sound like I'm beating a dead horse. Nice looking wood.:)

[Ben Martin]

Thanks for compliments and tips guys, I appreciate it!

I added about 6 more blanks to that pile this morning, and these are bigger ones, 10" dia. and 8-12" tall, probably too big for my lathe (and the G3 chuck) unfortunately.

But I did watch video on youtube this morning where the guy used the tail stock to support the piece while in the chuck, coring out the inside bit by bit and eventually breaking the "tenon" that was attached to the tail stock. Perhaps this technique could be used to turn a bigger bowl with my setup?

Chris, you are beating the dead horse, I am all ears for the tips!

[Chris Stolicky]

Another thing I have learned....

Consistent wall thickness certainly helps in the drying process. However, having slightly thicker walls near the rim of the bowl, and a little thinner at the base, also helps stabilize things during the drying process.

So, what's in the keg?