Topic Discussion...From Bottoms to footsies

[Dennis Peacock]

I've seen this topic discussed a few times but never really seen an overall feel for what folks use to decide the side of the bottom of their turned forms.

The purpose of this thread is to spark some discussion about the size of a foot on bowls, platters, and hollow forms.

I know that the "general rule" is 1/3 the diameter for a proper sized "foot".
So...
A 7" diameter bowl would need a foot that is about 2-1/4"
A 10" diameter bowl would need a foot that is about 3-1/4"
A 15" diameter bowl would need a foot that is about 5"

Does the same rule apply to platters?

What should the rule of thumb be for hollow forms?

I know that on bowls and platters that I've turned for "utilitarian" purposes, I've had to turn feet that were larger than the "rule" of 1/3 the diameter so the turning would be more stable during common kitchen use.

What say ye turners of beginner to advanced???

[Jude Kingery]

Dennis, excellent question for discussion, my best answer however isn't based on any formula other than my eye and then if I do foot it, it fits into one of my three sets of jaws on the chuck, so that determines my foot size so to speak. I'll look forward to hearing what more experienced folks say and hope you get some good input on your question(s). Jude

[Bobby Perry]

You mean you turn bowls with these things???:D I thought you could only turn pens!!!!!!!:D


I haven't done but 2 bowls so far and the one NE I tried to turn ended up in 10 different pieces. So sorry not much help

[TYLER WOOD]

Eyeballs gauge it here. Nothing I do is measured before it comes off the lathe. Only the eyes tell me if I am on track or not. So really I'm of no help when it comes to this subject, but I will be watching it closely.

On platters, I think all dimensional controls are off. You get what you can for functionality and ease of turning. The feet on my platters have been a bear!

[Mike Vickery]

Dennis,
I throw the guildline out the window. I think it is important to know it but that is about it. The reason is I do very little that is ment to be usefull most of it is just supposed to look pretty. I usually go smaller or either the base or the foot because it looks more delicate.
I would tend to think hollow forms since they have no real use would fall into the same category of do what you want.
Platters in general are usually ment to be used and have a very low profile so I would say keep the foot between 30 and 40%.

Just my 2 cents.

[Patrick Taylor]

I tend to choose the height and curve that I want, and the base width is a biproduct of those two parameters. That said, the whole package starts to look right to me when the base width is ~1/3 of the bowl diameter. Note that I said "base" because I avoid putting feet on my bowls.

For HF's, I think smaller can look better too since they're not functional, but too small looks too tippy and silly.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Dennis I don't measure either. I just do what looks pleasing to my eye and bowls, platters, etc. for the kitchen I just make them slight bigger to give them stablility. The only thing I measure are tenon's for finials, birdhouses, lidded boxes, etc. Nothing else does. The rest just gets my calibrated pinkies and my calibrated eyes.

[Dennis Peacock]

Well, I can see that I'm getting some responses that I expected.

Ya see, I don't measure either....just eyeball it to what looks good to my eye.

What I'm also wondering is, have we become to acustomed to seeing tiny bottoms or feet on turnings to that's what we all accept to be what is right.

I'm not saying all this to stir up a "fuss". I'm trying to get us all to "think" and "experiment" just a bit.

Turn something that is within tolerance of the "rule set", post it and let's all see what the "rule" looks like when it applied. BUT....FIRST....turn a bowl of about the same size and finish as you normally would with the foot/bottom that looks good to you......THEN....turn the 2nd bowl with the "ruled" foot applied.

Does a tall bowl have the same look and feel to it with a small foot as a more squatty style bowl?

Let's get these braincells to moving...I'm in the middle of some fl*twork and can't get to my lathe with out messing up a lacquer finish....so for now, I'm relying on all you spinny folks to talk to me and show me what you got that is "outside" the box. :)

[Ken Fitzgerald]

UH......Dennis....bottoms and playing footsie.....This is a family forum!:eek: :rolleyes: :D








I've always used a tenon on the bottom of my bowls and the maximum limit of my SN2 sets the maximum size. Then it's a matter of turning something that doesn't look like an eyesore.


What about turning a round mortise instead of a bottom or footsie?

[Jim Becker]

Well...I'm not one for "feet" on turned objects all that often although I've done a few for effect. What's more important is not the "foot" question, but the "support" question...what will it take to keep the object stable for its intended use as well as be aesthetically pleasing and proportional? The 1/3 "rule" often satisfies that, but for some forms, it will look funky.


I tend to choose the height and curve that I want, and the base width is a biproduct of those two parameters. That said, the whole package starts to look right to me when the base width is ~1/3 of the bowl diameter. Note that I said "base" because I avoid putting feet on my bowls.

Like minded I see... ;)

[TYLER WOOD]

hmmm good idea on challenging the forseen knowlege handed down over a fwe millenia!!! Good one Dennis!!!:D

I like the idea of challenging myself to trying to turn 2 bowls with the same sizze/shape but different feet. It will do two things for me. Make me pay attention to something more than just watching the piece form and actually try to form something out of the wood that it may not want to do. And also do something my eyes may not be accustomed to. Good thinking and I will try it!!!!

[George Guadiane]

Eyeballs gauge it here. Nothing I do is measured before it comes off the lathe. Only the eyes tell me if I am on track or not. So really I'm of no help when it comes to this subject, but I will be watching it closely.

On platters, I think all dimensional controls are off. You get what you can for functionality and ease of turning. The feet on my platters have been a bear!
I'm an "eyeballer" too. I like to keep the foot of a HF at least a little bigger than the opening, but that's about it. If a platter is decorative only, small foot, useful, bigger foot.:p

[Kevin McPeek]

I strictly adhere to the LGTM rule (Looks Good To Me).
On something like a dinner plate I would use about 50-60%, since I don't want dinner spilling in my lap when I cut something.
As others have said the shape often dictates the base/foot size, however, since I am primarily a utilitarian I tend to have a larger base.

[Tom Keen]

Personally, I think most of the "rules" Ive heard of since Ive started turning are a bunch of phooey. Our turnings arent show dogs or cattle that have to meet a set of conformation quidelines established by the breed association. Beauty is very subjective..some shapes seem to appeal to me, some dont. Van Gough come to mind. He sold one painting during his lifetime. He just didnt comform to the comtemporary thinking about what was good art.

Do what you like and if you like it.. thats great. If someone else likes it, even better.

Tom

[Mike Peace]

Perhaps the following from Wikepedia is not directly applicable but I found it intriguing: "In mathematics and the arts, two quantities are in the golden ratio if the ratio between the sum of those quantities and the larger one is the same as the ratio between the larger one and the smaller. The golden ratio is approximately 1.6180339887.

At least since the Renaissance, many artists and architects have proportioned their works to approximate the golden ratio—especially in the form of the golden rectangle, in which the ratio of the longer side to the shorter is the golden ratio—believing this proportion to be aesthetically pleasing. Mathematicians have studied the golden ratio because of its unique and interesting properties."

[Dick Strauss]

Mike,
Usually the Golden Ratio (Phi) is used for width to height considerations when turning classically shaped bowls. So the width across the bowl might be 8" while the height might be 5" (achieveing the roughly 1.6 to 1 ratio). This doesn't really come into play for the feet.