Two colored bowl, inside outside bowl, two tone bowl

[Chance Raser]

I have an idea for a segmented bowl. Actually i have a few, but this is the simplest one to explain and actually try. I googled it, and don't come up with any results for two tone bowl, two color bowl, inside outsitde bowl etc. The lack of results may be simply due to my search terms.

My idea is to do a segmented bowl made of rings that are glued together prior to cutting into wedges so that the interior of the bowl can be a light colored wood like maple, and the exterior will be a dark wood like walnut.

In thinking through this i realize there will be challenges and some compromises:

• The thickness of the bowl will be a victim of the concept, in that it will likely have to be thicker than I typically like, especially as it nears the bottom.
  
  • to minimize thickness i would have to either glue the two woods together with the angle built in
  • or glue them traditionally and then joint them down to the angle i want, this will require thicker rings to start with so that they can be jointed down to the desired angle.
  
  
• i will likely have to get the bottom started on the lathe, and then glue and shape each successive ring. My thought on this is that by gluing a ring on while its on the lathe, during the shaping of that segment i will at least be able to see where the divide between the two colors is. Then glue on another ring and shape it, rinse and repeat.
• the thickness of the rings get thicker as you go down even if you use the bevel cut option. (second concept).

So, my question is has anyone done this with success? Anyone have a picture? Does anyone have any tips/tricks that might help? Are you seeing anything i might be completely missing?

2 tone bowl idea.jpg

[Tom Bender]

How about turning the two bowls separately then gluing them together for final turning? Yes it would require very accurate work to match the shapes but it would get you to a thin result.

[Sam Force]

I like your idea, if you do not want a thicker base, you could do a bowl with straight walls with minimal curve, more like a cake pan

[Jim Barkelew]

Thinner rings, 1/2 or 5/8 thick instead of 3/4 would give a thinner possible wall. Reminds me of calculus class, finding the area under a curve. Also more segments in each ring gets closer to a circle shape.

I have used the two wood concept on canisters - BOC boxes. I had a lot of 1/2 in mahogany strips and glued pine to them to get thick enough slats. Dark on the outside, light on the inside.
Jim

[Chance Raser]

How about turning the two bowls separately then gluing them together for final turning? Yes it would require very accurate work to match the shapes but it would get you to a thin result.

Thanks for idea, but i do not have the skill to pull that off!

[Chance Raser]

Thinner rings, 1/2 or 5/8 thick instead of 3/4 would give a thinner possible wall. Reminds me of calculus class, finding the area under a curve. Also more segments in each ring gets closer to a circle shape.

I have used the two wood concept on canisters - BOC boxes. I had a lot of 1/2 in mahogany strips and glued pine to them to get thick enough slats. Dark on the outside, light on the inside.
Jim

Thanks for the tip, the 1/2" strips should definitely help the thickness of the wall.

[Bob Coates]

Thanks for the tip, the 1/2" strips should definitely help the thickness of the wall.

I have even made rings on 1/4" thick. Rip you boards used to make the ring in half and then adjust the wedge length for bigger ring.