John Spitters
07-27-2012, 5:44 PM
The other day the wife and I were out and about and she spotted some natural edged bowls with the bark still on, and was totally puzzled as to how they could possibly be made on a lathe when they were "boat shaped". Obviously I've never made one nor shown her pics of them previously, so of course I did my best to explain to her how you would go about turning one.
So today after being busy for the past week or so doing flat work in the shop I thought that I would surprize her with one of my own natural edged pieces. I dug through my wood stash and all I could come up with was this piece of an Apple branch that was still intact and the bark appeared to still be well attached.
I wanted to turn the stem thinner but it was distorting too much while I turned it and I was afraid that with the bowl part whipping around irratically that it would break off at the stem, so it is what it is ... the wall thickness of the bowl is apx. 1/8" thin enough for the light to shine through on the sapwood part. No sanding as again I was afraid that it would induce heat checking and wreck the piece before I could get it off of the lathe.
Turned from Apple 5 3/4"h x 6"w
so far one coat of antique oil.
So today after being busy for the past week or so doing flat work in the shop I thought that I would surprize her with one of my own natural edged pieces. I dug through my wood stash and all I could come up with was this piece of an Apple branch that was still intact and the bark appeared to still be well attached.
I wanted to turn the stem thinner but it was distorting too much while I turned it and I was afraid that with the bowl part whipping around irratically that it would break off at the stem, so it is what it is ... the wall thickness of the bowl is apx. 1/8" thin enough for the light to shine through on the sapwood part. No sanding as again I was afraid that it would induce heat checking and wreck the piece before I could get it off of the lathe.
Turned from Apple 5 3/4"h x 6"w
so far one coat of antique oil.