Thread: I want to make this - suggestions?

I'd have a look on youtube and watch some videos of similar things being made before you start. I'm sure I have seen a video of somebody making something just like this.

Assuming the grain will be going left to right in your photo there, you will have a lot of end grain exposed on the steep sided of the hollow. Regardless of what you use, as the work rotates, you will be cutting across the end grain (which is harder) then across long grain (which is softer). I suggest a very gentle scraping technique down those high sides. Excessive sanding will take less of the end grain away too, so you piece will go slightly egg shaped if you sand it for too long.

Hope that helps a bit.

Hi Eliza,

What size plate are you thinking in doing (outside diameter) and what would the hight of the middle cup older recess? From your sketch, is does appear that the proportions are about 1/3, and this appear quite balanced.

My first suggestion would be to start with the cup center recess but, do it bit by bit alternating with the outside recess. Finishing one or the other in one go, is a good chance (depending on the timber species, stability and dryness conditions) that the wood will "react" from the large portions being removed from its center too quickly.

Take you time and you should be OK!

Cheers
RBTCO

Grain still confuses me. I know it's an issue because when I turn a bowl there are always two bits that are rough on either side, and two bits that are smooth, on either side.

I think 4" high and about 10" across. I can't do more across because that's the max for my lathe. So it will probably be more like 8" across and a thinner cup.

As a beginner I think you'll find hollowing the cup the hardest part of all. So, my recommendation would be to rough the blank round and then hollow this cup as the first step.

That way, if you have any dig-ins or serious catches while hollowing you don't have to worry about it shattering thin walls and will have plenty of material left to cut out any serious marks.

Once you've hollowed the cup to your satisfaction, then work on the getting the outside down to shape.

It may end up with the cup being wider than you'd planned, but at least you know you should end up with something along the right lines...

Eliza, have you considered making the cup and plate separately? Might be easier on the nerves? Besides you won't need so big a piece. The cup could have a tenon on the bottom, glued into a hole in the plate.
Jim

Originally Posted by powderpost

Eliza, have you considered making the cup and plate separately? Might be easier on the nerves? Besides you won't need so big a piece. The cup could have a tenon on the bottom, glued into a hole in the plate.
Jim

Then I would be able to use contrasting timber as well. That might be the way I will have to go.

And hey - I have glue!



Thanks everyone.

Whether you make the cup separate or as part of the plate, I suggest removing as much as possible from the inside using a forstener bit. Maybe then you can get away with sanding only inside the cup.
In any case best of luck.

Originally Posted by oldiephred

Whether you make the cup separate or as part of the plate, I suggest removing as much as possible from the inside using a forstener bit. Maybe then you can get away with sanding only inside the cup.
In any case best of luck.

I looked that up. Sounds like a useful way to get rid of most of the inside of the cup! Would the drill chuck that I bought that goes on the tail end of my lathe be strong enough for one of them?

Yes.

At the start you may need to hold the chuck firmly while you wind in the tailstock with the other hand, to stop it from spinning in the morse taper, but once it starts cutting it should be fine.

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

Yes.

At the start you may need to hold the chuck firmly while you wind in the tailstock with the other hand, to stop it from spinning in the morse taper, but once it starts cutting it should be fine.

...and use the lowest speed that the lathe has.

Originally Posted by Ed Reiss

...and use the lowest speed that the lathe has.

Definitely!

(I meant to stress that myself, but I forgot to... umm... what was I saying? )

[QUOTE=ElizaLeahy;892374]Grain still confuses me. I know it's an issue because when I turn a bowl there are always two bits that are rough on either side, and two bits that are smooth, on either side.QUOTE]


sounds like your chisels need a bit of a sharpen. it should cut clean all teh way around.

you should be fine holowing that out so long as you use a bowl gouge and ride the side of the bowl.