# Bowl coring



## Leo (3 Mar 2011)

Hi yall,

I was wondering if anyone had advice on making a Bowl coring thingamyjiggy.

Wood is VERY scarce here and I am wasting too much of it.

BTW. I can not afford a proper coring set.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Leo


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## loz (3 Mar 2011)

Assuming you have the torque - you can do this with the sorby slicer blade very cheaply.

If you dont have the torque - then i'd forget coring, and perhaps cut rings off the outside of a bowl blank to make seperate stacked bowls


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## Pvt_Ryan (3 Mar 2011)

I found this link, might be useful http://www.woodworkersinstitute.com/page.asp?p=1082


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## loz (3 Mar 2011)

also http://montgomerycountywoodturners....Poor Man's Coring Tool - the Sorby Slicer.pdf


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## Leo (3 Mar 2011)

I do not have the torque, so a proper coring system may not be for me, the other links are looking like the way to go.

Thank you for the quick and very helpful links and ideas guys.

Leo


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## CHJ (3 Mar 2011)

loz":30eqs4us said:


> ..... and perhaps cut rings off the outside of a bowl blank to make seperate stacked bowls




Some examples of what Loz is referring to can be seen at the bottom of these two pages;

Gallery1

Gallery2

Something I did in my first few days of turning when a member from this forum gave me some Spalted Beech just could not bring myself to waste in a load of shavings.

Basically carefully part of a set of "tyres" from the blank and fit them with rebates onto separate thin bases cut from 25mm thick planks.


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## Leo (3 Mar 2011)

Thank you for the pics., I hadn't thought of doing that.. #-o .............good idea. ccasion5:


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## Chrisp (3 Mar 2011)

Take a look at the "For Sale Workshop contents" on the turning main page by JPT, there is a board to bowl set there for £25.
Regards Chris.


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## János (3 Mar 2011)

Hello,

Using a long-handled, strong parting tool to cut a bowl's core free is not new at all. Some traditional turners in Europe used the method to turn multiple bowls from a blank. To improve the results, they used slightly bent tools. But the method was used on softwoods only, as cutting forces are very high in such cuts.

By,

János


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## János (3 Mar 2011)

Hello,

You should take a look at the pages 80~83 of this old German book:

http://books.google.hu/books?id=CaX4nLt ... A80&dq=schüsseldrechsler&hl=hu&ei=TPBvTbbKJpjc4wa-95mUDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=book-thumbnail&resnum=1&ved=0CDYQ6wEwAA#v=onepage&q=schüsseldrechsler&f=false


The images are self-explanatory.


By,

János


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## CHJ (3 Mar 2011)

Here's an example of removing a little of the core wood with a stiff 'diamond' parting tool, needs care especially when getting near the center due to tool overhang.

Green bowl turning

It's not quick and it's not easy, in a perverse sort of way a less powerful lathe is an advantage, it makes sure you have sharp tools, have to make sure you cut tool clearance to stop binding and if it happens then lathe is likely to stop before you break a wrist.

I have watched traditional German and Russian turners coring blanks with curved 'parting' tools, but the wood was a light wood as near as I could determine it was Lime, at least it was the same as that being used by adjacent wood carvers anyway.


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## János (3 Mar 2011)

Hello,

Dear Chas, in Germany the wood frequently used is Swiss pine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Pine

Birch and alder are worked too.

By,

János


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## CHJ (3 Mar 2011)

Thanks *János*, my German is very limited and the folks with me had no Wood Working interests/knowledge, the nearest we got to identifying the wood was " it's what we always use".
It was very white, light in weight, no discernable grain/growth rings and was being worked with traditional hand forged carbon steel tools, which I might add were stropped with little hand stones and leather untill razor sharp, almost as a ritual before starting a session.

This is a sellection from one of the turners, although he had some modern tooling in the rack I never saw him pick them up whilst doing the traditional pieces, nested bowls, dolls etc.

The tools an the left of the rack were the main hollowers but the two offset hand forged "Skews" were the tools of choice on external work and were like razors.


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## Leo (3 Mar 2011)

WOW, loads of information, I have some learning to do.!!!!

thanks all for the replies. !!!!

Leo


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## János (4 Mar 2011)

Dear Chas,

The wood (probably) was silver poplar: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Populus_alba

It was used to produce household utensils, like tubs and vats (for washing, kneading etc.), as it is soft, and really easy to carve with hand tools. Adzes to hollow, axes and shaves to shape the outside. The tree grows rapidly to large sizes, and if healthy, it is a good lumber to use. The wood is light, cream withe, and ages to a mellow yellowish tinge. Not a durable wood tough. But it was cheap and available, and the items easily replaceable when gone...

Those hook tools have not changed since the beginnings of "tool time". Take a look at page 43 of the book I linked in earlier. Those "offset skews" are "hollow turning smoothing steels" (Ausdrehschlichtstahl). These keen tools are indispensable in turning soft woods, especially pine and poplar, as they are capable to produce a tear-out free surface. A few hook tools are still made today, but I do not know any commercial makers of those inside finishing tools.

Have a nice day,

János


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