Question about spoons

[Gary Conklin]

I need to have some quick projects for my limited time in the shop, and need/want to turn a few spoons. The problem is, I do not have a curved knife or scorp to do the bowls with, what are my alternatives?

[Tom Wilson66]

Dremel tool, or drill out most of the waste and use a small sanding drum on a drill to remove the rest of the waste.

[Curt Fuller]

As Tom said, dremel or sanding. If you look at most wooden spoons, they aren't very deep. I've done some by holding a 2" foam backed sanding disc with 80 grit in the jaws of my chuck and then working the bowl of the spoon over it until I get a bowl I like.

[Steve Schlumpf]

I've done the same thing as Curt - mount the 2" sanding disk in a Jacobs chuck and have at it!

[Martin Braun]

If it goes with the design (i.e. the bowl of the spoon is round in the axial direction), one can remount the spoon in the chuck and hollow it out on the lathe. If a vacuum chuck is at hand, one can get even more creative in shaping the bowl of the spoon.

If none of that will work, a curved chisel will also work nicely for hollowing out the spoon. A sandbag and some clamps can help secure the spoon for carving.

[Sean Hughto]

A gouge. Most woodworkers have some, but if you don't you can get great old ones on eBay for a relative song.

[Scott Lux]

If I might suggest a faster alternative to a spoon, try a spatula. I make them and people love them. It seems most folks use a wooden spoon to stir and mix, and a spatula is fine for that.

Instead of carving a bowl, you make a couple of quick cuts then sand. Simple, quick, and very well received.

Here are some I did last year. Several of these were experiments in offset turning.

[Gary Conklin]

All great ideas, thanks. I have to admit I thought of a few of those, Dremel, but it didn't seem very effective. Maybe a different bit. I like the idea of sanding it out and had actually forgotten that I received that info from Steve before.:o

Scott I like the idea of spatulas too.

[Steve Kubien]

Love the idea of the spatulas and have made a few for myself and family. For about $50 you can order a hook knife from Del Stubbs at www.pinewoodforge.com. Great guy and a fabulous knife!