What to leave in, what to leave out

[David Reed]

This is a shallow bowl I am turning with a fairly broad, partially textured rim. About 12"-13" diameter. I had originally planned to cut the rim thin and mirror the interior curve on the outside but I really like the spiked irregular surface along the raw edge. Should I continue with the existing outside curve, leaving the whole thing very thick to preserve this feature or cut it all away making the rim and bowl thin ( not too thin, thinking 5/16" more or less). Tell me what you think.

[Scott Hackler]

I like the concept and the finished bowl should be neat. If it were me I might want to shorten the top just enough so that the "bowl" portion doesn't have any inclusions in the rim. For some reason I always liked bowls similar to this where there is a stark contrast to the rough texture of the natural burl and the smoothness of the bowl portion. I would also leave this one thick to preserve the burl spikes.

[Jon Prouty]

For me I think there is too much going on with the rim as is right now... I'd probably continue going thinner but this is just a personal preference. Nice chunk of wood though!

Jon

[Leo Van Der Loo]

You gain nothing by going for a thin wall bowl IMO, I also would not go deeper, theres no telling if there isn't more inclusions deeper in the wood.

To me this is all about showing a special piece of wood, warts and all included, and then a smooth bowl that stands out, give it a rim to separate it from the rough part, fill the inclusions with either ground bark from the piece or use coffee ground, then make it as smooth as possible (not plastic looking though).

This is a show piece not a salad bowl, so don't take anything away from it that makes it a show piece, just my opinion :)

[Prashun Patel]

It feels too heavy to me; the rim seems too thick in relation to the center. If it were mine, I'd take it thinner, radially (not necessarily deeper. If that means the center starts to show inclusions and holes, then so be it. I like that there are Perfect parts, and then Pompeii parts. Definitely don't turn it away.

"I'm older now, but still turnin' against the rim."
Bob Seger rules!

[Mike Cruz]

Funny, I like the inside and rim just the way they are. Looks...Roman. Looks...marble. I'd follow the inside curve for the outside. I agree with Leo that this is a show piece. It is art, not utilitarian. I would want to see it sanded to 600+, Danish oil, buffed and waxed.

[Peter Blair]

I'm with Scott.

[Brian Myers]

Love it , finish the outside bottom. Don't get overly concerned with the thickness. Maybe pick out the bark on the rim so it's more like the rest of it (if possible) and finish her up. Looks like an ancient relic crumbling away with time.

[joe marra]

Please excuse my ignorance, But where is the pith oriented in this turning?

[David Reed]

Thanks all for the thoughtful comments. Will analyze them with piece in hand.


I might want to shorten the top just enough so that the "bowl" portion doesn't have any inclusions in the rim.
Scott, do you mean the inner margins of the rim only to be free of inclusions? I agree re the smooth bowl component. The bottom will require some filling.


You gain nothing by going for a thin wall bowl IMO, I also would not go deeper, there's no telling if there isn't more inclusions deeper in the wood.
Leo, the piece definitely has more inclusions the deeper I go. This is clear from the bottom of the burl but I still may go deeper if I increase the inner diameter. More filling.


If it were mine, I'd take it thinner, radially
Pashtun, I have been thinking of thinning it out a bit from the inside but was apprehensive for the reasons Scott mentioned. Compromises.


Maybe pick out the bark on the rim so it's more like the rest of it
Brian, definitely in the plan plus lots more finishing details.


where is the pith oriented in this turning?
Pith? I don't really know for sure. I pay little attention to orientation when turning burl, only in reference to the direction of the 'rays'. I like to display the rays end on for featured surfaces. I am pretty certain the pith is somewhere beyond the bottom.

Thanks again

[Richard Coers]

Would have been a nice off center piece.

[Steve Mawson]

Please excuse my ignorance, But where is the pith oriented in this turning?

Joe,
I believe I am right in that burls don't really have a pith because they don't really have grain that runs through the piece. Apparently they don't grow as a normal tree does.

[joe marra]

Thank you, I have Cherry Burl and trying to figure out how to mount it.

[David Reed]

Now that I have confirmed to leave the bowl thick, since this is the third plan for this piece as it developed... I cut back the outer shell based on plan number I and now not enough material to keep the body uniform thickness through to the bottom. Not sure how this will look in the end with a tapered wall. I can pull it off only if I increase the inner diameter of the bowl. Where should my priorities be?
I am generally better about advanced planning, but I just wanted to pull a piece from this blank that wasn't inside. Next time.

[doug williams]

I understand your problem how to keep all the character in this piece. Lots going on here, will be interested in how you finish it. Pretty