Two ways to skin a 4 by 4 block

[jefferson]

As many of you may have noticed, my two long-term turning aspirations are:

1. redgum and ash between centre work for table legs
2. lidded boxes (for which I have some delightful 4 by 4 blanks).

I've been turning some shallow bowls / platters, trying to learn some more about tool craft and use. An easy option I guess, using mostly my Ci1 Rougher and my ever-reliable HD scrapers where I stuff up with the gouge.

So I was thinking today what to do with some of my 4 by 4s (of which I have plenty across maybe 8 species), pending the success of the turn-on this weekend. Should I just try to make smallish bowls instead of cutting into end-grain for boxes?

On one hand, the hollowing process will be much easier. On the other, I avoid the hard tasks of learning tool control. The product turned either way will be different, so I was wondering what the preferences are out there? Plain grain if turned as if between centres, then chucked and hollowed, or wavy grain if turned like a bowl?

Oh, and I did notice that DJ has a new table saw! How he got it off the pallet alone is beyond me, but maybe I can offer some help in return for the gems he's provided with my VL300 - which I might add is still vibrating at times. First suggestion is to gets a decent outfeed table!

Jeff

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Should I just try to make smallish bowls instead of cutting into end-grain for boxes?

Some, certainly. However, keep in mind that for some reason small bowls just aren't anywhere near as popular as lidded boxes.


The product turned either way will be different, so I was wondering what the preferences are out there? Plain grain if turned as if between centres, then chucked and hollowed, or wavy grain if turned like a bowl?

Typically for bowls, the grain oriented perpendicular to the ways gives the greatest enhancement of any features. End-grain is usually "plainer" than long-grain and turning this way presents side grain in the base of the bowl (when someone looks in) as well as alternating long- & end-grain around the sides.

Orienting the blank for spindle-turning, with the grain parallel to the ways, gives a more homogenous appearance - unless your bowl is more of a vase, in which case the high walls of this type of turning shows the long-grain to advantage.

After typing all that, I guess the short answer is "it depends on the shape of the bowl..." :rolleyes:

[TTIT]

What Skew said above but I reckon you need to have a closer look at the way you're hollowing your boxes. Hogging out a 4x4 deep enough for a trinket box or even a pencil jar isn't really a problem with the right tools and technique - and as Skew said, they are far more appealing than a 4" bowl :shrug:

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

And don't forget that lidded boxes don't necessarily need to be hollowed end-grain either!

(Although it does mean that the lids are more likely to still fit should there be any shrinkage...)

[rsser]

FWIW my take is to start simple and build up to complex.

So refining your technique on small bowls might be boring but it's a stepping stone. It needs far less accuracy than a lidded box, and you can wack a pot pourri lid on 'em and amaze the folks at Xmas.

But keep your schmick blanks for the boxes Jeff. You can do bowls with almost any timber.

[jefferson]

Ern & Co,

thanks for the encouragement. I'll keep the good stuff aside for the boxes and continue making some small bowls and platters out of redgum, of which I have plenty.

See you all on Saturday at 's place, really looking forward to it.

Don't forget, if you get a chance to talk with the missus, tell her that the Vicmarc mini lathe is a superb machine......

Jeff