Footless Bowl

[Jonathan Harvey]

Well Here is another completed bowl. I think this is number three. I may be trying things that are a little to hard for me but I like the challenge. This is a piece of spalted Elm that I got from my FIL's place. I like it better without the foot so I took it off. Please be brutally honest as this is the only way I can learn.

It is finished with shellac. Because I am new to this game I don't know what the better finishes are so I am learning as I go.

As you can see in the photos the bowl is full of tiny little holes that I assume must be from the bugs eating the wood. What would you do with these? Would you fill them or leave them as they are? Also if you wanted to fill them but still be able to see the holes how would you go about doing that? I would assume you would just keep adding shellac until the holes filled up?


Jonathan

[Neal Addy]

This is a great bowl, Jonathan! Even more so for your third. Nice smooth curve and looks like a good finish.

I like it with no foot, too. What method did you use to reverse it?

I wouldn't touch the bug holes. They are character!

[Jonathan Harvey]

What method did you use to reverse it?


I used what I think you guys call a jam chuck. A piece of wood on the headstock with a grove cut in it to the size of the outside diameter of the bowl then brought up the tail stock with tight pressure just to hold it their and finished off 90% of the bottom with nice light cuts. I finished of the last little bit with power sanding.

[Mike Vickery]

I am known for my brutal honesty and I have to tell you it is a beautiful piece. The form looks great and I see no evidence of tool marks or tearout in your pictures. I am very picky about form and I think the form of this piece is perfect.
As far as the bug holes you can go either way fill them or leave them natural it kind of depends on how you want it to look. I do both depending on the piece.
The only negatives I could say is it looks a tad thick for the size but that is a preference and I do thick pieces and thin pieces. Also it looks like one of the defects(bug holes or what ever) is right on the rim. I think deffects in the wood can add to the piece but I want my rim to look nice and clean. Maybe it their were more defect on the rim it would be better, but with their only being the one it looks a little off.

[Paul Engle]

Very nice, super shape and yes the bugs are a plus for sure, well the holes they leave anyway....just about everything I turn is footless, i use a recess , use a screw chuck into the face (or where the bowl part is) and do the recess and the outside first , sand to finish and reverse and do the inside.

[Jason Clark2]

Looks great, I'm curious about the actual size of the piece (diameter, height, thickness) and I'd love to see a photo of the bottom. It looks like it has a near perfect half sphere shape, something that's actually pretty difficult to do.

Jason

[Neal Addy]

BTW, good pic too Jonathan. What kind of photo setup do you use?

[Jonathan Harvey]

Looks great, I'm curious about the actual size of the piece (diameter, height, thickness) and I'd love to see a photo of the bottom. It looks like it has a near perfect half sphere shape, something that's actually pretty difficult to do.

Jason


The bowl is 7 1/2" across (external dimension) and is 3" tall. Here is two photos of the bottom.

[Jonathan Harvey]

BTW, good pic too Jonathan. What kind of photo setup do you use?

I have the benefit of having a wife who is a photographer. In her Photo studio she has the floor painted completely white and has one white wall and one blue wall. These shots were just taken on the floor with a bunch of lights and reflectors.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Jonathan that is a good looking bowl. I like the form and finish.

[Neal Addy]

Hmmm... turns a great spherical form and nice finish on his third bowl, already knows how reverse jam chuck, wife is a photographer...


Penalty flag on the play, ten yards for unfair advantage! :p:D:rolleyes:

[Mike Vickery]

Thanks for the bottom picture, I am even more impressed. Great job!

[Bob Hallowell]

I think it is a great looking bowl nice wood, and form and great finish.

Bob

[Steve Schlumpf]

Beauty Jon! Love the form and also really like the thickness! My vote is to leave the bug holes as is. Like Neal stated: it adds charactor! Very nice work!