3 Sisters - #1 and #2

[Kathy Marshall]

I have a friend that has 3 sisters. He's done a lot for me lately and so as a thank you I offered to turn big bowls for each of his sisters. He thought they would like simple, user bowls and requested Walnut for one of them and my choice for the other 2.

The 1st one is Mesquite, 11 1/4" x 3 1/2" with a couple coats of walnut oil so far. Mesquite really soaks up walnut oil, so it will probably get a few more applications. The blank had a couple of pith cracks running through it, which I filled with CA.

The 2nd one is Walnut which I rough turned a couple of weeks ago, and finished up tonight. It's 11 1/2" x 3 1/4" with a coat of Walnut oil. The pics don't show it well, but it's got a strip of curl running across it and it's got very nice color.
The bottoms on both are still bare, still need to sign them then I'll get them finished up.
I'll start on the 3rd on later this week, as soon as I decide on a blank.

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Thanks for looking!
Comments and critiques are welcome.

[Michelle Rich]

my preference is for the 2nd bowl..like the shape & color

[Dennis Ford]

Those look great!

[Roger Chandler]

Purdy stuff, there K! The sisters ought to be finely pleased! :D

[Tim Rinehart]

Both very nice bowls Kathy. I agree, the sister's will be pleased!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Great looking bowls. They will be tickled with those.

[James Combs]

Kathy, definitely some nice bowls, they will be appreciated. The walnut would have to be my favored.

[Baxter Smith]

Great looking bowls Kathy! I have turned a couple pieces of your mesquite and I understand about them "drinking up" the walnut oil. I will post when the second ones thirst is finally quenched!

[Pat Scott]

I really like the colors of both bowls, nice selections. On the mesquite I can't tell if you tried to make a detail around the outside about 1" down from the rim, or if that's a tool mark that didn't get removed? If it's a detail, I'd make it more pronounced so you can tell it was intentional. Also why on earth did you leave the pith in? I would have found a new blank or turned it and the cracks away. With the pith and crack lines you would have lost I'm guessing at least an 1" to 1-1/2", and ended up with a 2" tall bowl so I would have found a new blank.

I like the shape of the mesquite bowl better, the walnut bowl bottom looks too heavy (flat) for me. I'm curious why you don't finish the bottom and sign it before applying any oil at all? Do you oil them on the lathe?

I made an 11" walnut salad bowl a few years ago that looks almost exactly like both of yours (shape and size), and it's one of my favorite bowls. Looking at your pictures is almost like I'm looking at a picture of my own bowl.
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