Thread: Having a go at a Natural Edge Bowl

Well done Dave good form on the bowl. A lovely little piece. Great timber. I love sheoak and its cousin buloke. Keep up the good work.

Originally Posted by Ozkaban

Hi,

I was one of the people over in the Pen Forum who took Robutacion up on his offer of pen blanks for pens. Inside the pack was a little lump of she-oak suitable for a small bowl.

I'd almost forgotten about it, but I had an hour or so spare this morning and thought I'd have a crack at it. I've never done a natural edge bowl before (I've only done 2 bowls at all...) but it was quite fun. It's far from perfect - I had a dig-in in the centre that threw it off the lathe. I managed to rechuck it and clean up pretty much all of the dig in. It had a small foot on it but that was damaged so I cleaned it off with a chisel, sanded it and then used a swansdown mop in the drill press to polish it up like the rest of the bowl.

It's sanded to 400 grit, EEE then Shellawax glow. It's about 10-12cm acorss at the rim and about 5-6cm high.

I really loved the way the grain came out - the rays coming up the sides of the bowl is really nice.

Cheers,
Dave

Hi Dave,

Thank you for accepting my both "requests", pens (and letter opener) and natural edge bowl.
This is exactly what I wanted to achieve, incentive those that had never tried natural edge turning, allowing the timber to do the "impressing", and for those that done it before, provide some how, a piece that is not your everyday timber, and also cut to expose its skin texture and timber colouration.

This is the best shape to take the most out of the blank, and the shape (or even more rounded), that's what I had originally on my blank from the same tree, about 4 times bigger! I didn't do the timber and the shape on my piece, any favors, by removing the best timbers on it, and this little sister sample as a good example of that, just look at the grain "whipping" down like a tear, beautiful, just beautiful...!

Thanks Dave, your effort is most appreciated.

Cheers
RBTCO

Love it Oz. Has rustic appeal!

I agree with you on the rays. They add "bite" to the piece. Have much trouble with it???

For something like this, small faults just add to the character.

Shellawax on a natural edged bowl? You're a braver man than I, Gunga Din! (Or crazier. )

Originally Posted by robutacion

Hi Dave,

Thank you for accepting my both "requests", pens (and letter opener) and natural edge bowl.
This is exactly what I wanted to achieve, incentive those that had never tried natural edge turning, allowing the timber to do the "impressing", and for those that done it before, provide some how, a piece that is not your everyday timber, and also cut to expose its skin texture and timber colouration.

thanks RBTCO. Didn't realise is was the second part of the challenge! Mind you, it did achieve what you aimed for then. I was prepared to have a crack at a small one without being too worried. I have a nice 10-12" mellaleuca log that's asking to be another couple of bowls, but needed the practice first!

Originally Posted by artme

Love it Oz. Has rustic appeal!

I agree with you on the rays. They add "bite" to the piece. Have much trouble with it???

The bowl itself didn't cause any real grief - the only thing that chipped away was the top of the rim as shown in the first photo. After the dig-in and it got thrown off the lathe (my fauly completely) I took things very slowly and just skimmed it, so the edge wasn't a huge worry.

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

For something like this, small faults just add to the character.

Shellawax on a natural edged bowl? You're a braver man than I, Gunga Din! (Or crazier. )

Or more ignorant I was actually pretty careful with it - I made sure that the application pad was pretty small so there weren't any loose threads and the edge wasn't that uneven. All the same I didn't put any great pressure on the edges - that didn't seem too wise!

Cheers,
Dave

Very nice - I like!

Ohhhh, looks great! I'll join you as soon as I can. My lathe threw a spak attack at me when I tried to chuck it, not round enough for it's liking! I have to trim the corners before I can start.

Now I can't wait!

top work good to see you braved the experiment and jumped in and yes YOU PASSED

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

For something like this, small faults just add to the character.

Shellawax on a natural edged bowl? You're a braver man than I, Gunga Din! (Or crazier. )

Originally Posted by Ozkaban

thanks RBTCO. Didn't realise is was the second part of the challenge! Mind you, it did achieve what you aimed for then. I was prepared to have a crack at a small one without being too worried. I have a nice 10-12" mellaleuca log that's asking to be another couple of bowls, but needed the practice first!

Cheers,
Dave

Dave,

After I have revealed what I was sending to everyone, I did mention that I would put in a small she-oak blank, that had the right natural conditions to be turned as a natural edge. I did ask, if people would give it a go, as I also said that was OK if people didn't and use it for something else such as some more pen blanks

So, is no big problem if others have already cut it for something else, indeed will be their loss for not trying to create a beauty like yours!

Is a lot more from where that one come from so, if everyone wants to have a got, I will have some available for a few bucks!

Cheers
RBTCO

Well done, that man!!! Well rescued, too.

soth

Dave,
Nicely proportioned and finished bowl
Great colors and grain orientation on a fine chunk of timber.

....now ain't that more fun than just doing pens???

Good turning, OZ