Seeking Ideas On Finishing this Shallow Bowl.

[mike ash]

I had a piece of 2.5" X 13" blank of spalted maple and worked it up to a point where I need to figure out what to do from here. This piece has some striking color and character but has some soft spots in the area nearest the pith line. I'm feeling that it needs a rim that would strengthen and help accentuate the interior. I posted a picture of a "clamshell bowl" a few weeks ago (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?164499-Call-It-Clamshell&p=1687238&highlight=#post1687238) and will put some of the constructive ideas I received from you all with this one. The rim I am presently thinking of would be narrower than the clamshell bowl. [P.S. Notice the Jeff Nicol tool rest....Love it!http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/icons/icon14.png!]

192762

Thanks in advance for your ideas. Mike Ash

[Tim Rinehart]

I would be cautious in wanting to touch the rim of this bowl now that you've finished the interior. If you rotate it on the lathe, you should see no runout on the outside or you'll risk blowing it up with a catch.
This is a beautiful piece of wood, nicely defined spalting. Well done really...but again, I'd warn against touching the rim now with any tools beside sandpaper.
I'm jealous...Jeff didn't color coordinate my tool rest to my Mustard Monster!! Hmmm, looks good!

[Dick Wilson]

Mike, I would agree with Tim. Doing anything to the rim at this point would be an invite to a huge design opportunity.....after you pick up the pieces from the floor. Those soft spots around the pith would be particularly suspect to any further tooling on the rim. I would soak the soft spots in 50/50 shellac and alcohol to stiffen up the fibers. I would sand inside and out and if possible sand the top of rim so it is curved into the bowl. As far as finish, you could use shellac, wipe on poly, what ever you want.

[Bill Bolen]

I wouldn't touch the rim under power now! Very attractive BTW.

[mike ash]

I want to make sure I understand comments from Tim, Dick and Bill about the dangers of installing a rim on this bowl (if I installed one). The technique I would use in installing a rim would be as follows........
1. True up the edge of the bowl so that it is flat.
2. Finish and buff the inside of the bowl (keeping the chuck mounted).
3. Clean up any finish or wax along the bowl edge.
4. Glue up the rim that would be used to cap the bowl (most likely segmented pieces)
5. Run the cap through my drum sander so that it also has a flat edge on both sides.
6. Mount the cap on a lathe jig and turn the inside to match the inside finished bowl diameter and scribe dimensions of outside of bowl diameter on cap so that it can be matched to bowl when glued.
7. Finish and buff the inside of the cap.
8. Place the bowl back on the lathe and lightly place glue to both surfaces and match scribbed cap to bowl and snug up tailstock as clamping system.
9. Remove jig and finish turning and finishing bowl and cap/rim.

I've used this technique several times with great success. Comments about this?

Thanks for the help, Mike Ash

[John Keeton]

Mike, very nice looking bowl. Your plan "sounds" good, and if it has worked for you in the past, then perhaps it will again. I would have to think the odds are not in your favor.

About the only way I would touch the rim of that bowl, and it would be only if I felt I had to, would be with the gouge flat, using the lower wing as a negative rake scraper pulled from the inside toward the outside. Very light cuts MIGHT get you a flat rim without a disaster. Whether it will stay flat until you can glue up the piece is another question. But, I am all for trying it - I certainly have tried more questionable situations, and some of them worked!

Should you attempt it, I would love to see the result - sounds like it would make a nice finished product.

Mike, I just re-read your process, and one other concern I would have is the "drum" effect if you glue on a circle and thereafter turn the center out of it. Sometimes, that can set up a harmonic situation making it nearly impossible to get clean cuts.

[David E Keller]

I looks finished to me! The wood is so pretty that it would be a shame to hide any of it with an enclosed form. Plus, matching anything to spalted wood would be pretty tough... Just my .02

[Doug Wolf]

Mike, I have to agree with David. I saw your "Clamshell" bowl and although it looks nice, I think this spalted bowl is to pretty of wood to cover any of it with a rim. Just my 2 cents.

[Donny Lawson]

Beautiful bowl as is. Don't take a chance of blowing it up.

[Michelle Rich]

I like it just as it is..simple & stunning..as to finish, you don't say if you will eat out of it, or will it sit on a shelf...makes a big difference in my book.

[mike ash]

OK, thanks to you all for your input. The more I look at the existing wood, the more I agree that I need to leave the rim alone. Now, I need to figure out how to treat the "pesky" punky areas so that they remain stable.

Thanks folks.........Mike Ash

[Jeff Nicol]

Mike, Of course I have to chime in and give a thanks for the thanks! Tim you must have got some of the first ones I made that were generic black or hammered grey. I like to color coordinate when possible and will do so in the future. But on to the bowl, Mike I think like all the others, it is a beauty on its own and to try and change it now would be unsafe like the others said. If you need another chunk of spalted maple let me know I think I can accomodate you!

Keep up the good work,

Jeff

[Scott Hackler]

I second the use of Shellac and Dna, but I would probably mix it 75% Dna to 25% Shellac. That should soak in really well and I would apply is very heavy in the punky areas and then a light coat everywhere else. I would do this several times, front and back and let it sit for a day or two. The Shellac/Dna = mix should harden up the soft areas and make for a nice sanding sealer. Then 400 to 600 and apply a finish coat of whatever. I would be tempted to apply full strength shellac at that point, dry, light sand, buff and wax.

Very awesome looking wood..... for sure.

[Lupe Duncan]

Mike I suggest a wipe of BLO and a Super glossy CA finish....:cool:

Im a pen guy......;)