# First bowl, first failure



## emccarthy (Mar 21, 2010)

I decided to go down to the basement and mess around a little bit, and attempted to turn a small bowl.
Measures about 3" diameter and about 1 1/4" or so tall.  Finished in friction polish.
Wood is white oak, and appears to be spalted.

I have learned a couple of things from this experience - turning a bowl from side grain instead of end grain is tricky.  Also using a standard spindle gouge to hollow is ok, but I cant get the straight inside walls I wanted, as I kept getting catches.  Also, wood that hasn't been stablized that has cracks in it makes it more tricky, as a catch can lead to chunks flying around the room.

Anyway, take a look...thought it was interesting looking wood, which is why I decided to finish it.


One more thing:  I've learned I need more tools...I need at least a 4 jaw self centering chuck and some hollowing tools.  A jacobs chuck and a manually adjusted 4 jaw chuck should also be on my must have list.
Does anyone know where I can find inexpensive hollowing tools?  I realize a cheap tool is an expensive one, but I'm on a severe budget


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## chance (Mar 21, 2010)

It looks very nice, sorry to see it broke on you. Given its small size maybe you could notch and smooth out the break and then make a couple more the same and give it to a smoker as an ashtray?  Just a light hearted idea for a broken bowl.


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## MarkHix (Mar 21, 2010)

It's not a failure, it is just not what you had in mind when you started.  Straight walled bowls are harder than curved walls.  You can turn most bowls with a face plate with or without waste blocks.   Add the tools as you go.  A bowl gouge will make it safer and easier.  Keep it up!


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## emccarthy (Mar 21, 2010)

My wife suggested turning it into an ashtray...not sure how the finish would hold up under that kind of abuse.

This bowl was turned using the faceplate my lathe came with.  I had the live center in use while rounding the corners, then removed the tailstock from the lathe when I was turning the inside.

Of course I would want to do the harder type of bowl first...I tend to do things the hard way, lol


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## Padre (Mar 21, 2010)

you did a great job, but having the right tools to use will make a big difference.  It will also increase your enjoyment in the actual turning of the bowl.  A nice, sharp bowl gouge should be at the top of your list.


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## FrankG (Mar 21, 2010)

emccarthy said:


> Does anyone know where I can find inexpensive hollowing tools?  I realize a cheap tool is an expensive one, but I'm on a severe budget



Benjamin's Best tools at Penn State Industries.

http://woodturning.pennstateind.com/search/index?query=benjamins+best&x=0&y=0


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## David Keller (Mar 21, 2010)

1+ for the bowl gouge.  A good scraper is also useful sometimes for turning bowls.  I don't think you need hollowing tools for that size piece.  It's pretty wood.


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## Robert Taylor (Mar 21, 2010)

check out bob hamilton's videos on youtube. he is very helpul with his turning tips.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPUwl1tpAao&feature=related


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## JimB (Mar 23, 2010)

The wood and bowl are very nice... now for my advice... STOP. Using a spindle gouge to turn a bowl is very dangerous. Not just because you can get a catch but because you can break the tool. Both can seriously hurt you. 

The rule is you can use a bowl gouge for spindle work but you never use a spindle gouge for bowl work.

You don't need a long list of tools to do bowls. The only thing you need is a bowl gouge. That one tool can take you from start to finish on a bowl.


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## emccarthy (Mar 24, 2010)

Thanks all for the tips, advice and words of encouragement.

Before I had even posted this thread, I had decided I needed a bowl gouge before I try another bowl. Although I had never read that a spindle gouge can break on you while trying to turn bowls with it, I'll definitely keep it in mind.


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## Lenny (Mar 29, 2010)

Not hard to make and it works quite well... check out other stuff on this site as well

http://aroundthewoods.com/oland.shtml


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## Tony Pridmore (Mar 29, 2010)

emccarthy said:


> I have learned a couple of things from this experience - turning a bowl from side grain instead of end grain is tricky.



I would have said the opposite.  But then, I haven't turned many end grain bowl forms.  

Others have given a lot of good info regarding bowl gouge, Darrell Feltmate's site and use of the faceplate.


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## robutacion (Mar 29, 2010)

Where is the bit that come out of the bowl...???

As far as I can see, the wood could have done with a good spray of wood hardener in the punky spots, as you went, particularly close to the final stages.

That is a common breakage and the piece should be or have been, in one piece making easy job to glue it back with medium to thick CA.  

That fix can be done in many ways, if don't have the bit missing, from coffee beans to shavings from the same wood to resin (coloured or mixed with a number of materials...!), epoxy glue, PVA glue, etc...!

Recessing the "lip" / edge to reshape the damage into identical cuts/grooves in a symmetrical order is a good idea but not the easiest option to fix the problem.  I have indeed a Majestic Olive piece that I have rough turned green nearly 2 years ago, it developed some nasty cracks and and went all out of shape in a shape that I gave it to start with that I can even define what it is...??? anyhow, I gave it a second go a few weeks ago and manage to straight things out a little, as I had still lots of wood to play with, apart from the bloody bottom...! but that is another issue...!:frown:

It become also obvious that if I would continue, I would destroy this piece totally and for some reason, not that I'm short of Olive wood...! I'm not giving up on it yet so, I've got a plan to proceed when I have the time and that is precisely, reshape these 2 large "V" shape cracks (one on each side) into a shape that removes all the damaged wood, and then repeated the same pattern (cut) on at least 4 places (possibly in a X orientation...??? not sure yet, then I want to fill those cuts with PR resin, colours and other stuff, extending the filling into an extra ring (1/4" or so)  at the top lip, connecting everything together...! that's the plan.:wink:

It ain't going to be easy but, I really like these type challenges, not only keeps the "artistic" imagination going but also the ability to "improvise" and resolve these type of situations...!:biggrin: 

Good luck with yours...!:wink:

Cheers
George


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## KenV (Mar 29, 2010)

Doug Thompson sell good bowl gouges -- think about 3/8 and a U shaped channel.   You might think about two so you can put different grind on one (for the inside corner and botttom with a short bevel grind) and the other with a longer fingernail grind.  

http://www.thompsonlathetools.com/pricelist.asp

Doug gets $45 for the 3/8 gouges and you get to provide the handle. (plus shipping).   Doug pokes around IAP from time to time.   If you have a few buck extra get the 3/8 rod and make a round skew with it.  

Let this one sit for a few months while you get more practice then come back to it and return it -- it will come out a bit shorter, but also a lot thinner and with different lines.  

Great start and good practice!!!


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## Glenn McCullough (Apr 1, 2010)

Nice job, first of many failures on the way to tons of successes. Keep at it.


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## gragian (Apr 4, 2010)

I'm pretty new to bowl turning as well, but I've found some pretty good success in using the tools offered for sale by Ken Ferrell ("bitshird" on here).  I got a square carbide cutter (his "woodchuck bowl pro") and a round carbide cutter ("woodchuck round 1") from him at $65 a piece.  Using those two tools you can do most (if not all) of the work turning bowls.

These tools also make straight bowl walls and deep, narrow bowls a cinch.  I recommend them to anyone and everyone who does bowls.  They just simplify the whole cutting process, allowing you to focus on creating and shaping.

But tools are a matter of preference.  These are my preference; others may feel differently.

Good luck!

Jeremy.


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## Robert Taylor (Apr 5, 2010)

not to bad mouth/trash Ken's tools. but they are scrapers. bowls have been turned for hundreds of years with scrapers and there is nothing wrong with that. once you learn to use a bowl gouge you will find that you are now cutting the fibers instead of scraping them off and there will be a world of difference in the finished quality of your projects. the scrapers are fine for roughing out your bowls but a bowl gouge will finish better. your opinion may vary.


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## Rfturner (Apr 6, 2010)

I think that the wood looks good. Just keep trying, you can carve out the broken piece to make it look like it was intentional, it is the easiest way to cover a mistake sometimes


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## elody21 (Apr 17, 2010)

You can still finish your bowl! Turn off the break. Just add contrasting piece of wood and continue!
For straight walled bowls I like a Bedan tool. Do I have that spelled right? Anyway it is pretty much like a wide parting tool.
Good Luck Alice


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