Cool While it lasts...

[Chris Studley]

While making this, I had to walk away for a few so I put a plastic bag w/ shavings over it... So far so Good.

Upon returning to the lathe I removed the bag, apparently moving the tool rest in the process, turned on the lathe and ...

Clunk.

Not an explosion but the stress caused a crack, This crack will no doubt expand. I chose to continue on, since I hadn't tried a shape like this before. I figured that if there were any other lessons to be learned It should be on this one.

I like the way it turned out. It is cool, while it lasts.

If I were to do it again I would have had the flat portion higher.

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C&C welcome....

[Steve Vaughan]

That's a very cool and unique - at least to me - shape. I really like it and I think the flat is good where it's at. I don't recognize where the crack is you're talking about, but maybe filling it in with some CA would keep it from getting bigger. Nice job.

[Robert Newton]

I have had some luck using gorilla glue to seal up cracks.

[Jamie Donaldson]

You did well to complete what you started, and making these is always an adventure. I usually place the wings on my pieces either 1/3 from the bottom, or up 1/3 or less from the top when they are suspended on the downturned legs.

[Fred Belknap]

Chris that is different. Sorry about the accident, hope you can fix it. I like the shape of the bowl and the wood. Do you call that a wing or what? The wood is nice I,m thinking it is maple. Glad it hit the tool rest instead of your finger:eek:

[Chris Studley]

Thanks all for the complements and suggestions. I've resigned myself to let it go and Crack, warp whatever and put it on the "shelf of cautionary tales and lessons learned".

I like to keep my mistakes as well as triumphs around to inspire and also remind myself of potential pitfalls.

[David E Keller]

These are fun to turn with that wing whipping around at a high rate of speed... I like to think of this as a shop clearer since my wife will not hang around during the turning of such pieces!

One thing I find critical to the success of this 'bowl in a board' form is that the curves match perfectly on either side of the wing... Much easier for me to type than it is for me to do! Another thought about these when using a crotch piece... Much of the best figure in the crotch can be lost depending on the position of the bowl portion. It can be hard to know exactly how deep the figure will be, but I always hate the feeling I have when I turn away the 'good stuff'.

I'd put a nice coat of oil on it and call it a success!

[Chris Studley]

Thanks for the suggestion... It has a coat of BLO on it now.

It did lose some figured wood but there is a nice feather at the crotch at the tip on the wing. The figure is very light in color.

And,matching the top/bottom portins on the bowl is tricky. It's close but not quite right.

I turned this green, and looking at it this morning the wing is already warping. I actaully quite like it. But that begs the question... Can you rough turn this shape and come back to it taking the usual steps?

[Reed Gray]

The crack started on the pith of one of the branches, or from the center of the main branch. You can almost guarantee that it will happen every time, no matter what you do when drying the wood. This type of winged bowl can be a lot of fun.

robo hippy

[Bill Wyko]

Very cool piece. You could always fill it with inlace and epoxy to make it a prominent feature.

[Jamie Donaldson]

Chris- here are several of the form variations I have been turning for demos over the last several years.

[Chris Studley]

Nice Jaime,

I have done the suspended bowl type with dry wood before but not wet.

Do you turn these green or twice turn them?

[Jamie Donaldson]

I never twice turn, but prefer to "age" my project wood until it is almost dry, so that it can be sanded and finished without delay.

[Baxter Smith]

Nice work regardless of the end result! I thought those crotch winged bowls were pretty cool when I first saw one as well!

[Mark Hubl]

Nice piece. I think the centered wing looks nice on this one. Too bad it cracked. I put my cracked pieces out on the deck, use them for bird feeders. Eventually they end up in the chiminea!