cherry anyone?

[Brent Grooms]

I finally finished this trio... they are all christmas gifts as popcorn bowls. two of them came in at around 9.5in the other is just over 11in. Depth is about 3in with just under 1/4 in walls. I tried going thinner on one and wound up with some chatter no matter what tool or how "gingerly" I applied the tool. I guess a bowl steady is in my future :D. I still have to apply the mineral oil/beeswax. Oh and these were sanded to 600 with abranet.... the feel of these is incredible!

As always C & C is appreciated...

[David E Keller]

Beautiful work. I'm sure they will be well received.

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Nice work, I really like the looks of these bowls.:)

[Dave Ogren]

Beautiful bowls, all of them. But what I really like is the display table.

Dave

[charlie knighton]

popcorn in cherry bowls, they will be appreciated, very nice

[Bernie Weishapl]

Brent those are really nice bowls. I like the simple form. On your chatter problem if you go down a little at a time instead of hollowing it all out and then going back to thin the walls that will help a lot. Also a bowl steady will help. I had the same problem with some big cherry and walnut bowls. Mike Mahoney at a demo of his told me to hollow a little at a time going down. He said maybe a 1" to 1 1/2" at a time. Once you get the thickness you want go deeper and just continue that way till it is done. He said and also others have told me once you get to 1/4" and try to go back to make it thinner there is to much flex. I tried it with just the bevel rubbing and there was at least a 1/16" to 1/8" flex after I had hollowed the inside out. Hope this helps.

[James Combs]

Very nice Brent. Cherry is one of my favorites.

BTW I experienced the same chatter problem and now have a steady rest. It makes a big difference. I could not really get the "get the thickness then go deeper" method to work for me. I couldn't seem to match the levels to each other.

[Harvey Ghesser]

Real nice work, Brent! And you're correct about needing a bowl steady to go thinner. I bought the bowl steady from Oneway. It works just great! I've done a 12 inch with a diameter of 1/8 inch. Maybe too thin but I did it because I could!

[Baxter Smith]

Beautiful bowls Brent! Ditto on what Bernie said about a little at a time. I sometimes just grab a glove for my left hand when I go back a little bit further than I should (but not to the rim) and am too lazy to get out either of my bowl steadies.

[David DeCristoforo]

What can you say? Nice bowls! Bring on the popcorn...

[Jim Burr]

Dogonit!! There is no cherry to be had in Fresno. Since you folks are insistent on posting Cherry...is anyone selling it??? I'd be more than happy to offer $$ for blocks. I have a 1014 so be reasonable. I actually do reciprocate...like pens and stuff??? The things you guys come up with are great!! Hi...my name is Jim and I'm a turner:o:o

[John Keeton]

Nice work, Brent, particularly the one in the left front - I like feet on bowls!!:D

[Josh Bowman]

Beautiful work. Great curve in the bowls.

[John W Dixon]

Those are really nice. There are going to be some folks mighty happy to have been on your Christmas list.

John

[bob svoboda]

Very nice. I especially like the profile of the one you put a small foot on. Gives it a nice 'lift'.

[Prashun Patel]

Nice work; I wish I could feel them.

I feel yr pain w/r/t the bowl steady. I gotta get one too...

[steven carter]

Brent,

Very nice set of popcorn bowls! They will only get better looking as the cherry patina darkens over time. I am sure the people who recieve them will be very happy.

Steve

[Reed Gray]

Nice job. As said by others, if you are turning that thin, you need to go down in stages. Rough turn first, say 1/4 inch at the rim, and maybe 3/4 inch or so near the bottom of the wall before you get to the transition. Take it down to final thickness about an inch or inch and a half at a time. Take the next inch or so next. I will use a scraper (lightly burnished burr is a bit better than the one from your grinder) at a shear (45 degree) angle to blend in the start/stop area. Never try this, especially on thin bowls with the scraper flat on the tool rest. This is a very gentle touch, and will take a couple of passes to blend in. The walls will move as you finish turn, and it doesn't make any difference if the wood is green or dry. The wood will 'adjust' to having bulk removed, and there is a small difference in how the tool cuts when passing through end grain and side grain, and going with and against the grain. End result is the bowl is never perfectly round, and what the shear cuts won't fix, abrasives will.

I have never used a steady rest. I learned to use my hand on the outside. I turn too many different sizes to be continually readjusting the steady rest. The key here is that you use the same amount of pressure with your support/steady rest hand that you use with your cutting tool. Using too much pressure can burn your hand, and also cause the wood to deform as badly as no steady rest and heavy tool pressure. Can you say 'Kablooie!!!!!' Oh, yea, remember to round over the rim. A square edge is a wonderful little razor saw, and will slice you nicely.

If you want to go less than 1/4 inch, your stages will be gentle taper stages, going to finish thickness in 1/2 inch or so steps. I have gone to 3/32 on a 12 inch diameter bowl that was 12 inches deep.

The only problem with really thin bowls, is that people are afraid to touch them. They feel too delicate, and people worry about breaking them.

robo hippy

[Steve Schlumpf]

Nice bowls Brent! I love working with Cherry!! They are going to look even better once you get your oil/wax mix on them! I am sure they will be well appreciated!

[Brent Grooms]

I will use a scraper (lightly burnished burr is a bit better than the one from your grinder) at a shear (45 degree) angle to blend in the start/stop area. Never try this, especially on thin bowls with the scraper flat on the tool rest. This is a very gentle touch, and will take a couple of passes to blend in.

This was a lightbulb statement! Thinking about the angle of the aproaching stock and the included cutting angle.. Makes perfect sense! If I had half a brain I would have realized this earler!



I have never used a steady rest. I learned to use my hand on the outside. I turn too many different sizes to be continually readjusting the steady rest. The key here is that you use the same amount of pressure with your support/steady rest hand that you use with your cutting tool. Using too much pressure can burn your hand, and also cause the wood to deform as badly as no steady rest and heavy tool pressure.

I was trying this, but I am guessing it is going to be an "aquired touch" from a bit more practice... WOOHOO... MORE CURLIES!!!

[Brent Grooms]

Well fate has a wild sense of humor... I wound up "running" into the guy that gave me this cherry for helping him take down the tree and process it somewhat. He has offered more of it to me... so... I need to get another popcorn bowl made to give him and his family in appreciation.:)