Cherry Bowl..ordering vacuum chuck soon

[Ken Hill]

After finally turning a much larger bowl then i ever have, I think a vacuum chuck is in order.

This one is Cherry, out of a slab I milled last year. I cut the slab into bowl blanks yesterday and turned this one this evening. Its 9 x 3 and has just a wipe of BLO for now, it needs final sanding and finishing. I need to set it aside and return it when I get the vacuum set up to do a better job of finishing the foot area. I also was thinking as my back started aching about how nice a larger outboard lathe would be for bowls.....

No body tell keeton, maybe he will just over look this thread:D

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Calls/CMR2932/1092465773_dBgGD-L.jpg

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Calls/CMR2924/1092465870_kmUhG-L.jpg

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Calls/CMR2926/1092465966_oLFHv-L.jpg

[David E Keller]

Now that's a bowl! Nice looking form and a pretty piece of wood. Nicely done, sir.

[Baxter Smith]

Now thats a bowl! I do believe you are getting the hang of this!:)

[Ken Hill]

Yeah, it only took 3 hours and umpteen tools to get the transition close:eek:

I ordered a fingernail grind gouge, a round nose scraper and some other stuff to hopefully give me some options when trying these. The wife actually said "Now thats a bowl" so I think im atleast heading in teh right direction:D

[David E Keller]

Now that's a bowl!...


Now thats a bowl!...

Great minds...

[Bernie Weishapl]

Really nice bowl Ken. I do like the simple form.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Ken,
Great bowl and a really sweet piece of cherry. Of course, all the more appealing with your photographic and layout skills.
When you buy the bowl scraper, if it doesn't have a long handle make a new one about 20" or so. Maybe it's only me but a bowl scraper catches more that any other other tool for me and the short, lightweight handle wants to kick up.
faust

[John W Dixon]

Ken that is really nice. A classic form, great job.


John

[John Keeton]

Ken, despite your best efforts to keep this thread from me, I found it!!!:D

I really like this one! Beautiful wood, and I love the form - and, even if you are starting to like bowl turning, you are still an OK guy!:rolleyes: And, way to go with the foot on this bowl!! Maybe that will teach that Keller guy that good bowls have feet!;):D

If you have a compressor in your shop, I can highly recommend the Holdfast setup - simple, easy to set up, and works great. I hook mine up as needed, so it isn't in the way otherwise. Just takes a couple minutes to retrieve it from the cabinet, dial my compressor down to 70#, and hook it up.

I am sure the other vacuum setups are great, and less noisy. But, for my use, the Holdfast is perfect.

[Ken Hill]

Thanks John, the Hold Fast is what I was considering. I have the compressor, now worries there!

The foot, well, thats the wife's doings. She actually came out into the shop last night and talked about this bowl, explaining that so many wooden bowls get knocked over way to easy and the contents goes everywhere, so much like everything in my life, form follows function!

[John Keeton]

Ken, for whatever it may be worth, I have a daughter that "peruses" various high fashion catalogues on a frequent basis, and she often speaks of "footed bowls" as if they are the "thing to have!"

Ken, while you can make your own chucks for the Holdfast, I did buy the 3" one, and they are very well done. The 6" would be great for larger work, I think.

[Ken Hill]

Well, I honestly dont know enough about the "correct" or "accepted" ways of turning things...not really sure if I want to. I figure if I like it then my job is done, if others like it then thats a bonus!

Now I am considering the vacuum set up based on what I THINK I need it for. Turning off the tenon and light shaping of the foot area as well (and mainly) re-chucking for sanding the bottom and final sanding. If thats what these things do then I will be plaing an order, if thats not their main function then someone please enlighten me! Im not made of money so a purchase has to fill a void and make my work better or have the ability to make the purchase pay for itself.

[John Keeton]

Ken, that is what I use mine for, and you can get by with some careful shaping.

Keep in mind that, IMO, there are two reasons to consider a larger chuck. A larger surface area will give you more holding power. And, when you are applying pressure making a cut, as your point of contact gets further from the center point, the force vectors on the piece make it want to "tilt" on the chuck risking a break in the vacuum seal. Close to the center, and within the circumference of the face of the chuck, you can get by with more aggressive cuts. Farther out - not so much!!:o

You also need to get one of these so you can leave the bowl chucked, flip it to the tailstock, and move it up to the vacuum chuck for perfect alignment. This one is from Penn State, but there are other options, as well.
http://www.pennstateind.com/graphics/275px/LTCA18.jpg

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Ken, great bowl, I love the wood and color. That vacuum chuck will make a big difference for you but keep in mind that some bowls will not let you use vacuum so be ready with a donut or other similar purpose chuck as well.:)

[Mark Patoka]

Very nice. I really like the shape and proportion.

[charlie knighton]

very nice....

[Ken Hill]

I gotcha John....its worth it in other words to get both chucks along with the tail stock and I fully understand what you are explaining regarding the size of the chuck etc.

[Sean Hughto]

Excellent bowl. And very very stable looking, per your wife's request.

Now I'd like a vacuum chuck, but there are poor man's methods that work to get those bottom's done. Donut chucks are one way. I also often use the tailstock to press the bowl against the "back plate" only portion of my donut chuck. The nub that is left is easily taken care of with a gouge and swipe of sandpaper ... or, and I don't recommend this to the kids at home, but blue painters tape can be used to hold the bowl for a few minutes of slow turning to get the last bit off when the tailstock has been moved. A web of the stuff secured with a length around the whole circumference of the base plate has never let me down yet. But as I say, it's probably not something I should admit to. I keep the tailstock in position until there's only the nub and maybe one pass to do. The well secured painters tape web holds fine for those last 30 seconds of work - LIGHT cuts and most stock removal with cuts pushing towards the headstock (i.e., no lateral stress - just pushing the bowl harder into the base plate, in essence).