Thread: first bowls

Should we all be green with envy!

G'Day D3x

Welcome aboard, there is a saying here on the forum "no pics didn't happen" look forward to seeing your efforts.

Cheers
Bernie

Well Bernie says to show the proof, here it is. I should have known better as I do not accept homework or exams that do not show proof So this is my second that I have attempted to take to a finished product.

These scratches are MUCH less noticeable than the previous few I have tried, I know that the less sanding, the better. So I guess I have improved...think positive...think positive...

Nice looking timber I can't give a comment on the scratches or the power sanding as I'm still learning but it looks good for a first bowl

Cheers Justin

D3X thats just one bowl where's the rest you can't brag and not show as you said proof is needed.

Welcome and great looking bowl.

Originally Posted by Daddy3x

I will wait a few weeks and maybe try to turn that part away and see what can be salvaged.
Thanks

What can be salvaged may well be your underpants. The bowl will no longer be round; more like oval. Wear a face shield when you try this, and stay as much as possible out of the "line of fire." DAMHIKT.

A powered or inertial rotary sander can reduce the scratches created by sanding with lathe power alone. CSUSA ( http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/ ) has a variety of these devices, but you can also make your own inertial sanders. Al (username OGYT) has posted some pics of the ones he made; search for some of his posts and/or use the Google search at the bottom of the page for "rotary sander" in woodworkforum. For minor scratches, you can also just sand by hand across the scratches. Then proceed with lathe power.

Nice looking bowls, BTW.

Joe

Originally Posted by Daddy3x

So I have now roughed out 15 bowls and coated the end grain with Paste Wax, and will be patient for a year or so. A guy at a class the other night says he turns them green to final thickness, then powersands them, which creates enough heat to all but finish his drying. He did say to "move quickly"

I have a friend that has done extensive experimentation with microwave drying, gets close to final shape, in the oven, out of the oven back on the lathe and spin it fast...the 'waves heat the water inside the woods cells, softens the cells, when he spins it again, the water migrates to the outside ....He says he usually does it a couple of times and YES, he has burnt up a few!!! I like to turn them real thin and use a hair dryer on them....I know, I know...I didn't really do it.....cuz I got no pics!!! You guys are 'bout rough as 40 grit!!

If you are going to use green wood and want it to keep its form the you will ne to turn it to 2mm and sand by hand inside and out side at the same time, friction sanding, if its any thicker thenit is likey not to work or move warp, Use a light so you can see the thickness as you go.
Microwaving is still hit and miss, a matter of wieghing and leaving to cool and starting all over again, i have had a fair bit work for me but have had some thats not. Im not sure why you would rough a bowl out and then wait a few years to be able to return it, wood is about 1" per year to dry, if you are roughing bowls out you at least rough them down to this, then wrap them and it brings the time down even more.
Microwaving and spinning never heard of it, and can't see it working very well, with or without pics.LB

opps Missed what i was going to say side tracked, the bowl and scratches, they should not be there ok i know taker that i am, the bowl is nice but you need to sand, where did you learn that less sanding is better, yes in a way, but you need very sharp tools and know how to use them this comes with practice the less tool marks the less sanding, but if you have marks then you have to get rid of them. Sorry teach how to such eggs but some not meaning you just for all new turners, you start at the lowest grit thet you need and work up through the grades i read the other day i started with 100 then 400 does not work that way you go through one grade to the next inline so as to get rid of the marks left buy the last grade and down to where they say goodbye that hurtnew guys read a bit watch a vid and ask in the forum. everybody learns, my moan and grone over dont hit me to hard i bruse easy.. LB Nice bowl though.

Yeah, no need to wait a year. Rough turn to a wall thickness about 10% of bowl diam and then let sit for a few months. Depending on the timber some folk do a bit of endgrain sealing, others wrap in paper bags, Richard Raffan drops them in a box of other green bowls turning them from time to time.

Hi here are the power sanding tools i use, yep sanding is the unfun part of turning and all woodwork but to get the best result/finish it is necasary.

Maybe whoever said less sanding is better means if you get a good finish off the tools then the sanding is less/easier, but that comes with experience.

sanding points -
worn out sand paper is worn out sand paper - ie worn out 240 is worn out 240 not equal to 320 or 400
wipe the dust from the previous grit off before you go to the next grit
sand all marks from previous grit before you go to the next grit.

All use velcro paper. good luck

Thanks all. I tried turning out the crack, only to have another one develop further down, oh well, free wood and a whole lot of fun, even if empty handed now. When I rechucked this thing, I turned the interior as smoothly as I could, thinking it was round. When I went to sand, I foound that it missed on two spots, directly across the diameter from one another. Obviously I was not "round enough" yet.

The small stack of 12-15 that I have drying have all been turned to approximately 10% of dia. I will wait with the rest. I tend to get impatient, so I thought I would try one thin one where the sanding would supposedly dry it out. I am anxious to try out the alcohol bath that I read some links on. Should this be kept in the garage, I ask because I enjoy marital peace. The wife hated the stain I USED to used in my basement shop. I now wait until she's gone then ventilate like crazy

Where does one find one of those non-electrical rotary sanders? I have not seen one in any shops around here.

There know as passive sander, some craft supplies sell them sorby i think do one, but not much to it, get yourself a square section and 1 or 2 bearings, inline skates are the size to get 22mm od by 7mm 8mm hole, get a pad sander , drill the recess in your blank for the bearing then the 8mm hole, go turn slap it together.. Good quality cloth grite is also a must, dont make the mistake that sandpaper is sandpaper as it far from it...I use Hegner Abrasives this is a little expensive in one way but it last its the best stuff i have ever come across, use it wet or dry also for wax sanding really is good and out last any other i have used, i get mine from john Berkeley here in the UK but sure its around for others..LB

http://www.johnberkeley.co.uk/abrasives.htm

http://www.shapewood.co.uk

Here's some more guff on sanding:

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f8/recipe-bowl-sanding-beware-opinions-follow-51740

and on how to reduce the need:

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f8/minimising-sanding-bowls-etc-51816