Square winged bowls

[Brianne163]

I need some help here on making a square winged bowl. I get as far as starting the recess to shape the wings but every time I get so far, I get a catch and lose the corners. Scary stuff sometimes with lots of blue air in the shed. F....!
I am using my bowl gouge and have no problems wirh normal hollowing but I am now on my third attempt.
The first one actually turned out half ok but I did not get the hollow deep enough to reduce the sides enough.
The second one ended up as a round bowl.
The third one ended up as a round bowl with flats on four sides.
It always is adviseable to have a PlanB and a Plan C I reckon.
Can anyone offer help or suggest a Youtube video I can watch for guidance?
Thanks

[smiife]

Hi brainne , try glueing waste blocks around the sides , turn as normal
Then when happy with the shape etc , take away the waste blocks .....
And bob is your uncle........:U

[Brianne163]

Hi brainne , try glueing waste blocks around the sides , turn as normal
Then when happy with the shape etc , take away the waste blocks .....
And bob is your uncle........:U
Thanks Smiife

[Brianne163]

The continuing saga of the winged bowl.
Not going to let it beat me so went out again this morning and had another go.
First block I put in the lathe turned out to have a crack in it after starting on the base so out it went.
Found another piece, cut it square and started turning. This time I went much more carefully and stopped frequently to check progress.
Shaped the outside top curve before hollowing out too much of the bottom, this I feel made a difference as there was still support.
You can see my efforts in the pics.
Number 1 was the first and I guess I was too cautious as I did not get deep enough.
Number 2 was a disater, had a major catch after turning it over and ripped it out of the dovetail chuck. Broke the corners so Plan B, round bowl.
Number 3 was the result of a catch while hollowing the base so losing the corners. Plan C, square edged bowl.
This was the last of this nice timber (BTW, can anyone identify it please.
Number 4 was the result of lessons learned with 1,2 and 3. Persistence but cautious. Not 100% happy with it, next one will have thinner wings.
The area at the bottom of the underneath picture is the edge of some bark I left on but a small piece fell off.

411990411991411992

[Lyle]

I think number 1 and 4 look like camphor Laurel.
Nice attempts.
Lyle.

[Brianne163]

I think number 1 and 4 look like camphor Laurel.
Nice attempts.
Lyle.
Thanks Lyle
You could be right about Camphor laurel.
The first three are all from the same board and No.4 is from another slab but they all cut the same. I will go and sniff the shavings.
Just sniffed the shavings and not Camphor. I think I would have smelled it while turning. Agree it looks like it though.
It is a soft wood not much smell at all. The first three had reddish tints with a yellowish patch to one side.

411993

[Christos]

Sometimes it is hard to see the wings of the bowl and I have seen people use white paper on the lathe as a background. I have done that and found that a piece of 3 ply on the lathe works just a well.

I recall either reading or watching videos that when creating the wings it is best to take the lightest cuts possible.

[Brianne163]

I totally agree about the light cuts.
Making sure that the opposite wing of the gouge does not contact the opposite side of the hollow is vital. Thats where my catches arrived.........

[Xanthorrhoeas]

Hi, a few weeks ago I went to a demonstration by Eli Avisera at the Woodturners Society of Queensland hut in Greenslopes. One of the items he demonstrated was turning a square bowl. The shape isn't like yours but I thought that you might be interested in this video based on Eli's work. Petite Square Bowl in Cherry (http://www.aswoodturns.com/2012/09/petite-square-bowl-in-cherry/)


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David

[Xanthorrhoeas]

P.S. To my eye the timber looks like Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon​) - it turns very well but I wouldn't call it soft. Blackwood grows all the way from Tasmania, where it grows very large, up into Queensland and has a distinctive banding. Although called "black" wood it also has some very light wood in it and in Victorian times it was sometimes known as Lightwood! If it is Blackwood it is reportedly carcinogenic so beware the dust.

David

[Brianne163]

Thanks Xanthorrhoeas
Cut and pasted your name, much easier.
Thanks for link. This is my next project.

[chambezio]

While looking about at Wood Turning examples square turnings never seem to look "right". That last shot of the side view....to me it looks almost Mayan. I like its shape a lot. For us would be turners its all about technique, design.... and of cause fun. Keep up the good work Brianne