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Brad McCollum
05-25-2012, 9:17 AM
Hey Y'all,
I am trying to locate a good book on building stave bowls. I've had several chefs come to me recently wanting large wood bowls for use in their restaurants. I have been told that stave construction is much stronger than a conventional one piece turning and able to take the abuses of commercial use. So who puts out a good book on basic stave construction and where can I get it?
Thanks for any info you can give!
John Beaver
05-25-2012, 9:41 AM
Brad, Malcolm Tibbetts touches on staves in his segmenting book. I think he also addresses it in one of his videos.
you can find him at tahoeturner.com
Michelle Rich
05-25-2012, 12:03 PM
check out youtube..lots of videos on stave construction
Malcolm Tibbetts
05-25-2012, 3:06 PM
John, thanks for the "plug".

Brad, the biggest problem with stave-constructed utilitarian bowls is “how to add a base” without creating an unwanted cross-grain connection. For non-utilitarian bowls, the solution is a “floating base” which I show in my Volume Three DVD, but for large stave-constructed bowls that are going to hold liquids, I wouldn’t recommend the loose-fitting floating base. For small diameter bases, a trapped very snug-fitting floating disc would probably work (sort of like an end to a wine barrel). To minimize wood movement, try to use a disc of quarter-sawn wood for the base disc.
Bill Wyko
05-26-2012, 7:05 PM
Ditto on Malcolm Tibbetts book. It has the math done for you in the back for just about any angle & number of staves you could want to do, I use it all the time.
Brad McCollum
05-26-2012, 10:24 PM
Hey y'all,
Thanks for all the help. Mr. Tibbetts, it looks like your book gets the nod, I ordered it today and can't wait to get into it. I've been a bowl maker for nearly 20 years and have shied away from segmented work but stave construction intrigues me and I may have a market if I can make it work. I've seen these bowls at restaurants but have not been able to examine one closely. Sounds like fun and besides, I'm getting to old to chase logs. Good quality cherry logs are getting hard to find in my neck of the woods.