15” curly maple with a closed rim

[Bob Bergstrom]

This is another piece of Norway Maple. It is 15” across and about 3 1/2” deep. It has a closed rim with two small beads on it. This form is more challenging to turn with a consistent thickness. It is about a 1/2” thick. The finish is a mixture of danish oil and polyurethane. It has a little spalt on the apex of the wall and a fair amount of curly figure. Cutting under the rim was done with a 1/2 “ spindle gouge with swept back wings and a 70 degree nose. This gouge allows pull cuts and push cuts leaving a clean surface.

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[David Delo]

Nice piece Bob, certainly has a lot of character to it. Could you post a picture of the grind on your spindle gouge? You freehand the swept back wings or using a jig?

[daryl moses]

Very nice Bob.

[John Keeton]

Bob, you predictably do a wonderful job on your bowls, but the real story lies hidden in your consistent source for VERY nice maple!!;) Great work!

[Bob Bergstrom]

Nice piece Bob, certainly has a lot of character to it. Could you post a picture of the grind on your spindle gouge? You freehand the swept back wings or using a jig?


David, here are some pictures. The gouges are from bottom to top are, 3/8”D-Way spindle gouge, middle is a short 1/2” Crown spindle gouge, and on top is a 5/8” Lyle Jamisson/
Thompson spindle gouge. The 1/2” is used the most. The placement of the tool rest very close to the under cut is important. You can run the the forward and cut on the left side of the bowl or place the rest on the right side of the bowl and run the lathe in reverse. It depends on comfort and visual look. The pull shear cutting is accomplished with the handle low and the flut rolled to about 10:30, drawing the transition area of the curve from the nose to the wing to make the cut. The cut should be light. If the point is exposed it will leave a cove in the wood. If too much of the wing is involved, it will run up the rim and tear the rim off. The bevel is not riding on the wood. The gouge is shear cutting. When the curved area is exposed correctly the cut is very clean and little sanding needed.

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[David Delo]

Thanks Bob, appreciate your input.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Bob, you predictably do a wonderful job on your bowls, but the real story lies hidden in your consistent source for VERY nice maple!!;) Great work!

John, our club sawed two maples from a lady’s front yard. They were about 26” at the trunk. There is a third that needs to come down that is also burled. We are watching it closely. Maybe this summer. I also have a friend with 10 acres of oak and maple in northern Wisconsin. Kind of like walnut in Kentucky.

[Randy Red Bemont]

Very nice!

Red