little bit of birch, with a slight natuarl edge. crituque please

[curtis rosche]

heres a peice of birch, it was cut this winter, then i put it next to a woodstove for a month or so, it cracked a little, split it in half and let it sit for another month,. took it from the half log this morning and made it into a bowl in about 120 minutes. there are a couple spot that i wasnt able to get the tear out off, every time i sanded in a different dirrection it would just fold over. the color on the one side is the bark. what do you think?

[curtis rosche]

heres the last pic

[Bernie Weishapl]

Curtis that is a good looking bowl. One thing on tear out I have used a spray bottle and gave it a spray with water. Not heavy just enough to dampen it. Sanded it and it came out pretty good.

[Jack Mincey]

A very nice looking bowl. You can use a random orbital sander with 60 or 80 grit paper and sand open forms like this with the lathe off, using you free hand to turn the bowl. This will take care of tear out. I tell my students it is a 60 grit gouge. The birch burls I've turned have been bad for tear out even with very light cuts and sharp tools. I think you would fit in great in my shop classes. I used deft lacquer on the locust burl bowl. 4 maybe 5 coats let it dry 3 or 4 days and buffed.
Keep up the good work,
Jack

[curtis rosche]

yep i probably would, as long as you dont have any required F$@# work. i just keep turning and end up with a shabby F*%$ project, oh well

[Jim Knight]

From a design perspective, the bark seems to bring out the grain and highlight variations in color on that side of the bowl. That is something my wife always tries to encourage me to think about with the bowls I pretend I know how to carve.

[curtis rosche]

i didnt plan for the bark, i just stoped roughing it and it was mostly round , with a little bark and went with it, there was more but it sanded off.

[Jim Becker]

I like the bowl from a standpoint of form and proportion. This is a nice example of a "basic bowl" shape that is absolutely timeless. I have to differ about the bark, however, In this piece, I find it distracting, rather than enhancing. I don't mean that in a bad way; just that for this particular bowl and form, the purity of the shape and of the rest of the wood is a better fit than the bark inclusion is...for me, at least.

[curtis rosche]

so, for the next ones i should leave the bark out?

[Scott Lux]

It is a great form. Personally, I like the bark, my wife doesn't. Go figure.

Oh, and for the record my sister can be a little bit of a birch too. :D

[curtis rosche]

ha thats so nice scott. so you mean she cracks alot and bugs like her?

[Ben Gastfriend]

Nice job, Curtis. I really like the form on this one.

[curtis rosche]

wait till youu see the osage bowl im doing now

[Scott Lux]

Maybe I should have said she's a bit of a beech. :)

[curtis rosche]

i know what you ment

[Jerry Sambrook]

The form is excellent. I like the inclusion of the bark, but that is my taste.

As far as tearout, I used to go through alot of this as well.
A couple of fellow turners suggested:
1) Sharpen tools often
2) Sharpen just before the last couple of final cuts, as in finish cuts.
3) Look at the wood in various stages of roughing, and do some test "final" cuts to see how the wood is reacting. If necessary, try changing approach angles at this stage. Or basically, see what the wood likes to be cut at before hitting the final stage.
4) If that all fails, just like some others have said before, try wetting the wood and then cutting. Depending on how you are going to finish, water, sanding sealer, or a thinned application of the actual oil finish you would use can be applied. Just dont let the application dry too much

To reiterate, GREAT FORM.

Have a great day

Jerry

[Jerry Sambrook]

Is your sister my mother-in -law??

My wife is great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

her mom ????????????????