First bowl

[Steve Busey]

Practically finished with my first real bowl attempt. It's from some road kill I found last fall along a public road - they'd cut down a tree and took everything but two 2' logs. All this time I was thinking it was some kind of cherry, but am now convinced it's a pear (Bradford, maybe?) based on leaves and berries found at the scene (see pic).

Anyway, the logs were still wet inside, so roughed it, soaked a day in DNA and dried about a month. Took a long time to finish cut because I had to stop and fill the soft void areas, and a pithy portion along the rim (thanks, Bernie for your epoxy cocktail idea - worked great!).

I'm not completely pleased with the shaping of the bottom interior, but what the heck - there's plenty of character in the wood, so I don't notice the shape. ;) Ended up about 8" diameter, 5.5" high.

Wiped a few coats of antique oil on it and gave it to LOML for our 25th anniversary yesterday. Still plan to buff it in a couple of weeks.

Comments/critiques welcome.

87056 87057 87058 87059 87055

[Steve Schlumpf]

Steve - that is one fine looking bowl! Nice form - great color! Your wife must love it! Very nice work - especially for your first!

[David Newson]

Steve - Its a really nice first bowl attempt especially as its sounds like the wood was a bit punky, a good job well done.

David
__________________________________________________ _______
Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Very nicely done for first or 15th bowl! I know she loves it!

[Bernie Weishapl]

For your first that is a beauty. That is well done.

[Allen Neighbors]

Awesome first bowl. It shames mine! Good work. Keep it up. :)

[curtis rosche]

nice. and for not paying attention to form when working thats pretty good also

[Richard Madison]

Steve,
Very nice looking bowl. Re. your logo on the bottom, consider changing the word "crafted" to the word "turned". Just a thought.

[Dennis Puskar]

Very nice. Great color and nice shape.

[William Bachtel]

Whats wrong with using the work '' crafted''



Steve,
Very nice looking bowl. Re. your logo on the bottom, consider changing the word "crafted" to the word "turned". Just a thought.

[Glenn Hodges]

Steve I like it.

[Mike Golka]

Great looking work, love the wood.

[Bill Bolen]

Very nice! I really like the shape and the color is outstanding! Looks to "red" to be bradford pear though. Looks more like Cherry to my old eyes. Doesn't make much difference though 'cause it is still a pretty bowl!..Bill..

[robert hainstock]

Whatever the wood that is one fine first attempt. Fruitwood is all pretty much great bowl material. This piece is "well crafted", (thanks Bill).:):)
Bob

[Ron Ainge]

I think that you did well for the first bowl. I remember the first bowl that I finished, I was so proud of it that I also gave it to my wife. She still has it and would not give it up for nothing. I use it to look back and see if I am improving. I willl have to say mine did not look as good as the one you have here.

[Steve Busey]

Thanks for all the comments, guys. I get a lot of inspiration from the works you post here, so that helped set the bar pretty high for my first try.

As for "Crafted" or "Turned", that's a kind of tribute to my late dad, who had a "Handcrafted By..." branding iron, but it was hard for him to get a consistent brand - too hot, too cool - he had a few pieces that were 'double-stamped', some 'overcooked.' I brought the concept into the 21st century with the lasered discs by a couple creekers, and took off the "Hand" part because he was more of a hand-tool guy than I am. Also, I've been known to do a little f***work, so I guess I'm still a woodturning work-in-progress. :rolleyes:

Regarding cherry/pear - I have some real "fer-sure" cherry a guy at church gave me - I'll compare that to this bowl when I get a chance to make some more shavings. This bowl might look extra red in these pics because of the color balance under the incandescent lights. One thing at a time...

Thanks again, all

[Geoff Hanha]

First bowl, hang on to it, it has a great simple form and as you say has it all in the wood, very nice bit of wood very warm and pleasing, there are a lot of bad first bowls out there, be it that you are new to turning or turned other stuff, that one is a good one..kepp um coming..Geoff

[Richard Madison]

Steve,
One can certainly appreciate the tribute to your late father. I have some strong sentiments about mine as well.

My comment relates to the idea that the word "crafted" conjures images of "arts & crafts" shows where a lot of "crafts" and little if any "art" is seen. Obviously this is untrue of all a&c shows, but am trying to make a point. Woodturning, as frequently seen on this forum, is a great deal more than a simple craft. It is to our benefit to move the general perception of woodturning away from the idea of "craft", and toward the idea of "art". I could write a couple more pages about this, but I think you get the idea.

And the pragmatic bottom line is that "art" sells for more money than "crafts".

[Dwight VanSickle]

Steve, Awesome road kill, what you found here is a turners treasure. The bowl looks great. Your skill will improve with time and more turning.

[Ben Gastfriend]

Looks great. Really nice bowl, whether it be your first or your 50th! Looks like you got a nice finish on there, and that's where most people fall short.

[Chip Sutherland]

My first bowl was an itty bitty bowl I gave to a buddy to try to hook him into turning. Your's is much nicer than mine.

My 2 cents....I like 'turned' better than 'crafted', too. My bradford pear doesn't have berries. You does have the color of bradford pear but if that's a bark inclusion on the side....that's not bradford pear bark which is very thin....at least not on my tree and my neighbor's trees that are cutup in my shop.

[Steve Busey]

And the pragmatic bottom line is that "art" sells for more money than "crafts".

Good thoughts, Richard. I guess I haven't looked to far beyond my first bowl. I don't have a lot of time in the workshop, so everything I do goes to use here at home or at least within the extended family. Maybe when retire & spend more time in the shop, I'll order some new discs. ;)