My first turned bowls for comment

[CHJ]

Quite nice as a first attempt but lacking a little form and shape.

:shock: :shock:

Out of order in my book, no constructive advise or examples to help a new starter in the medium and about as useful as "I don't like it".

Personal opinions are always valid but are much more constructive if the basis or work for comparison is available for everyone else to compare.

I personally think that getting any output to match as near as that little cluster of bowls is a great achievement for any turner and the finish achieved on all items is better than a good many displayed at several shows I have attended.

 

[Anonymous]

Well said Chas!

You've echoed my thoughts

 

[cornucopia]

:sign3:

 

[Anonymous]

"Stupid is as stupid does" ((((((Forest Gump)))))

 

[big soft moose]

I disagree with the first bowl being beech :roll: I am 99% sure its birch as beech will not spalt like that but i have seen loads of birch do it.

Oh yes it will - google spalted beech and you get tones of hits - I have a huge stack of spalted beech at the moment. Ive never had spalted birch turnery becuase IME spalted birch rappidly gets too soft to turn

 

[big soft moose]

Quite nice as a first attempt but lacking a little form and shape.

i agree that this is a little harsh - but at the same time some of the bowls are a little heavy bottomed and lacking form (fine for utilitarian pieces but less so for ornaments)

however this is common in new turners as people are scared to go deep and thin in case they go through - I look at some of my early pieces and see the same.

I'd recomend "illustrated turning techniiques" by john hunnex and "bowl turning master class" by tony boase for illustration of what can be achieved.

 

[cornucopia]

I disagree with the first bowl being beech :roll: I am 99% sure its birch as beech will not spalt like that but i have seen loads of birch do it.

Oh yes it will - google spalted beech and you get tones of hits - I have a huge stack of spalted beech at the moment. Ive never had spalted birch turnery becuase IME spalted birch rappidly gets too soft to turn

:roll: =; you have your opinion i have mine. :lol:

 

[big soft moose]

yep but mine is right and yours isnt

 

[Jenx]

I like the 'Rainbow of Bowls' ... even got the colours set out in the right order ( I think ! :wink: 8) ) Red / Orange / Yellow / Green / Blue / Indigo / Violet.

For me, thats 'thinking and trying' something outwith the 'norm', and I think the result was well worth the effort.

I'm pretty much a beginner still too -- just approaching the '1 year' point, and getting a bit of feedback from experienced heads is something I find invaluable and indeed very encouraging.
Perhaps Soulfly doesn't mean to 'sound' the way that his comment 'reads'.. its so very easy to not convey the true intention of a sentiment in the written word alone, - and its easy to mis-interpret the intended thoughts behind something
I guess we've probably all 'been there' at some stage :wink:


So ... congratulations on the first efforts, you must have been delighted with the results yourself... they're pretty damn fine as far as I can see !
Stick at it and keep posting up the results ...
The more people take up this fascinating and absorbing art / craft ( depending on how you like to see it :wink: ) - the better... and the more 'secure' its future and longevity becomes 8)

Nice one, Man.. looking good ! 8) :wink:

 

[tekno.mage]

I don't think Soulfly was being too harsh about the form of my bowls (although more detailed comments would have been nice) - in fact I'm inclined to agree about the early ones. I personally like the the last one & the large spalted sycamore one the best in terms of shape. I'd also agree that as a beginner I am very much still learning how to use the tools and went for very "easy" shapes as my first attempts!

The rainbow set of bowls was actually made to test the Chestnut rainbow stains - having realised after making the black ash dish that testing the colours on scrap wood gives very little indication of how they will look on finished wood, so I set myself the challenge of making the seven matching little ash bowls as testers for the other colours.

I'd be the first to admit that my finishing skills are streets ahead of my turning skills, but there's plenty more wood in the log pile for me to practise!

tekno.mage

 

[Bodrighy]

I look back at some of my earlier stuff and it's surprising how much has ended in the kindling box. If it had been as good as this I would have been more than happy. Personally I am always hesitant to criticize design as everyone's taste is so different. Chas and I for example like different ends of the spectrum. me with lumps of bark and holes, Chas with engineering quality precision. Quality of finish, etc is something we all strive for however and if you are a beginner then you are doing really well.

Pete

 

[shedhead]

I look into the kindling box and see nothing else but my past efforts :lol:
I have lack of imagination i feel that i have to look around and steal ( or copy ) other turners work.
Well done to anyone that has the gutts to post any of their first work, talking from experience, it was for me.

 

[steve dyni]

Very nice work
I was browsing wood turned bowls and your first bowl caught my eye.
I have some wood that looks just like it. Mine is spalted yellow birch.
The coloured set has great effect. I have experimented with dyes as well.
Thanks

 

[EnErY]

They All look Worthy Of Admiring And are tured With Such good Effort and very fine finish with detail and care being taken well done put mine in the heap ready for the chimea to be set light now :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: cant see me putting mine on show .
regards
Bill =D>

 

[tekno.mage]

Very nice work
I was browsing wood turned bowls and your first bowl caught my eye.
I have some wood that looks just like it. Mine is spalted yellow birch.
The coloured set has great effect. I have experimented with dyes as well.
Thanks

I'm almost convinced that first bowl was spalted birch now - having since found other similar examples of spalting in wood I know to be birch.

What is really weird is being reminded of those early bowls I made. I no longer have any of them (some I gave away, others were sold to raise funds for my local turning club when we did a turning demonstration at a vintage rally, and a couple I sold at local craft fairs). When I first started turning I only made tool handles and small bowls - now I don't make very many bowls, but do make lots of other things and actually do more spindle turning than bowl turning at the moment. However, your post reminded me that I've not posted any pics of my work on here for ages, so I must get around to doing that.

 

[VikingAl]

Hi, I've scrutinised those pictures for what seems like hours. I too am a beginner & am striving for something very similar. All of the work that you have shown us there is, to my eyes, absolutely fantastic. I too have very little imagination & am like a magpie when it comes to other people's ideas, your bowls have given me a little inspiration!. I have to say that the work there is to me, an amazing effort. Thanks for showing!.