May bowl abuse (critique?)

[gus3049]

this is the first time I've put one of my entries up for tearing apart.

I will be interested to know what you all think.

 

[Wood spoiler]

I liked the bowl and I like the band of decoration. It appears a "sophisticated" detail that I expect you will have commercial success with.

The only dislike to me was leaving the dovetail. Given you had the outer foot it would have been nice to reverse the bowl and blend away the dovetail recess leaving just the one foot

 

[gus3049]

I liked the bowl and I like the band of decoration. It appears a "sophisticated" detail that I expect you will have commercial success with.

The only dislike to me was leaving the dovetail. Given you had the outer foot it would have been nice to reverse the bowl and blend away the dovetail recess leaving just the one foot

Good point! Sadly, it was too big for anything I have at the moment to reverse it with. I'll have to try and make some cole jaws or find a way of taping a bowl to a lump of mdf - or something.....

 

[Wood spoiler]

The only dislike to me was leaving the dovetail. Given you had the outer foot it would have been nice to reverse the bowl and blend away the dovetail recess leaving just the one foot

Good point! Sadly, it was too big for anything I have at the moment to reverse it with. I'll have to try and make some cole jaws or find a way of taping a bowl to a lump of mdf - or something.....

An alternative method.

If you are making a larger piece you can leave a 10 mm nib in the centre of your dovetail. Bring up the tailstock and mark centre. When you have finished the inside the bowl put a rough block (usually a parted off remains complete with jaw size dovetail all ready to fit in the chuck and kept for the purpose) covered with router Matt or similar and clamp the bowl with the tailstock . You can then gently blend out the dovetail leaving a natural curve to the foot. When done you can then work away your centre nib with spindle gouge or skew until you are left with an inverted cone. This can then be snipped off. I use wire cutters. And then remove from the lathe and sand. I use a foam pad and circular discs on the pedestal drill. Don't snap off the cone as it can tear into the bowl leaving a torn wood hole.
hope this helps

 

[gus3049]

The only dislike to me was leaving the dovetail. Given you had the outer foot it would have been nice to reverse the bowl and blend away the dovetail recess leaving just the one foot

Good point! Sadly, it was too big for anything I have at the moment to reverse it with. I'll have to try and make some cole jaws or find a way of taping a bowl to a lump of mdf - or something.....

An alternative method.

If you are making a larger piece you can leave a 10 mm nib in the centre of your dovetail. Bring up the tailstock and mark centre. When you have finished the inside the bowl put a rough block (usually a parted off remains complete with jaw size dovetail all ready to fit in the chuck and kept for the purpose) covered with router Matt or similar and clamp the bowl with the tailstock . You can then gently blend out the dovetail leaving a natural curve to the foot. When done you can then work away your centre nib with spindle gouge or skew until you are left with an inverted cone. This can then be snipped off. I use wire cutters. And then remove from the lathe and sand. I use a foam pad and circular discs on the pedestal drill. Don't snap off the cone as it can tear into the bowl leaving a torn wood hole.
hope this helps

Thanks, Ill try that - next time. The bowl just went to someone that came to buy some roses - got a good price too

 

[monkeybiter]

Before I got a chuck I turned a lot of stuff stuck to an MDF faceplate with double sided tape [the thicker woven tape] Pressed against the faceplate with the tailstock for most of the time, then backing off to shape the centre portion [or more] I'ts surprisingly strong.

 

[gus3049]

Before I got a chuck I turned a lot of stuff stuck to an MDF faceplate with double sided tape [the thicker woven tape] Pressed against the faceplate with the tailstock for most of the time, then backing off to shape the centre portion [or more] I'ts surprisingly strong.

Thats exactly what I just tried with 'my mistake of the week' (went through the bottom recess!!! Nice walnut plug in a yew bowl now) Only used masking tape but lots of it - worked a treat!!

EDITED - I reckon this 'plug' bit sounds a bit crude, lets say its a yew bowl with a walnut 'accent'

 

[loz]

or find a way of taping a bowl to a lump of mdf - or something.....

I do this all the time, its fool proof ( use masking tape, electrical tape is too stretchy !!!! . Obviously dont forget to add a dimple to the base when you create your chuck point, so you can locate later.

And i always use pull cuts removing a spigot, force is then towards the drive, and less change of slippage.

Lauernce

 

[myturn]

Oh well, in for a penny.....

The side profile lets it down Gordon, it looks like a bedpan.

Have a read of Richard Raffan's book The Art of Turned Bowls and in particular the section on ogee and asymetreic forms.

I use this book as my inspiration but it's one thing knowing what you want to achieve and another thing achieving it. I spent a whole day working on an asymetrically curved shallow bowl and I was still not happy with it even then. I knew what shape I wanted to achieve but it just wouldn't happen :? So it ended up as another "close but no cigar" turning.

 

[gus3049]

Oh well, in for a penny.....

The side profile lets it down Gordon, it looks like a bedpan.

Have a read of Richard Raffan's book The Art of Turned Bowls and in particular the section on ogee and asymetreic forms.

I use this book as my inspiration but it's one thing knowing what you want to achieve and another thing achieving it. I spent a whole day working on an asymetrically curved shallow bowl and I was still not happy with it even then. I knew what shape I wanted to achieve but it just wouldn't happen :? So it ended up as another "close but no cigar" turning.

I knew it reminded me of something

I didn't realise you were old enough to remember such things. never mind, the customer who bought it this afternoon obviously didn't make the connection!!

 

[myturn]

I didn't realise you were old enough to remember such things. never mind, the customer who bought it this afternoon obviously didn't make the connection!!

Perhaps they did and will be disappointed when it doesn't hold water! :lol: :lol:

 

[jumps]

Oh well, in for a penny.....

The side profile lets it down Gordon, it looks like a bedpan.

.....

on first reading I thought this said Belgian.....and was going to agree!

on a more serious note, I think I liked it - blt to be sure it would have been really good to have had access to a 'close up' of the detailing - obviously now it's gone we will never have that luxury

the same was obvious with some elements of Blister's bowl that came to light in the WIP thread, as well as others

 

[gus3049]

I didn't realise you were old enough to remember such things. never mind, the customer who bought it this afternoon obviously didn't make the connection!!

Perhaps they did and will be disappointed when it doesn't hold water! :lol: :lol:

Ah but catalyst lacquer is proof against many liquids, nut just washing up water.

 

[Jonzjob]

Me too, not too sure about the flatish shape, but for a nice change I do like the coloured band. If you still have the full file photo you coud easily show more detail on that! Niice finish too!

I wouldn't have taken the recess out of the bottom either.

 

[gus3049]

Thanks for all the comments.

The attached are the best I can do from the existing pics I have. The texturing is quite random and because the two colours sort of 'flash' in the flesh, when the light shines on it it looks rather nice. Customer thought so anyway I'm pleased to say.

 

[Wood spoiler]

I went to a country show at the weekend. I came across a "woodturners" selling his wares.

Most of what was on show was very crude by the standards seen on this site and nothing he had for sale had the dovetails removed or any finish in the dovetail. Very disappointing display and not inspired to rush home to the shed - so I moved swiftly on and bought more chickens!

Presumably he was making money from being there. Maybe my comments to remove the dovetail are a result of too much navel gazing. Maybe I am guilty of too much pedanticism, especially knowing you need to be commercial in your work.

 

[gus3049]

Maybe I am guilty of too much pedanticism, especially knowing you need to be commercial in your work.

Maybe you are guilty of inventing new words!!! Oh the living language. Great init?

The removal of the mounting spigot or recess seems to be an old argument. Those interested in the 'craft' seem to worry about it but I have seen it said that it should be left on in case its ever necessary to remount it!! Sounds like a good excuse. I've never yet had a punter comment on the underside of a piece apart from liking the fact thats its signed and dated.

However I just tried it on one of the new yew bowls and it really does 'look' better to me. It may all come down to pressures of time and this rotten need to pay the mortgage.

PS Its pedantry - I know I'm one.

 

[Wood spoiler]

Wot yew saying about my wordage!

Had I ever learnt Latin I would argue that all words are mere constructions compiled to reflect need and convey meaning - which worked don't it

Works for all the tabloid headline writers or (should that be righters knowing their oh so moral crusades)
:lol:

 

[Jonzjob]

Was it you at that show Gordon :roll: :roll:

For me, as long as the method of mounting, a dovetail for instance, is finished properly and to the same standard as the rest of the piece then what is the problem? Most people would look at it as a part of the overall piece and not "Oh yeh, that's where 'e stuck it on 'is lathe" It also gives me somewhere to put my initials so that it can be identified in the future and sell for a large fortune as being a JJ original 8) 8)

 

[gus3049]

Was it you at that show Gordon :roll: :roll:

For me, as long as the method of mounting, a dovetail for instance, is finished properly and to the same standard as the rest of the piece then what is the problem? Most people would look at it as a part of the overall piece and not "Oh yeh, that's where 'e stuck it on 'is lathe" It also gives me somewhere to put my initials so that it can be identified in the future and sell for a large fortune as being a JJ original 8) 8)

How do you sign then as a matter of interest? I just do 'SIR', 'month', 'wood' - anything else relevant?