First Bowl

[Jerry Lawrence]

Well it was bound to happen. After posting a few different items in the past week, I had to go and attempt a bowl. It seems like there's a natural progression to this steady pull into the vortex. I can't even begin to imagine what will happen when I finally get a proper wood lathe and stop turning by cranks on this little metal lathe! That day is a ways off yet, so maybe my sanity can remain for awhile longer.
Anyway, here is my first bowl. I had a hunk of 8/4 rough Padauk lying around so started out with a 5"X5" blank weighing 1lb 10oz, Ended up with a bowl weighing just under 3 oz. measuring 4 3/4" dia. at the top, 2 1/2" dia. at the foot, 1 5/8" tall, 1 1/8" inside depth.
I left the lip thick on purpose, though looking at it now, I think I would like it better if it were thinner. Happy with the outside curve, but the inside, not so much. Thinking it might be easier (i didn't say easy) to get a nicer inside shape with hand tools. Could have done a better job at sanding too. Final sanding was 400grit, wet sanded with BLO. Not sure if that was proper or not, but it felt right at the time..lol. Then waxed and buffed. Still have a lot to learn and looking forward to your input and critiques.
Thanks!
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[Andrew Arndts]

Wow, Very nice...

[Dan Forman]

I guess you are giving new meaning to "cranking out" a bowl. :)

That's a pretty good looking first bowl if you ask me. We all find things we think we could have done better, so don't be discouraged. As a first bowl, I'd say that's better than most.

Dan

[John Keeton]

Jerry, I know you say getting a wood lathe is a ways off, but your enjoyment factor will be huge. You really need to consider making the jump. Getting smooth lines and cuts HAS to be easier than the way you are doing it.

That said, this is a quite respectable bowl! I look forward to seeing you posting that new lathe!!

[Mark Hazelden]

Jerry,

If you able to do such nice work on a metal lathe and are having so much fun, then you need to get a wood lathe. You will be giddy with delight as your gouge flows from one curve to the next.

Keep your eyes open and a wood lathe will make its self available for you to own.

[David E Keller]

Great job on your first... Sign and date it then pull it out in a year or so. Hopefully, none of us ever stop learning or having fun.

[Prashun Patel]

Beautiful. I don't see the telltale starter mistakes of tearout on the inside - even with those steep sides. You seem to have a good touch and I can't wait to see how far y'll go.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Jerry - Congrats on your first bowl! All-in-all, nice outside curve and you did a pretty good job on the finishing. I have to agree with the others... try turning on a wood lathe as soon as you can! Amazing difference when you can feel the cut and create the curve through body movements! You think it is a vortex now?

Also agree with David - sign and date you bowl! There is only one first bowl and you need to honor it!

[jwjerry w kowalski]

Jerry, for a 1st time bowl you did an outstanding job, especially on a metal lathe. You did a complex curve and a nice inset on the bottom, some things that aren't usuallly done the first time, I think you have a lot of potential to be an extremely good turner. Buy that wood lathe and once the passion of turning gets you hooked you'll be surprised how much fun it is and all the different forms your artistic talent can come up with.

[Donny Lawson]

Very nice for a first bowl,and with a metal lathe even makes it better.

[Roland Martin]

Very nice first bowl and on a metal lathe? Wow. Don't fight it, very few humans can, for any significant amount of time, avoid the power of the vortex. Thanks for posting.

[Jerry Lawrence]

Thanks again, everyone, for the kind words and encouragement! Yup, a wood lathe is on my wish list, but for now guess I better pay the mortgage first. Three kids, two in high school looking at colleges...yeah, that lathe money is long gone for now :(

[Karl Card]

First of all very nice wood. I have a gang load of padauk and love to turn it. Secondly I have heard of sanding with blo and alot of people like it and say it make a very good sanding media and mix it with some of the wood dust that is coming off the item being turned. Your first bowl looks alot better than my first bowl, but I do know how you feel, my first lathe was a Harbor Freight 14x40 and it did not have a tool rest with hit and parts for HF stuff take a loooooong time to get here so I first did not use a rest at all, then decided that was very unsafe, so I made one out of wood and decided that was better but still not safe... so then I bought a jet and it had a tool rest... Good luck and welcome to the VORTEX.....Ö¿Ö