oatmeal bowl designs?

[Sean Hughto]

A relative asked if I could make her some oatmeal sets (single serve bowl plus spoon) for eating breakfast oatmeal in the cooler months. She mentioned the UK sorts of traditions for such treen she learned of from her mom. Anyway, I've begun trying to make some - to try out designs. I'm aware of Robin Wood's work and may try some like his. I wanted to invite anyone here who has a good design - bowl or spoon - to post a picture so I might explore options I'm not even thinking of or can take advantage of refinements that have been developed through experience and actual use of such treen.

Efforts so far (all maple):
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5637/20858278965_fbf1b5b1fb_b.jpg

Thanks!

[Prashun Patel]

Sorry, no pix.

Beautiful bowls. Missed yr posts recently. How do you line up the grain like that on the spoons?

If we're voting, I'm partial to the 'calabashesque' design of the lower right bowl. I find that a small partial return has better ergonomics. It just feels good in the hand as you lift the bowl up to the mouth to spoon those last, milky bites. It allows cradling of the hand higher up on the side of the bowl, instead of requiring the user to palm it underneath or hold it by thumb and forefinger on the rim.

Those rims sure are pretty, though.

You always get nice wood.

[Sean Hughto]

Thank you, Prashun. You are kind.

As far as the grain on the spoon, I just look at the end grain on the block I'm cutting the blank from and orient it in a flatsawn manner. I typically split out blocks, bandsaw a rough spoon shape, and then whittle, rasp and sand.

Thansk for the input and thoughts.

[Joe Bradshaw]

Sean, I like the top two. The spoons are really nice. I just finished a spoon carving class last Sat. Spoons are fun. I usually keep a spoon in progress for when I take a break from shopworn.
Joe

[Thom Sturgill]

I'm with Prashun, I've missed your posts, prefer the calabash (for the same reasons) although the other designs allow you to hold the warm bowl by the edge with less temperature issues. Love the spoons, and have yet to try making any on them.

[Shawn Pachlhofer]

visually, I like what appears to be a rolled rim of the upper 2 bowls - but Prashun is correct. Functionally, the right-side bowl with the slight return will be easier to eat out of.

[Sean Hughto]

Yes the rims on those two are "rolled." Thanks, all.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/651/19981535863_5aef912be9_c.jpg

[Prashun Patel]

I suppose if they're eating rolled oats, this is more appropriate. If they prefer steel cut, then a 'sharper' rim may be in order...? Anyone?

[Sean Hughto]

Too funny. Let's assume steel cut - i.e., thicker oatmeal, not porridge or gruel.

[Prashun Patel]

I'm curious what you finish these in.
The couple spoons I've made end up rough with prolonged water exposure. I've tried oil, oil/varnish, and just burnishing. Nothing stymies the grain raising for more than a couple uses.

[Sean Hughto]

I use walnut oil and beeswax on the lathe. But I do find that use and washing inevitably dull wood, so I renew the finish when needed with stuff like Claphams or similar (only takes a minute with a paper towel).

http://woodsmithexperience.co.uk/uploaded/thumbnails/db_file_img_3729_1000x1000.jpg

[daryl moses]

I like them all, but my favorite bowl and spoon is the one on the top right.

[Sean Hughto]

Thanks, Daryl. Interestingly, I agree that that is the prettiest spoon, but the larger one is better to eat from because of how I shaped its rim (not apparent in the picture) and the handle is nicer to hold as is the sort of handle to "spoon bowl" relationship ( the "spoon bowl" on the pretty one is sort of low compared to the curving handle such that when taking a bite you have to lift is a bit more in a sort of less natural spoon to mouth motion. Little things ....

Maybe in ten more iterations?

[Paul Saffold]

A question. I cook my oatmeal (not instant) in the microwave. I assume that's not possible with the wooden bowls without a bit of charcoal flavoring in the oats.

Likewise, I vote for the bowl on the right for eating out of. But they all look nice.

[Sean Hughto]

More like this. http://joyofbaking.com/breakfast/OatmealPorridge.html
Bowls for serving.

[Ken Kimbrell]

My vote goes to the bowl on the right as well, that design just seems to work better for me, that's how my breakfast bowl is shaped.

As for heating in the microwave... I do use instant, so my way is to place my oats in the bowl, then heat a cup of water to a boil and pour the boiling water over the oats. Don't want to place the wooden bowl in the microwave for fear of cracking it. :)

[Maria Alvarado]

Sean,
I like your bowls, those look like they will hold a healthy portion of oats. If you search "porringer" on this forum you'll find a thread with a couple styles I made. They're somewhere between a porringer and a 'quaich', as Robin has on his site.

[Pat Scott]

The couple spoons I've made end up rough with prolonged water exposure. I've tried oil, oil/varnish, and just burnishing. Nothing stymies the grain raising for more than a couple uses.

Have you tried to raise the grain first before applying finish? For all of my salad bowls and platters that I know will be washed, while the piece is still on the lathe I spray (mist) it with a water bottle and let it dry. It only takes a few minutes to dry. Then lightly sand again with your last grit used. Now apply your finish and you should be good to go for years.

[Prashun Patel]

Thanks Pat. Yes, have tried that. Surprised that it works for you and not me :(

[Hayes Rutherford]

Sean, I lean toward the upper bowls because of ease to produce. The calabash probably requires 2 or 3 gouges and for me, a lot more time. You did say it was for a relative so Im thinking it might be a gift and not a sale. (so my logic may not apply) Making sets of small bowls can be a pain when somebody request them because its hard to charge what they are worth. I've been trying to take the same size core out of bigger blanks, and turn the same exact single serve bowl every time. Pretty boring but its fast as there is no need to refer back to a pattern or an original. Ive tried a few spoons(yours are super)but they are not in my network right now.
These are birch with walnut oil and work for oats.
320309

[Sean Hughto]

Those look great, Hayes. I may try some that shape. You are right, mine are not for sale. All my stuff is "priceless" -- as in: I have to give it away. ;)

I'm simple - I pretty much use 1 bowl gouge for everything. Maybe I'd get better results if I learned the nuances of a variety?

[Prashun Patel]

Hayes, can you elaborate? I only use one gouge on bowls with minor returns. (minor digression alert): I actually find bowls with returns easier to turn on green bowls that are being twice turned, since the rim usually moves the most. I have to take more off the rim proportionally to bring it back to round. A return on such bowls ends up being the most natural and simplest of forms.

[Hayes Rutherford]

Sean, your bowls are much nicer wood and more artistic shapes for sure.
Prashun, you are right about the rim out the most, but I removed wood at base too when creating the smallest possible spigot where the blank was snapped out as a core.

These are still open enough so one gouge for the entire inside but for the calabash, one to start, one for transition, then one for bottom. That's just my method, not the only way for sure

[Sean Hughto]

Another bowl in Birch and more spoons - maple and one in holly:
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/655/21040160110_e8093141b7_b.jpg

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5715/21040358118_6ae209deb2_c.jpg

[Hayes Rutherford]

Those are super. They look like they would be comfortable to use.

[Jeff Grantham]

Wow those are all beautiful bowls, Sean. As a relative newbie to both turning and this forum, it's inspiring to see.

For what it's worth, I like the top center bowl the best if strictly on aesthetics. And functionally, I get hung up if I try to visualize getting the last few scoops out of that calabash style one with the way the lip turns back in. :) Just one man's opinion, though!