# Chuckless bowls



## Bodrighy (27 Jan 2007)

My first creations for 40 years. Not perfect but all my own work. I have had to do all the work with a couple of bowl gouges and a parting tool as they are the only ones that I have that are any use. (The need list gets longer and longer and longer......)
Finished off with a bit of sanding sealer. 
They are only practice pieces really but I'm quite pleased to have finished something at last.
I haven't got a clue what wood they are made from, it's a well seasoned plank I had in the shed, hard as nails, end grain needs watching, turns well









This one has a deep bottom as I was nervous having already gone through one bottom on a previous attempt.








One of my first efforts. Can't get a decent photo. I'll try outside tomorrow. 




Rescued this log from the side of the road after the gales a week ago. Anyone know what it is? I have a wood burner if it's of no use. It's about 6" diameter and 3' long.






Pete


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## Anonymous (27 Jan 2007)

Good start Pete !

Vague suspicion that the wood may be acacia ...

The log is one wood that's easy to identify, it's Dogwood... you can tell that from the bark
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.sorry, couldn't resist :lol: 

going to bed now..........................zzzzzzzzzzzzzz


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## Blister (28 Jan 2007)

" This one has a deep bottom as I was nervous having already gone through one bottom on a previous attempt "


Huuummm Bottom  

Opps sorry , back on track , Nice work there ,


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## PowerTool (28 Jan 2007)

Very nice,Pete - got both feet on "the slope",now ? :wink: 

Andrew


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## Bodrighy (29 Jan 2007)

Not so much both feet as my backside but I'm on the way down / up at last. 
SWMBO keeps telling me I need a chuck when I show her the holes in the bottom so next pay day maybe....... then I can really start sliding.


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## Alf (29 Jan 2007)

Pete, nice stuff. You're firmly on the slope now, matey... :shock:

Don't show your SWMBO this, and if you're going to do a lot of 'em frankly this is a bit of a laborious way of doing it, but this bowl was just done on a screw chuck (which is much more affordable, fwiw):






The contrasting plug is a bit of a giveaway - just pared off with a chisel so no need for the jam chuck:






The black marks on the inside, in case anyone wonders, are what happens if someone puts one of those darn glass paperweights in a wooden bowl and then places same on a sunny window sill. :evil: Lucky we didn't have a fire I suppose.

Cheers, Alf

There you are, Chas, just to prove I did try to be a "proper" turner once upon a time and actualy made a bowl. :lol:


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## CHJ (29 Jan 2007)

Alf":36imd556 said:


> There you are, Chas, just to prove I did try to be a "proper" turner once upon a time and actualy made a bowl. :lol:



So what's with the 'try' and 'once upon a time' surely not a touch of the "been there done that syndrome", having seen your abilities over the couple of years since I first saw your work I can only feel sad that you do not fill in more of your 'pondering time' with a bit more turning.


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## Alf (29 Jan 2007)

CHJ":et4k948v said:


> surely not a touch of the "been there done that syndrome"


I'm a martyr to it, a martyr I tells ya.  I dunno, I just don't get the turning bug at all, unlike everyone else it seems. It's as incomprehensible to me as someone only ever using a biscuit jointer. Must be a character flaw I think, but thank goodness. Another steep slope I do not need... 8-[

Cheers, Alf


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## CHJ (29 Jan 2007)

Alf":10w4eukz said:


> I'm a martyr to it, a martyr I tells ya.  I dunno, I just don't get the turning bug at all, unlike everyone else it seems. It's as incomprehensible to me as someone only ever using a biscuit jointer. Must be a character flaw I think, but thank goodness. Another steep slope I do not need... 8-[
> 
> Cheers, Alf



Vive la différence.


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## Bodrighy (29 Jan 2007)

Thanks for the tip Alf. Actually SWMBO is a pretty good sort and never complains when I spend money....except when the fridge is empty!!!!

I had thought of a screw chuck....but if I can get the full thing so much the better.

Pete


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## Alf (29 Jan 2007)

Bodrighy":1nnsxvn3 said:


> Actually SWMBO is a pretty good sort and never complains when I spend money....


I have to ask - does she have a brother? :lol:


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## Bodrighy (29 Jan 2007)

3, 2 in Newcastle (Tyneside) and 1 in Devon, none interested in wood in any shape or form I'm afraid. she's a one ofa kind...don't tell her I said that :lol: LOL


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## Alf (29 Jan 2007)

Bodrighy":6ifl3bq5 said:


> ...none interested in wood in any shape or form I'm afraid.


Damn. No good asking for a picture then - of their workshop... :lol:


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## Bodrighy (29 Jan 2007)

Not unless you are also into rally cars or computers.


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## Bodrighy (29 Jan 2007)

Tis was made from a piece of spalted pine (AKA firewood). End grain was impossible to totally smooth out but nearly got there.








The first one looks as though it has chips out of the side but it hasn't.


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## Anonymous (29 Jan 2007)

Pete, try a little moisture or soft paste wax on problem end grain... no guarantees but worth a try...

If can fettle pine most other woods should be a doddle :wink:


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## Bodrighy (29 Jan 2007)

oldsoke":1shdutnq said:


> Pete, try a little moisture or soft paste wax on problem end grain... no guarantees but worth a try...
> 
> If can fettle pine most other woods should be a doddle :wink:



Newbie question. What does "fettle" mean?


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## Anonymous (29 Jan 2007)

loosely translated it's a generic term for 'sorting' ... making better, improving; I think it derives from the metal industry...

In arabic: ‏(الاسم) حاله , وضع , رمل تفرش به أرض فرن (فعل) يفرش بالرمل‏ 
Japanese: 状態 

...just to reflect out multicultural society :lol:


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## CHJ (29 Jan 2007)

oldsoke":2pvtnx1u said:


> loosely translated it's a generic term for 'sorting' ... making better, improving; I think it derives from the metal industry...



Yes cleaning up the the mold flashes in metal casting or pottery.
also used to refer to the lining/repairing of iron/steel molds.


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## CHJ (29 Jan 2007)

Bodrighy":elp2glag said:


> End grain was impossible to totally smooth out but nearly got there.



Also try applying cellulose sanding sealer to the endgrain area before the final cut, sometimes it stiffens it and stops it from tearing out.


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## Bodrighy (29 Jan 2007)

Thanks Graham & Chas. I'll have a go at waxing it and see what that does. At the moment I'm just putting cellulose sanding sealer on them. I suppose wax would fill in the end grain in theory at least. Let you know how it goes. Off to bed now, can't keep up with you 'retired guys' with nothing else to do. some of us still work for a living....for a few years more at least :lol: 

Pete




Hey!! I've just noticed that I have been promoted from 'Newbie' to 'Woodworker'....when did that happen?


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## Anonymous (29 Jan 2007)

Promotion happens when you make too many posts :lol: 

off to bed, bless!


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## CHJ (30 Jan 2007)

Bodrighy":id0ewcpr said:


> I suppose wax would fill in the end grain in theory at least.



Yes it will but it won't be the effect you expect, the wax will fill the voids but when it dries, which may take several days, it will show as white specks.

I believe Graham is referring to wetting the wood or waxing it during final cutting. 

If you intend to oil a piece you can apply oil during final cutting phase to similar effect.

Don't tell the purists but if you sand with wet cellulose sanding sealer the slurry will fill the endgrain voids, if the piece is heavily figured or spalted then it can be difficult to spot the fault.

It will show up as darker blemishes though on a plain wood.


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## geoff_tulip (30 Jan 2007)

going back a bit - i'm pretty sure the log you found is oak - there area few things which point ot this - the colour of the sapwood and heartwood, the bark, the green fungus is common to oak, the way the branch has broken, the hint of burr / pippy wood in bottom third.
sweet chesnut and lime are other poss. but the heartwood suggest not lime and the straight grain suggests not sweet chestnut
- one things for sure - if it is oak it is sure to have split by now !!!

when collecting wood it is always useful to have a look at the tree it came from - it is easier to ident trees than logs, bring a few leaves home if you dont recognise the tree.....

good luck with the log


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## Bodrighy (30 Jan 2007)

geoff_tulip":p1sofvy9 said:


> when collecting wood it is always useful to have a look at the tree it came from - it is easier to ident trees than logs, bring a few leaves home if you dont recognise the tree.....
> 
> good luck with the log



Thanks for this Geoff,

You could well be right, there is a lot of oak in the hedges around here. As far as identifying the tree, we are talking about 6.30 at night, in a queue waiting for the surgeons to clear the road after a tree had come down, not much chance but I agree. 

It has some star cracks at one end already and if it is oak I had better practice sharpening my tools

Pete


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## geoff_tulip (31 Jan 2007)

if it is oak - your chances of getting anything out of it are very slim -


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## Taffy Turner (31 Jan 2007)

Bodrighy":1vr4niwz said:


> It has some star cracks at one end already and if it is oak I had better practice sharpening my tools



Pete,

I have turned a lot of Oak, and surprisingly (to me anyway), I found it one of the most friendly woods to turn, and it isn't particularly hard on your tools.

Just be careful to give your tools a thorough cleaning afterwards if you decide to turn it while it is still wet, or they will all turn black and manky - DAMHIKT

Regards

Gary


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## treefella83 (1 Feb 2007)

oak has got to be one of my favorite timbers to turn right up there on my list just below cherry


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## joekid (2 Feb 2007)

ive used the same wood for a couple of bowls , i got told its ash or elm? the log looks identical, same orangy rings ,i like it any way Bodrighy looks good nice one, keep it up your on your way down :shock: dont know my timbers yet its a bit hard at the moment without the leaves


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## Bodrighy (3 Feb 2007)

Platter made from an old elm seat. 17" dia. but only 3mil thick so I'm thinking of using it to make a clock or something later on. 

Pete


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## PowerTool (3 Feb 2007)

=D> 

Nice work  - 3 mm thick :shock: perhaps you should make a few more,then laminate them together :wink: 

Andrew


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## Bodrighy (3 Feb 2007)

PowerTool":2z693yxo said:


> =D>
> 
> Nice work  - 3 mm thick :shock: perhaps you should make a few more,then laminate them together :wink:
> 
> Andrew



Good idea...unfortunately that was the last one I had left from about 12 I rescued years ago. The seat is shaped hence the eventual thickness. I could laminate it with some other woods I suppose and do a segmented bowl or platter..... must look around

Thanks for the idea Andrew

Pete


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## Bodrighy (4 Feb 2007)

Aimed for a square bowl but after a bit jumped off....





& still not able to get rid of rings on the bottom....any tips?


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## PowerTool (4 Feb 2007)

Looks nice  

How are you doing the bottom of the bowls at the moment ?
When you have got the shape you want,I find a very light pass with the side of a sharp gouge,starting from the centre,works well.Or sometimes a light pass with a scraper (round or flat,to match the bottom of the bowl) works better,depending on the timber.
And power sanding with something like this helps as well.(I generally power sand at 120grit and lathe at its slowest speed,then hand sand to 400grit afterwards)
Again,it depends on the timber - it's a bit of practice and a bit of guesswork; I would recommend Mark Bakers book "Wood for Woodturners" - it gives you a good idea of what to expect when working and finishing different species.

Andrew


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## CHJ (5 Feb 2007)

Bodrighy":1i4auxy1 said:


> .....snip...& still not able to get rid of rings on the bottom....any tips?
> ...snip...



If I want a perfectly flat surface, Like this in the bottom of a bowl for the final cut I use a stiff 25mm wide Flat end Scraper, a wider one would be even better.

Starting in the centre, with scraper cutting to the left of centre for the first 12mm or so, check flatness by taking the scraper back passed centre so that the centre point is in the middle of the blade.
If you are square on to the surface the blade will be in contact over its whole width with the righthand half rubbing on the cut surface.

Now using the front face of the scraper, advanced into the surface, work your way out to the left hand edge 4-5 mm at a time, using the other 20mm of scraper front edge to gage your alignment with the previously cut surface and stop immediately the whole scraper edge rubs.

If you try this a few times you will find that placing the edge of a steel rule on the surface obtained results in a satisfying squeak if you rotate the piece.

This may not be the purists preferred method but it works for me.


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## Bodrighy (5 Feb 2007)

Thanks Chas, I know that a lot of my problem is the tools as well as the lack of expertise, (bad workman and all that!!) I have a decent scraper however and will use that more and practice just going for good surfaces. I can get them reasonably well in spindle work, at the moment it's the inside of bowls and flat surfaces that defeat me. 

I'll keep on practicing and in the meantime tell everyone that the ridged effect is a design feature. If they don't turn themselves, perhaps they'll believe me. :wink: 

Pete


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## treefella83 (5 Feb 2007)

i use a chunky round nose scraper held at a slight angle to give the bottom of a bowl a good tidy up.
using a gentle pull cut at the slight angle i find that the wood peels away and needs very little sanding.
i found out by accident but i believe it is called shear scraping.


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