What should my objective be?

[Jim Daughtridge]

Over the last few months I have enjoyed seeing many postings of beautiful creations from you fellow turners.

The question I have is to the thickness of any piece I am working on, be it a bowl or a plate of some sorts. Should I strive for the thinnest walls possible? Maybe another way to phrase the question would be to ask is 1/4'' or 3/8'' wall thickness accepted as a good turning? (question relates to dry or seasoned wood only)

Thanks and Happy New Year!
Jim

[Steve Peterson]

This is just my opinion as a casual turner.

I am perfectly happy with 1/4" walls on a 6" bowl and 3/8" on something larger. It seems like super thin walls are only going to be noticed by another wood turner. Most other people are only going to be interested in the overall shape and appearance. In fact, most observers won't even notice the scratches that us woodturners obsess over.

Steve

[Paul Williams]

I agree with Steve. It is fun to try for real thin walls and for some things like a lamp shade it is necessary. But most people will not notice the thickness, or not be impressed by a real thin wall. Also bowls that are to be used need to be sturdy and some buyers will want a little heft to their bowl. Turn what you are comfortable with and enjoy doing the turning. Don't obsess over wall thickness.

[Mel Fulks]

Agree that thicker is ok and even easier to sell, but I'm not a turner . I do think the public is accustomed to equating thin products with cheapness. Most who collect art start cheap and yet find some things they love. Reel 'em in and start educating them.

[Doug Ladendorf]

Agree with the above. Much will depend on the intended use. As for (y)our objective - a beautiful and functional form.

Doug

[Brian Brown]

I agree with all the other answers you have gotten so far. My rule of thumb for thickness is based on the CO rule. If you are not familiar with the CO rule, it stands odor chicken out. :eek: I turn thinner and thinner until I feel like it could explode. I have rarely had a piece break from hollowing, so apparently my fight of flight response is heavily weighted to flight. :D Some pieces I intentionally turn thick for the feel and effect, especially when they are pieces that may be used instead of just displayed. Here is an example.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?220252-First-patinated-metal-Critique-welcomed-on-turning-and-patina&highlight=

For some pieces, I think turning thin is is showing off for other turners. My abilities don't allow me to show off. :(

[Shawn Pachlhofer]

I like to turn utility bowls, so they are a bit thicker than the really thin-walled bowls that turners like.

If you're going to be giving or selling them, turn a bit thicker...even 1/4" is plenty thick for a utility bowl

[John K Jordan]

Should I strive for the thinnest walls possible?

In general? Absolutely not! (my humble opinion) I think it depends on many things.

Very thin walls impress other wood turners. But they take away from the heft and feel of an object, making it feel less substantial and definitely more fragile.

A turning made to be functional might need to be thicker. For example, I am working on a sample lidded box for the Beads of Courage project. This needs to have a lid that can be removed easily with one hand and with the bowl sitting on the table. If too thin it might be too light. If too thin it might be too fragile. These boxes will be used by kids with serious illnesses. How terrible if an uncoordinated child knocked her cherished box onto the floor and it broke...

BTW, box lids that pop perfectly when removed also impress other wood turners but not the users. Who wants to lift a lid and have the vacuum inside lift the whole box off the table?

As mentioned, most people will not be able to tell or the thinness won't mean anything to them. One trick for something like a goblet that you want to feel substantial but look delicate is turn it thin at the rim and thicker further down, with a smooth curve both inside and out. I do this a lot.

Make a Christmas ornament from dense wood? Maybe it should be thin. Make a lamp shade that lets light through? Maybe it should be thin. A thick cowboy hat might be too heavy. A thin platter or serving tray might feel to light.

Sometimes there are good reasons to turn thicker. For example, this goblet has a section of basswood just for chip carving - although the rim is fairly thin, the basswood section is pretty thick so I wouldn't accidentally cut through it when carving. Of course, it is a smooth curve inside all the way from the rim to the bottom.

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I make these handbell ornaments very thin at the rim, but gradually thicken to make the handle join strong. People just see and feel the rim and often exclaim how thin they are! I cut one in half for a demo to show how it's made. It's about 0.020" at the rim and the wall is over 3/16" near the top.

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I think far more important than the thickness is the form, detail, and the surface finishing. If these are "right" the piece is perfect.

JKJ

[Reed Gray]

It doesn't hurt to practice 'how thin can I go before this blows up', but that is more for artistic pieces, and not for what you want to use every day. If you do the shows, most people don't even want to pick them up. Strive for smooth even cuts so you require less sanding...

robo hippy

[Aaron Craven]

You're going to get a lot of opinions on "how thick is too thick"... and to be sure, there are good reasons for some of those opinions... but I usually use a somewhat unscientific method for determining thickness... when I think it's thin enough -- then that's about right. (Of course, if thin enough results in a lot of exploding pieces, you might want to consider making things a little thicker -- just as a practical measure. :D )

[fran tarkenton]

In the bowls that I turn, I leave a little more heft in the bottom of the bowl because it provides a certain heft that people seem to like and the low center of gravity keeps it planted on the table/mantle/desk. 90% of the bowls I turn are meant to be used and handled regularly.

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[Jim Daughtridge]

Thanks to everyone for your reply's/suggestions. I was just curious as to what was acceptable for beginners/intermediate and seasoned turners.

While walking through craft shows I seem to always migrate to the wood turnings and have noticed the wall thickness to be as varied as the number of artist.

Thanks again!

[Barry McFadden]

I used to think that everything had to be as thin as you could get it to look good but have changed my view. Here is a bowl that's only about5" across but I left the wall about 1/4" thick and am quite happy with the result...

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[Kyle Iwamoto]

My opinion is a utility bowl, one that your intent is it is to be used, should have some thickness as most everyone mentioned. However, in the event that you have an absolutely specatular piece of wood you intend to be a shelf sitter and displayed, then I would say to obsess and get it as thin as you dare. The trap on that is it HAS to be consistent in thickness, and when going thin, that, to me, is the hard part.

I have had people pass on a bowl that felt "too light". That really made me think. I worked really hard on that thin bowl, and you think it's too LIGHT?!? I could handle ugly....... :)

[Thomas Canfield]

I think that the wood has a lot to say with how thick you leave it. I like to have a wide rim or thicker rim and undercut some to then go to a thinner wall rather than a uniform thickness from rim to bottom. Also a little extra thickness in bottom allows for weight to balance and undercut center portion to have a ring to sit on. I now turn most pieces under 6" with 1/8 to 3/16" wall and even a 18" D would be about 3/8" except for heavier section at rim. I encourage you to turn some pieces for practice and then cut them in half to check your wall thickness for uniformity. It is an eye opener. You can eliminate the sanding on the practice pieces.

[George Overpeck]

Fun thread - agree with Thomas and others that having a thicker rim and/or base can allow for a nice feel in the hand and can also be a nice addition for the creator because unlocking the inner from the outer curves gives a second design choice. Also it can allow you to use the plane of the rim as a design element - sometimes it is so nice you want to keep more of it around.

The flow of the curves overlaps with actual thickness of the work in our or a buyer's perception. We all know you can make a paper thin piece that still has a "clunkiness" to it - harder but possible to make a thicker piece that feels airy.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

As usual it depends, what kind of turning and use if any, small or large, and then again sometimes it is just fun to see how thin you can/dare to get a piece, especially if it translucent, other times you want to just show the wood grain and figure :)

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[Bill Boehme]

Over the last few months I have enjoyed seeing many postings of beautiful creations from you fellow turners.

The question I have is to the thickness of any piece I am working on, be it a bowl or a plate of some sorts. Should I strive for the thinnest walls possible? Maybe another way to phrase the question would be to ask is 1/4'' or 3/8'' wall thickness accepted as a good turning? (question relates to dry or seasoned wood only)

Thanks and Happy New Year!
Jim

When you design something, a pleasing form is what's important. The thickness is purely incidental. If something is ugly, it's ugly all the way through so making it thin isn't going to suddenly reveal some hidden inner beauty. If necessary, I can turn thin, but it's the form and not thickness that I am attempting to perfect.

POP QUIZ ON THICKNESS: The thickest piece that I have turned has only one side and is uniformly eight inches thick ... tell me what it is.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Sphere ..........

[Bill Boehme]

Sphere ..........

... a big heavy post oak sphere ... almost bowling ball size. :D

[Mel Fulks]

Leo, those bowls remind me of cathedral stained glass . Beautiful things! And I love the way the white light pours thru the one you're wearing!!!

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Leo, those bowls remind me of cathedral stained glass . Beautiful things! And I love the way the white light pours thru the one you're wearing!!!

Thanks Mel, yes the sun can get easily through the few hairs (also has no color left in it :D) that I have left on my head ;)