"Square bowls"

[Jim Davenport]

I went to a local turners club meeting last Thursday night. It seemed a good bunch, so I joined. They have a monthly "Challenge". Last month it was Vases. This month it's "square bowls"
My question is about what tools to use?
I think I understand the "Basics. I plan to start between centers, cut away the back, and form a foot for the chuck. Watching out for the corners.Then mount it in the chuck, and form the bowl interior. Is this a good plan?
What do I need to watch out for to keep from chipping the edges, and corners?
I appreciate any help I can get.:confused:
Thanks.

[Chris Barton]

Hi Jim,

I have done a few square bowls. I mount the blank and turn the bottom of the bowl first then reverse and use a chuck to do the inside with a bowl gouge, being careful not to chip the square wings. As far as tools go a good sharp bowl gouge could do it all but, I also use my detail spindle gouge to cut in details.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jim..........I'm not experienced in this......I'm just guessing now..........I think this might be a lesson in teaching your knuckles to "duck"...........:rolleyes: :D

Doc........Chris, if I may, you amaze me! A lot of physicians I know won't do anything to endanger their hands...........But now that I think of it.........I know one neurosurgeon who's in the process of climbing the highest point in all 50 states. He's already done Alaska.......I know one whose got horses......I know one who was killed by a falling tree riding 4-wheelers with 2 young teenaged sons.........I guess maybe I need to rethink that statement!

[Chris Barton]

Jim,

Here are a couple of pictures of one of the square bowls I have made. Not really something I enjoy doing so, I haven't gotten very good at it. Lots of sharp edges spinning realy fast.

[Chris Barton]

Jim..........I'm not experienced in this......I'm just guessing now..........I think this might be a lesson in teaching your knuckles to "duck"...........:rolleyes: :D

You are dead on right about this!


Doc........Chris, if I may,

I am Chris to everyone no matter the situation. I never got caught in that ego "Doc" stuff.


A lot of physicians I know won't do anything to endanger their hands.

The surgeons and optos are the guys that worry about their hands the most. Since I work in research I guess I could get by using my feet:D

[Frank Parker]

I've done a couple of square bowls the easiest way to do them is to glue waste wood on the 4 sides and turn it round, after you finish turn it than carefully cut the waste wood off and hand sand the edges, this way you don't have those corners buzzing around, and your less likely to chip the corners.
Frank

[Lee DeRaud]

I've done a couple of square bowls the easiest way to do them is to glue waste wood on the 4 sides and turn it round, after you finish turn it than carefully cut the waste wood off and hand sand the edges, this way you don't have those corners buzzing around, and your less likely to chip the corners.D'oh!! (insert sound of forehead slap here)

Guess that certainly qualifies as "thinking ouside the box"...:p

[Mark Patoka]

Like Frank's method, WOOD magazine did an article last year where they glued on scrap so you could turn the bowl round and then cut off the scrap edges to make it square. Seems like the safest method to do it.

[Jim Davenport]

Thanks so much everyone for the help. Gluing temp pieces on seems like an excellent choice. Besides being easier on the knuckles, it would probably keep the corners from chipping.
Thanks again.

[Curt Fuller]

The waste block idea makes sense but try some without using them too. Just take very light cuts and turn the speed up a little more than you would normally. It has a lot to do with the type of wood probably as to whether they chip but they're pretty fun once you get used to sticking your tool into the fan. They make for a good drip catcher on your ice cream bowl too.

Eucalyptus and Gambel Oak