My First Bowls

[Old Arn]

After turning a couple of mallets and some handles for my turning chisels I decided to try and turn some bowls. They're nothing spectacular but I'm happy with them, at least I got em completed without busting them into a million pieces. :U

They are made of Elm and finished with CA and BLO. The bigger one is apx 5 1/2" wide by 4" tall and a 1/8" thick, the other is 6 and 2 and a 1/4 thick.

I have a question. I know with photography there are certain rules/guidelines ya wanna stick by to make a good picture. Are there any for bowls? Something like if its 6 inches wide the height should be a 3rd of that or the base should be a half as big as the top, etc... or do ya just try and turn them so they have nice flowing lines?

[DJ’s Timber]

You have done a great job on those bowls Shane, photography is topnotch

[TTIT]

Welcome aboard Arn. I know some of the other guy's here can give you rules and guidelines for your proportions but I just go by what pleases my eye :shrug:. .....which brings me to my next point - that first bowl is way too good to be your first bowl :; :U

[Old Arn]

Thanks DJ ... I'm more please with the bowls than the photography. :B They where a quick snapshot and look too flat. :~ They shine much better than what the pics show.

Thanks TTIT ... Well the bowl on the left was actually the 2nd one I turned. The one on the right was the first and it started out to be the same size as the other but I was struggling and kept digging in the wood. The 2nd turned out much better cause I learned a lot on the first one and took it nice and slow.

[Wayne Blanch]

Welcome to the madhouse Arn, those are great bowls for a first and second attempt. If you keep improving at the rate you did on these ones you'll soon be someone to keep up with.:2tsup:

[Cliff Rogers]

Good on ya Shane. :2tsup:

The one on the left is more pleasing to the eye.... try not to have sudden changes in angle in relatively straight sides like you have in the one on the right, (looks like a base for a flower pot).

I try to make the base of my bowls about 1/3 the overall diameter & have an even (but not constant, IE, not a segment of a circle) curve from the rim to the foot.
That is a bit of a generalisation though as a salad bowl is more useful if it deeper & has straighter sides & a fruit bowl is better if it is wide & shallow.

Next time you are in a kitchen/house ware shop, look at all the bowls & vases & note the forms that are most pleasing to the eye.

The photography is good. :2tsup:

[ss_11000]

nice work shane.

i agree, that the photos are great.

cheers

[Gil Jones]

Good first bowls, Shane. I like the left one best, and the right one might look better without the step (just my opinion). Elm sure is a fine looking wood, and you have finished them well.

There is a turning club near you, and here is there data>>
Utah Association of Woodturners
Area Served: All of Utah
Meeting City: Salt Lake City - Ogden - Provo
Meeting State: UT
Meeting Place: Various Locations
Meeting Date: 1st Tuesday
Number of Members: 150
Chapter Web Site: www.utahwoodturners.org (http://www.utahwoodturners.org/)
Contact:
Dave Best
639 E. 1650 S.
Bountiful, UT 84010
801-298-2176
[email protected]

[Old Arn]

Thanks again for the comments everyone ...

Thanks for the advice Cliff ... I appreciate it.

Thanks for the link Gil ... I will check them out, sounds like it would be a great way to learn by joining a club.

[Caveman]

Great looking bowls Shane - good looking picture too.
What BG do you use for your photos?

[BernieP]

G'Day Shane

Nice bowls my first one ended in pieces

Cheers
Bernie

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

All the rules of proportion that apply to photos, eg. 1:3 and the golden mean, apply to bowls... along with almost anything else you can turn. :wink:

Nice bowls, BTW, all too often first bowls look chunky.

[joe greiner]

All the rules of proportion . . . .

Quite so. But sometimes you have to change the design after you start turning (grumble, grumble). In such a case, "nice flowing lines" can provide at least partial rescue.

[Outstanding first bowls. How'd you apply the CA without splotches? Only luck I've had is to apply on the lathe and buff while turning, and try to withdraw buffing paper just in time.]

Joe

[OGYT]

Good on ya, Arn. Best place I know to get introduced to some fine Oz folks. First two bowls? No room for complaint, there. Well done.
I don't have the guts to do a CA finish on anything that big. :shrug:
Hey!... the shrug worked! :shrug: Didn't I expect it to? :o

[Old Arn]

Thanks again for the comments everyone ...

Caveman ... The BG is black velvet. Real black velvet reflects almost no light (about 4%) so it works great for pitch black backgrounds.

Joe ... I have used the CA on spindle turnings and it works great. I followed the directions given on this video. (http://www.woodturnerruss.com/Video.html#anchor_180) Use a slow set CA and only make one quick pass down and back with the glue, then hurry and hit it with the BLO. Make a pass or two along the turning and refresh the paper towel with more BLO. Push hard to get the friction/heat built up and if you can feel an area where the CA has clumped up on the turning hold the paper towel over that area for a quick sec and push harder, you will feel it disappear, then continue on working the full piece. Repeat 4 or 5 times with a light sanding in between coats. Hit it with the buffer when your done and you will have a beautiful finish. If the piece is too large I would do just do one section at a time.

[joe greiner]

Aha. The simultaneous finishing didn't register at first. Thanks Shane.

Joe