'tain't much

[Steve Ash]

It's not much to look at but I thought I should at least let you all know I'm giving it a go, my first bowl .....actually the Packers glass under it looks a bunch better:D

I sure had a lot of catches using my new 1/2 " bowl gouge. Poor technique I guess.

I'll call it a throw away bowl, cause that's where it's a headin.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Looks like a bowl to me Steve.......The technique will come with practice! Keep at it guy......and remember rule #1.........Ride that bevel!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Steve looks pretty good to me for a first bowl. I wouldn't throw it away. I have a couple of my first bowls on the bench holding small items like small stuff for turning pens. Put a little poly on them and they make great catch-all's. Keep it up. It won't be long and it will click. As Ken said sharp tool and ride the bevel.

[Jim Becker]

If I'm not mistaken, Steve, that looks like you're working end-grain...not the easiest thing for a beginner and the tool technique is different from faceplate orientation. That said, you did a nice job on this one! Practice on green wood that is "throw-away" until you get comfortable with your tools. Then pull out the nice colorful stuff!!!

[Pete Jordan]

Steve,

You are on the way! There is no stoppin you now!

Pete

[Jim Davenport]

That's a lot better than my first try.
You're now in the vortex, where time stands still, electrons flow, and money in your wallet disappears.:eek:

[Keith July]

This morning it was an ugly,dirty,nasty, ready for the fire, piece of wood and now look at it....:)
Pretty nice for a first try.
Keith

[Andy Hoyt]

Cool! Looks a bit like Marblewood.

Don't chuck it, Steve. Sign it, date it, and save it for posterity. It'll be worth plenty to your great grandchildren once you reach the bottom of the abyss.

[David Fried]

I got my lathe in December 2004 and just turned my first bowl.
You've had your lathe 15 minutes and you turned one!! :eek: :D

Hey, it looks like a bowl and that's the important point.
It should have been good experience and fun.
Wait until the next one! and the next one ...

You do need to tell us the size, wood, ice cream capacity
(that's displacement for turners), etc.

Now, sleep on it. In the morning, if you're really, really unhappy with
it do what I do: Sign Andy's on the bottom!:eek:

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Don't throw it away, Steve.

1. down the road it will show you haw far you've come.

2. If it is thick enough (at least 3/16 walls), after you have more experience you can go back and fix it.

Looks too good to pitch!

Bruce

[Jim Dunn]

Looks good to me. A question, did you have to chase it across the floor to finish turning it?

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Sorry Steve, I don't agree with this lot, it is obvious that you have no skill at this, and you cannot possibly learn, so tell you what, to save you the shame, just send me your lathe, and your turning tools, you can keep the blanks to give to friends, or firewood. Heck I'll even pay the shipping.... for the bowl gouge :)

Seriously we all start somewhere, looks to me like you started at a good point, don't toss it, keep it, I'm keeping my first bowl, so you got to keep yours! ;)

[Barry Stratton]

There is nothing wrong with that! Looks mighty fine. Keep it as a memento of your free fall into the abyss.

Is it an end grain bowl (pith in the center)?

[Dennis Peacock]

Looks good Steve....but do NOT throw it away. I have one of my first bowls still and it's amazing and the progress you can see over time how your technique and form improves. That orta be a keeper to serve as a guide to help mark your turning progress.

[Rich Stewart]

Does anybody ever throw away their first bowl? I still got mine. Been on the kitchen windowsill so long now it it stuck there. I think it will pull all the paint off the sill if I tried to remove it. I still have trouble giving one of my turnings away. haha

[John Hart]

Yup...I vote that you keep it too. Might want to seal that pith in the center with something durable to lessen the possibility of cracking. I have a bowl just like it that I keep various small things in, like faceplate screws, pen-turning stuff etc.... It's a daily reminder of humble beginnings.

Nice job Steve!!:)

[Karl Laustrup]

Get your practice in now, but don't forget you need to get that puppy all cleaned up and pretty for your visit in June. That is my house warming present right? ;) :D

Oh yeah, and keep the bowl. It'll be a good memento of one of your first turnings on MY LATHE. :D :D :D

Karl

[Steve Ash]

Thanks everybody for the encouragement. It was made out of wet red stain boxelder so I knew it would crack quickly since the wall of the bowl was quite thin based on all my reading here on the turners forum. I went out to the shop this morning to look and sure enough it has begun to crack.
As some of you mentioned it was an end grain turning, I don't have a chuck yet so I used the faceplate. Ice cream capacity is maybe 1 scoop.
Stu you may be right, but you ain't gettin my lathe.:D

It was a good learning expierience since it was first turning on the new/old lathe, my first bowl, first time working with wet wood, and trying to see how thin I could make the sides as well as trying to make a thin lip around the perimeter...so all is not lost, I have a picture to look back on, and my faithful shop dog got a new toy to chew on....right after I write Stu on the bottom and throw it in the direction of Tokyo.

[Jim Ketron]

Looks Like some Nice Box Elder you have there!
I agree with Jim B. endgrain is a little tougher to get, cut the pith out and do some sidegrain bowls till you have some under your belt.

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Keep it Steve it looks great for a first to me. I sure like that wood, what is it? Was Andy right? Stupid Question...is he ever wrong?

[Ernie Nyvall]

Way to go Steve. Looks good. Keep it up.

Ernie

[Frank Fusco]

Steve, after four years, I'm yet to make a bowl. As for bowl gouges, all they do is catch.