Thread: Triangle bowl + wood query

Gotta give it to you Toni, You'll try anything.
Pity about the finish. I ththink one way to do such bowls is to turn and finish them and then cut the triangle after that.

Hi Toni, I'm agree with what artme told, but I admire the way you pick up a challenge, at this is a challenge. Turning marks, you could try powersanding, instead of handsanding, but it has also something to do with patient, and I think after seeing a lot of turnings from you, you have a lot of patient. Turning quickly a bowl is something else than to try to do a turning like you show to us now. I can't tell you what kind of wood this is, but it's beautiful colored red/brown, I have the idea you're not ready with this triangle, in that case I like it to see it when completely finshed.
Keep up your good work Toni.!!

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Hi lubbing5cherubs,

Sorry that I can't work out exactly what wood it is, but I've got a few blanks stored away from a small log of a large Red River Gum that existed a few hundred meters away from the water spring of Blewitt Springs near McLaren Vale. This particular tree was left in the middle of what did become a small private lake (large dam size) just on the edge of the Reserve. The tree was about 60 years old when the root and a few feet of the trunk became submersed. According to the fellow that stop the natural spring to flow down stream, that happen around 40 years ago so I don't know for how long the tree has been dead but its skeleton is just majestic still. Around 3 years ago, a strong wind storm did blow one of its branches (about 15" wide) into the water bellow but some how, before the branch had time to sink, the wind pushed it to the waters edge. I found it the next day and was the very dark red colour from the brake point that brought my attention to it. The lake owner was required with his tractor to get it into dry ground. I haven't yet turn any of the pieces but I will take apic of them to show you how similar in colour they are to your piece.

Sorry, I was in timber dreamland, what I wanted to say is that, you certainly have guts to do such a piece. That's scary turning stuff, even for those with plenty of experience with those forms. Do you want to know how scary and dangerous it can be, try to do one...!.
If you could find the way of cutting the triangular shape after turned, the risk factor would be 95% reduced! Nevertheless, go girl...!

I've got a pic...!

Cheers
RBTCO

Can't help you with the wood Toni, but...

One way to make it a bit safer is to glue sacrificial scraps onto the sides - such as pine - so that it turns round. Then pulling it to pieces again when finished and quickly cleaning up the edges. This not only reduces the OW factor significantly, but also helps prevent the leading edges of the "wings" from rounding over when sanding.

But I rarely bother doing things the "safe" way, even though I know I should. I guess we both have that in common. eh?

Toni , thats an adventurous piece of work there. I aim to try triangular sometime myself . NIce looking colour of wood too .
When I sanded my square patters , I had a strip of polystyrene , about 3 inches wide , 1 inch thick , and a foot long , wrapped around with plastic sticky tape . I folded the sandpaper along and around both sides lengthwise , and hold it rather that attach it . This helps to keep my hands a bit further away from danger .That and a pair of heavy leather work gloves . After a while it developed a slight 'S' curve , that assisted in the sanding , by being able to roughly mold to the platter shape .
Low speed , and working thru the sandpaper grit grades , gets most of the work done , without too much trouble ..... and no bruised knuckles

hope this makes sense ,
Jock

G'day Toni,

When I did these I found the easiest (safest) way to sand was to use a velcro disc and sanding pad attached to my power drill al-la what I have linked to Carrols site.

G`day as Skew said use sacrificial timber it also prevents chip out on the edges because the timber edge is supported by the pine.
Mick

I have successfully made and sanded stuff like that but I don't think it is worth the risk! Just need to have a catch and your work is destroyed or when sanding you could end with serious finger injuries. I guess I did it just to prove I could!!!!!

Here is a square plate....(birdseye huon pine)



Now that I have got that out of the way, I have decided to go sacrificial strips. I am currently working on turning a rectangle... the overhang each end will become the handles of the bowl. Hopefully this way, the beautiful piece of blackwood is less likely to be destroyed and I should still have 10 fingers when completed! But good on you for trying.... But now you have got that done play it safe next time!

Cheers,

Chipman

For non round shapes (triangular , Square etc) First cut the approx shape you want but with straight edges.

Glue on enough cheap timber to give room for a round shape.

Round off on the band saw.

Turn, sand and polish in safety.

Now band saw off the excess glued on bits and tidy the edges.