Natural Log Bowl

[Peter Fabricius]

Hi All;
I was asked by my Son if I could make a bowl from a half log. I tried and it turner out pretty nice. Flattened the bottom about 2 inch wide on the jointer and drilled a 1/2 inch deep hole for the #1 jaws on the Oneway Stronghold chuck. Flattened the front (very rough since the firewood had been split on a power splitter). Turner out the bowl and finished with Walnut oil, Beeswax and Carnuba wax mix.
Comments and critique welcome.
Peter F.


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[David E Keller]

I like it! Did you reverse it to get rid of the hole on the underside, or did you just leave it?

[Peter Fabricius]

Hi David;
I left this one with a hole because I am trying to be as natural as possible. Only applied the oil, wax mix to the cut surfaces, the bark is natural.
I had an idea and posted with the bowl on WWF. If you glue a round waste block to the bottom of the log then grab the block with compression jaws and make the bowl. This way you can just cut off the waste block on the bandsaw or the jointer. The bottom on the log would be flat and you would save "all" the thickness of the piece.
A WWF member from Red Deer Alberta made one from a one inch board with beautiful grain but he cut out the hole and lost some thickness of the piece.
If the board is about 1 inch thick you can keep it all by using the waste block method. The bowl part could be deeper and then hold more pocket change.
The log does not have to be longer than the width. If you use a half log and cut it the same length as it is wide then the propeller effect would be reduced and perhaps a better way to start with this type of bowl.
My log was cut 11 inch long and was 7 inches wide and it made a pretty good propeller. (keep ALL fingers on the good side of the toolrest!!!!)
Peter F.

[David DeCristoforo]

Very cool. I had a friend who made a bathroom sink using a similar idea.

[charlie knighton]

very nice....

[Dick Mahany]

Peter,

I like this ! It is a great demonstration of how grain can take shape as cut from the section of a log. A fun combination of the refined turning and mother nature's gifts to us.

[Lee Koepke]

before I got a lathe, I used my router and a bowl cutting bit to make a 'snack tray' from a log.
sold it to a friend this Christmas .. she really couldnt stop talking about it ....

using "the unusable" is always fun. You did a great job with this bowl, nice shape.

[Baxter Smith]

Nice job and a very pretty finish!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Nice work Peter! I especially like the slightly raised rim of the bowl and how you gave it a smooth & flowing transition!

[Bernie Weishapl]

That is a nice one Peter.

[dan carter]

Once again, dad you came thru. Imagine your son is impressed. I know the end product looks good from this side.

[Tim Rinehart]

Peter, super job on that. Very nice look and balance to it...and a nice spin on natural edge bowls. Well done! I may need to try that.