Newbie - my first EVER bowl

[phil bowles]

I have been working up to this for a LONG time - I'm on a budget and strapped for time...I guess this is nothing to all of you experienced turners...but I'm over the moon about it! Its the first ever complete and (almost) useful thing I have ever made on a lathe!

Its from a lump of ash, an offcut from a friend's PROPER workshop - It has a lot of flaws, but I don't care as I'm still learning and making mistakes is all part of the process.

 

[CHJ]

Welcome to the forum Phil,

Nothing wrong with that for a first effort.

It does not have flaws! you must remember they are features :wink:
Before long you will be looking for timber with maximum 'features' then nobody will be any the wiser, especially if you don't tell them.

Next time aim to get the rim looking thinner, even if you can't get the rest of it thin, the visual effect of a thinner rim will give it a 'lighter' look

 

[phil bowles]

Thanks for the encouragement...I LIKE the "features" in the wood....the flaws I meant were the man-made ones: a couple of gouges one the underside and a "ding" or two where I got a nasty "catch"...If I had turned them out, instead of sanding over them, I'd have been showing my first ever EGG-CUP!!!

Never mind, my mum will love it anyway - she knows even less about these things than me!

 

[CHJ]

Thanks for the encouragement...I LIKE the "features" in the wood....the flaws I meant were the man-made ones: a couple of gouges one the underside and a "ding" or two where I got a nasty "catch"...If I had turned them out, instead of sanding over them, I'd have been showing my first ever EGG-CUP!!!

Never mind, my mum will love it anyway - she knows even less about these things than me!

If the odd 'feature' is in an area that has other natural markings try filling with sanding dust and CA glue or cellulose sanding sealer before sanding, a darker (contrasting) wood dust often looks more natural than a poor match. Often a job to tell the filling from a natural knot flaw.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Phil

Welcome to the forum.

Cheers
Neil

 

[PowerTool]

Hi Phil - firstly,welcome to the forum

And secondly,very nice bowl - love the shape! I'm glad you are happy with it,as I certainly would be.What finish did you use ?

Andrew

 

[dedee]

Phil,
I see no flaws - looks very good to me.

And welcome.

Andy

 

[Taffy Turner]

Phil,

Welcome to the forum. Are you sure that's your FIRST bowl - looks good to me mate!

Keep going - the learning curve on bowl turing is pretty steep - each one you turn will be noticeably better than the last one.

Regards

Gary

 

[Good Surname or what ?]

Excellent. As a lathe newbie myself I'm fully of admiration.

Spindles are my limit at the moment. I'm struggling with sharpening :roll: (Having got the whole chisel and plane iron sharpening thing licked, it's a bit disheartening to find it so hard to sharpen turning tools - never did like bench grinders :evil: )

 

[PowerTool]

Excellent. As a lathe newbie myself I'm fully of admiration.

Spindles are my limit at the moment. I'm struggling with sharpening :roll: (Having got the whole chisel and plane iron sharpening thing licked, it's a bit disheartening to find it so hard to sharpen turning tools - never did like bench grinders :evil: )

Phil - this months Woodturning magazine (July) has an excellent section on sharpening woodturning chisels - well worth a read.Tried some of the tips at the weekend,and it definitely helped.

Andrew

 

[phil bowles]

Thanks for the resounding welcome chaps! and YES, it IS my first ever "thing" off the lathe...I had a few practise runs spindle-wise making things that MIGHT become handles for something one day...I was getting used to the feel, the sounds...the amount of shavings!!!! etc...then I took the plunge with the bowl. (PS all the flaws are on the other side!)

The finish was simple wax rubbed in with steel wool

NOW I have a question re sharpening.....

Just bought the perform / axminster wet grinder.....WHERE do you rest the tool when using the wet wheel? As i see it the top of the wheel should be coming towards you...which means that you have to get in BEHIND the damn thing...and then there is no room for a jig or rest to get the right angle....help! Those "knife" notches seems like a motorbike roofrack...

 

[CHJ]

...snip..NOW I have a question re sharpening.....

Just bought the perform / axminster wet grinder.....WHERE do you rest the tool when using the wet wheel? As i see it the top of the wheel should be coming towards you...which means that you have to get in BEHIND the damn thing...and then there is no room for a jig or rest to get the right angle....help! Those "knife" notches seems like a motorbike roofrack...

Phil, are you trying to sharpen your turning tools on that wet wheel?

If so, would have thought it just about impossible.

This is the simple setup I use for lathe tools.

 

[Horst Hohoff]

Hi Phil,
Not bad for a first ever ( much better than mine ), especially when you look at it from the top. But there is something that spoils it a bit for me and that's the foot. It's much too big for a bowl of this size. Furthermore it's sides are more or less vertical. For me this gives the impression, that the foot isn't really a part of the bowl, rather an alien element, that's been attached afterwards. If you do the side of the bowl S - shaped you can make the foot an integral part of the bowl. And you don't need a recess as big as yours to safely chuck the blank. If you don't have any, it would be worth investing into a smaller set of jaws for the chuck. But I wouldn't alter this bowl, but rather get a new piece of wood and try again.

 

[phil bowles]

Hi Phil,
Not bad for a first ever ( much better than mine ), especially when you look at it from the top. But there is something that spoils it a bit for me and that's the foot. It's much too big for a bowl of this size. Furthermore it's sides are more or less vertical. For me this gives the impression, that the foot isn't really a part of the bowl, rather an alien element, that's been attached afterwards. If you do the side of the bowl S - shaped you can make the foot an integral part of the bowl. And you don't need a recess as big as yours to safely chuck the blank. If you don't have any, it would be worth investing into a smaller set of jaws for the chuck. But I wouldn't alter this bowl, but rather get a new piece of wood and try again.

Horst,

thanks for the constructive comments - the foot is that large as I used an expanding chuck...and being a newbie...getting the hole the right siez took some time. Of course that amount of time also made it twice as wide as it needed to be!

Having said that, I kinda like it that way, but I will definitely try to get ir smaller and more integral with the design next time

 

[phil bowles]

Phil, are you trying to sharpen your turning tools on that wet wheel?

If so, would have thought it just about impossible.

This is the simple setup I use for lathe tools.[/quote]

CHJ - I guess in my reading I thought wet ones were better as they kept the steel cool and stopped it losing its edge due to over-heating...I havent used it yet....but I WAS planning to....should i do the major work on the white wheel as normal, then just hone on the wet one?

Does the white wheel run cooler than the nasty grey ones on my cheap grinder, or will I have to keep dipping the tool to cool it while I grind on the white? So many questions!

 

[CHJ]

CHJ - I guess in my reading I thought wet ones were better as they kept the steel cool and stopped it losing its edge due to over-heating...I havent used it yet....but I WAS planning to....should i do the major work on the white wheel as normal, then just hone on the wet one?

Does the white wheel run cooler than the nasty grey ones on my cheap grinder, or will I have to keep dipping the tool to cool it while I grind on the white? So many questions!

The white wheel should be fine, as long as you keep it dressed to keep it 'sharp', having said that I have only dressed my white wheel once in the last twelve months.

If your turning tools are HSS then there is no requirement to cool them when sharpening due to their higher heat treatment temperatures, carbon steel needs more care and water cooling is best.

If your wheel is cutting cleanly then only the lightest touch is required and very little heat should be generated, reshaping the tool is a different matter, but again minimal pressure should be applied. 90% of the heat generated should be dissipating in the sparks.

In my opinion there is no benefit in honing the cutting edge, the edge will be under far greater loads during turning than in hand tool use and a feather edge will disappear in the first few revolutions.

It is more important to lightly redress the edge on the grinding wheel every few minutes especially with the harder or more abrasive woods.

Some basic facts about grinding wheels HERE, just remember to take the vested trade interest of this site into account before you rush out to purchase more exotic stones.

Regarding your 'cheap and nasty grey wheels' most of the heat generated may be because they are glazed (polished) and need "dressing" in order to present new sharp particles. If you have to apply any pressure at all to remove metal then the wheel needs dressing.

 

[phil bowles]

Wow I LOVE this place already! Decades of wisdom and experience that you just can't read in any number of books - and all for free! I am REALLY grateful for your time and effort chaps - thanks.

The grey wheel is pretty new...I dont think its a dressing problem, tho I will get one of those nifty diamond sticks or something similar...I think the problem os the nut that hold the tool - ie ME being gorilla-fisted due to inexperience.

I shall return to my shed (sorry "workshop") with a lighter touch - AND since you all seem so interested (you fools!) I will take some pics of my very "compact and bijou" workshop...half of which I built myself and I'm more proud of than my bowl.

When the friendly bombs come and fall on Harlow (oh please hurry) It will be the only thing left standing.

PS how about a "men and their sheds" section ? like WW magazine has...Im sure other geeks like me would appreciate / envy other's workshops!

 

[PowerTool]

I shall return to my shed (sorry "workshop") with a lighter touch - AND since you all seem so interested (you fools!) I will take some pics of my very "compact and bijou" workshop...half of which I built myself and I'm more proud of than my bowl.

That would be good - I always enjoy workshop tours ("virtual" ones included) as there is almost always a good idea you can pick up from them.

Andrew

 

[DaveL]

PS how about a "men and their sheds" section ? like WW magazine has...Im sure other geeks like me would appreciate / envy other's workshops!

Well how about posting the details/tour of your shop in the:
Projects, workshop tours and past mistakes
Forum for our edification and pleasure? There are a few in there if you look, but don't limit it to men, there are some very skilled members of the womanly persuasion. :shock:

 

[Tony Spear]

Just bought the perform / axminster wet grinder.....WHERE do you rest the tool when using the wet wheel? As i see it the top of the wheel should be coming towards you...which means that you have to get in BEHIND the damn thing...and then there is no room for a jig or rest to get the right angle....help! Those "knife" notches seems like a motorbike roofrack...[/quote]

Phil,

it's supposed to revolve away from you - it's for honing not grinding! I've cut the silly trough down on mine to permit me to fit the Axminster tool grinding rest. It's amazing what 30 seconds on that will do!