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21K views 29 replies 8 participants last post by  HappyHowie 
#1 ·
Lidded Box Practice

I have made Christmas gifts in my woodshop the past two years. This year I intend to turn gifts on my small lathe which itself was a gift from my neighbor James Warner. His wife Susan told me that he would have wanted me to have it. So I will be turning small bowls and small lidded boxes this year.

What you see here is my practice piece turning a lidded box. I am using a scrap block of Douglas Fir. This piece is large enough so I can make and fit a tenon into my four jaw chuck.

Gas Machine tool Engineering Machine Auto part


Can you tell which part will be the lid?

So far I have made tenons on each of the two parts.

My next step will be to chuck the lid's tenon into my so I can hollow out its center. I will match the box's bottom to fit the lid. Their mating walls will be straight so hopefully they will fit snuggly.

I will also begin giving the box it's curved shape.

From the original scrap block, I should be able to make one more test lidded box,

Wood Engineering Gas Machine Toolroom
 

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#2 ·
Lidded Box Practice

I have made Christmas gifts in my woodshop the past two years. This year I intend to turn gifts on my small lathe which itself was a gift from my neighbor James Warner. His wife Susan told me that he would have wanted me to have it. So I will be turning small bowls and small lidded boxes this year.

What you see here is my practice piece turning a lidded box. I am using a scrap block of Douglas Fir. This piece is large enough so I can make and fit a tenon into my four jaw chuck.

Gas Machine tool Engineering Machine Auto part


Can you tell which part will be the lid?

So far I have made tenons on each of the two parts.

My next step will be to chuck the lid's tenon into my so I can hollow out its center. I will match the box's bottom to fit the lid. Their mating walls will be straight so hopefully they will fit snuggly.

I will also begin giving the box it's curved shape.

From the original scrap block, I should be able to make one more test lidded box,

Wood Engineering Gas Machine Toolroom
Congrats on the new tool and wonderful start on the lidded box
 

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#3 ·
Lidded Box Practice

I have made Christmas gifts in my woodshop the past two years. This year I intend to turn gifts on my small lathe which itself was a gift from my neighbor James Warner. His wife Susan told me that he would have wanted me to have it. So I will be turning small bowls and small lidded boxes this year.

What you see here is my practice piece turning a lidded box. I am using a scrap block of Douglas Fir. This piece is large enough so I can make and fit a tenon into my four jaw chuck.

Gas Machine tool Engineering Machine Auto part


Can you tell which part will be the lid?

So far I have made tenons on each of the two parts.

My next step will be to chuck the lid's tenon into my so I can hollow out its center. I will match the box's bottom to fit the lid. Their mating walls will be straight so hopefully they will fit snuggly.

I will also begin giving the box it's curved shape.

From the original scrap block, I should be able to make one more test lidded box,

Wood Engineering Gas Machine Toolroom
I need new neighbors :)
 

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#4 ·
Lidded Box Practice

I have made Christmas gifts in my woodshop the past two years. This year I intend to turn gifts on my small lathe which itself was a gift from my neighbor James Warner. His wife Susan told me that he would have wanted me to have it. So I will be turning small bowls and small lidded boxes this year.

What you see here is my practice piece turning a lidded box. I am using a scrap block of Douglas Fir. This piece is large enough so I can make and fit a tenon into my four jaw chuck.

Gas Machine tool Engineering Machine Auto part


Can you tell which part will be the lid?

So far I have made tenons on each of the two parts.

My next step will be to chuck the lid's tenon into my so I can hollow out its center. I will match the box's bottom to fit the lid. Their mating walls will be straight so hopefully they will fit snuggly.

I will also begin giving the box it's curved shape.

From the original scrap block, I should be able to make one more test lidded box,

Wood Engineering Gas Machine Toolroom
This is a great neighborhood, filled with great people. Jim was a good man. He so much wanted to live, longer. If "will" and "determination" alone could extend one's life then Jim would have extended several lifetimes to his…

You know, it just seemed like yesterday that this small little redhead girl (Jim's granddaughter) was riding her tricycle on our sidewalk, but now she is married and has a little girl of her own. Time does march on…

Time flies by so quickly. I try to treasure every moment…
 

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#5 ·
It's A Bowl

I have three additional wood blocks that are sized so I can make lidded boxes. I also have four blocks that I can turn into small bowls. I began today to with the bowls.

I started the turning projects by using my epoxy bottle to glue on a screw chucks. The first block I started with I noticed that I had some movement. For safety reasons I took it off my lathe so I could attempt to anchor it better with my epoxy glue. I will check its strength tomorrow.

I have turned the second block to the point that I have made a tenon for later placing in my four jaw chuck. Before I do that i will work on the shape of the bottom and sides more. Dinner time arrived so I stopped my work for the day.
Wood Flooring Gas Machine Engineering


Right after this photo was taken I cut the tenon.
Wood Gas Machine Machine tool Engineering
 

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#6 ·
Turning: Tenon and Outside Shaped

Tonight I continued turning the two bowls that I started yesterday. The tasks for today was to insure the tenons were made and would fit snuggly onto the four jaw chuck I own. The tenons diameter would be 2 inches and dovetailed to fit my chuck.

I suited up better tonight. I did not protect myself as I should have yesterday. So I spent some time making sure my respirator was clean and fitted with new filters. I cleaned my goggles that I was going to wear over my glasses and under my face shield. I order a smock today on Amazon.com. I found here on Lumberjocks a member that liked his welder's smock. I ordered a similar one for myself. I believe it will arrive Tuesday. So in the meantime I will have kto put up with some sawdust and chips getting into my apron's pockets and between my apron and my shirt. My lungs and nasal cavity were protected unlike yesterday.

Space man…


Since my lathe is small, then my bowls will also be small. I have given the outer shape some width in order to maximize the size of the bowl for storing candy or whatever contents.

These bowls will be Christmas gifts for my children. Actually, I will be turning four bowls and four lidded containers. I have wood blocks for seven of the eight gifts. I will be making a trip to my local Woodcraft store so I can make the fourth lidded box. I chose to turn bowls first. I just thought it would be good practice before turning lidded containers.

In order to show more light on the objects I am turning, I clapped a block of wood to my lathe and from that I fixed my light fixture. I positioned the wood block so I could clamp the light to either side of the lathe; depending on where I needed the light the most and where my turning tool needed to be positioned for cutting.


Once I turned the tenon which I will fasten my four jaw chuck to turn the inside of the bowl, I shaped the outside of the bowl.


Although I knew the tenon's diameter was correct for my chuck, I still placed it on the bowl just to verify to was sized correctly.


After getting the outside curve of the bowl to the finished shape, I sanded it starting with 60 grit and then up to 220 with 60 grit increments. Then I applied carnauba wax to the bowls' outer surface and used a cloth to polish the bowls further.


I then took the other bowl that I actually started shaping first yesterday. It had come somewhat loose in the screw chuck and I added more epoxy yesterday. After mounting it back on the lathe today, I could tell that the additional epoxy was holding the bowl better in the chuck, I made it tenon and shaped it outside surface, sanded it, and applied a coating of carnauba wax. I can tell that I will need to buff this bowl more in order to finish it.




Tomorrow I will turn the inside of these two bowls and bring it to a finish state by buffing a wax surface. After that I will mount the other two hardwood blocks to my screw chucks in order to turn the last two bowls.
 

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#7 ·
Still Turning the First Two Bowls

I worked more on these first bowls yesterday. Actually just on one of them. I had the inside to turn. I discovered my tenon had not been shaped correctly in order to fit on my four jaw chuck securely. It was a learning experience; one that I hope to remember and will practice on today since I will be working the second bowl. I watched a video today on the AAW website by Lyle Jamieson about turning feet on a bowl. I learned that I can break the CA glue joint instead of parting the glue chuck on my lathe. That will help. I will break the glue chuck from my second bowl when I get ready to turn its inside.
Wood Gas Machine Auto part Metal


I used my 1/2' bowl gouge to to remove the materials on the inside of this bowl. I started that process after drilling a 3/8" inch hole to the depth I needed. I used a red felt pen to mark the depth I needed on the drill bit I used my Jacobs drill chuck in my tail stock to drill the hole. I am glad I used this method to set the depth because it would have been easy to go past the proper depth.
Wood Hat Musical instrument String instrument Metal


Automotive tire Wood Audio equipment Gas Fender


I am a bit disappointed that I had not sanded or fashioned the walls more smoothly. I thought I had it right until I buffed the bowl with carnauba wax. There are rings that show inside the bowl. I do not know how I should have finished this bowl. I thought I had sanded it well after taking care of the turning process. Maybe it is simply the wenge hardwood that makes it more difficult. Not sure.
Tableware Dishware Cookware and bakeware Wood Plate


This morning I will be turning the inside of the other lighter bowl. Afterwards I will turn the feet on both bowls.
 

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#8 ·
Completed the 2nd Bowl and Started the 3rd and 4th...

I continued work on turning wood bowls. They will be Christmas gifts so I have much work to complete. I decided that I will finish turning the feet of each of these bowls after I have turned the outside and inside of all four bowls. So I will be finishing all four feet at the same time.

The light bowl's hardwood is lati. It has a very nice grain pattern. I took the bowl off the lathe. I had watched veteran turner Lyle Jamieson demonstrate how to use a hand chisel with a mallet to break off a glue chuck. So I tried doing that myself today. His method worked great! I wish I had seen that method the day before cause I parted my glue chuck from the first bowl I turned. Like Lyle said it was a difficult and messy process.

Before I began removing material from the inside of this bowl I drilled a 3/8 inch hole in its center 1 1/4 inches deep. This will give me approximately 1/4 inches to the base of the tenon.
Gas Propeller Engineering Propeller Machine


I finished turning the inside of the light lati wood. In order to turn the inside I had to mount its tenon in my four jaw chuck. I thought I had that process down okay the day before, but I had some troubles holding the bowl tightly. It started to wobble. Thus, I tried to tighten the chuck more. I actually had some chipping occur and the bowl fell off of my lathe. The bowl did not break, thank goodness. I carefully fastened the chuck back on and positioned the chipped parts between the jaws. I then began to take very light cuts for the remaining removal of wood within the bowl. I switched from my 1/2 inch bowl gouge to my 3/8 inch bowl gouge so I could more finely and thinly remove materials on the side and bottom of the bowl. After that i used my round nose scrapper chisel. I believe I got the wood to a nice smooth surface.
Wood Yellow Metal Hat Art


I then sanded the bowl's inside starting from 80 grit, to 120, 150, 180 and finally 220. Afterwards I applied some carnauba wax.
Light Amber Automotive lighting Yellow Audio equipment


I prepared two more glue chucks that I will use for the other bowls. I used epoxy to fasten the glue chucks onto the other two hardwood blocks. These hardwoods are bubinga and Brazilian cherry. They will look great, if I don't mess them up while turning .
Wood Gas Table Hardwood Shipping box


Oh yeah, my new welder's smock got delivered today. I like it. A wood turner's smock may have had slicker smooth cloth material, but I think this jacket will work great for me. I actually saw another Lumberjocks.com member who recommended this brand. i bought it like him on Amazon.com.
Glasses Sleeve Smile Window Collar


You can see from the sight of my used respirator why I use a respirator during turning. My first day of turning these bowls i did not use a respirator. I paid for it. Thankfully I had a Nettie pot. I had to rinse my nasal cavity twice to get the junk out. I will remember this…
Automotive lighting Camera accessory Cameras & optics Eyewear Reflex camera
 

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#9 ·
Turned Two New Bowls, Partially

I partially turned two new bowls today. They were blocks of bubinga and Brazilian cherry. Their grain shown in bowls will be great. I decided to make the side slope more steep with this bowls. I am glad I did.

Bowl from bubinga…
Wood Gas Machine Engineering Metal


Wood Gas Machine Machine tool Metal


Wood Gas Machine Metal Auto part


Bowl from a block of Brazilian cherry…
Musical instrument Wood Audio equipment Gas Machine
 

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#10 ·
Ambrosia Maple and Bloodwood Bowls

I partially turned the bloodwood block today. I did that after attempting to fix the exposed end grain on the ambrosia maple bowl. For it I applied some wood filler. Then I sent it through several grits of sandpaper. i also made a small bottle of 1 pound cut of Zinsser sanding sealer by pouring an equal amount of denatured alcohol.
Wood Automotive tire Machine tool Gas Machine


With bowl I buffed on some carnauba wax.

This photo was taken after I rubbed on sanding sealer and before buffying on the wax.
Wood Automotive tire Machine tool Gas Engineering


This image is the bloodwood bowl's outside after buffying on the wax.
Wood Gas Machine Auto part Metal
 

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#11 ·
Ambrosia Maple and Bloodwood Bowls

I partially turned the bloodwood block today. I did that after attempting to fix the exposed end grain on the ambrosia maple bowl. For it I applied some wood filler. Then I sent it through several grits of sandpaper. i also made a small bottle of 1 pound cut of Zinsser sanding sealer by pouring an equal amount of denatured alcohol.
Wood Automotive tire Machine tool Gas Machine


With bowl I buffed on some carnauba wax.

This photo was taken after I rubbed on sanding sealer and before buffying on the wax.
Wood Automotive tire Machine tool Gas Engineering


This image is the bloodwood bowl's outside after buffying on the wax.
Wood Gas Machine Auto part Metal
The finish on the bloodwood bowl looks great.
 

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#14 ·
More Bowl Work and Finally Some Work on Lidded Boxes

Today I partially turned the bubinga wood block. In this image I have just made the blank round so I can next begin to turn its tenon, or foot.
Wood Saw Gas Drum Plant


For its design or shape I wanted to make the bowl are large as i could with respect to its diameter; the base and its top. I bought this bubinga block because I was so impressed with the first bubinga bowl that I turned the other day.
Automotive tire Wood Musical instrument Automotive wheel system Machine


This is the last bowl blank I have in my shop. It is the seventh bowl i am turning. As I think it about it now, I should have bought one more bowl blank since I need eight gifts. I originally thought i would turn five bowls and three lidded boxes, but as I got going with bowls I decided to buy more bowl blanks. I think it is because i was getting better at turning them. Practice or simply working at it helps improve my technique. I may discover the same positive result when I begin turning the lidded boxes. I hope so. i am nervous about turning boxes even though I successfully turned a test box from Douglas Fir.
Wood Kitchen utensil Automotive lighting Gas Hardwood


To finish my work today I wanted to turn the two remaining lidded box blanks round and to fasten the two tenons that each would need to have so I could mount the lid or the bottoms in my four jaw chuck. One of the blanks is bubinga. I am excited about it because I have enjoyed turning two bowls with this wood.
Gas Office equipment Wood Machine Auto part


The other blank I am not sure what wood type it is. I need to look at my notes or my store receipt. Let me look it up. African Mahogany. All of my blanks for lidded boxes were sized 4 by 4 by 8 inches.
Wood Gas Machine Sewing machine Engineering


So now I have all three blanks ready to complete turning the lidded boxes.
Wood Table Gas Shipping box Hardwood
 

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#15 ·
More Bowl Work and Finally Some Work on Lidded Boxes

Today I partially turned the bubinga wood block. In this image I have just made the blank round so I can next begin to turn its tenon, or foot.
Wood Saw Gas Drum Plant


For its design or shape I wanted to make the bowl are large as i could with respect to its diameter; the base and its top. I bought this bubinga block because I was so impressed with the first bubinga bowl that I turned the other day.
Automotive tire Wood Musical instrument Automotive wheel system Machine


This is the last bowl blank I have in my shop. It is the seventh bowl i am turning. As I think it about it now, I should have bought one more bowl blank since I need eight gifts. I originally thought i would turn five bowls and three lidded boxes, but as I got going with bowls I decided to buy more bowl blanks. I think it is because i was getting better at turning them. Practice or simply working at it helps improve my technique. I may discover the same positive result when I begin turning the lidded boxes. I hope so. i am nervous about turning boxes even though I successfully turned a test box from Douglas Fir.
Wood Kitchen utensil Automotive lighting Gas Hardwood


To finish my work today I wanted to turn the two remaining lidded box blanks round and to fasten the two tenons that each would need to have so I could mount the lid or the bottoms in my four jaw chuck. One of the blanks is bubinga. I am excited about it because I have enjoyed turning two bowls with this wood.
Gas Office equipment Wood Machine Auto part


The other blank I am not sure what wood type it is. I need to look at my notes or my store receipt. Let me look it up. African Mahogany. All of my blanks for lidded boxes were sized 4 by 4 by 8 inches.
Wood Gas Machine Sewing machine Engineering


So now I have all three blanks ready to complete turning the lidded boxes.
Wood Table Gas Shipping box Hardwood
Very interesting items
 

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#16 ·
Sharpening Bowl Gouge

I wanted more of a fingernail grind on my 3/8 inch bowl gouge. It is a Robert Sorby tool that I like but I had messed up on sharpening it. After taking a Woodcraft sharpening course, I felt I could better use my wet grinder to shape this gouge better. I also watched Sam Angelo, the Wyoming Wood Turner, explain how he shapes the wings on his bowl gouge. I found his presentation to be very instructive and helpful for me.

I use Tormek jigs with my Grizzly 10" wet grinder. I bought this Grizzly instead of the T-7 Tormek in order to discover if wet grinding was really the method I wanted for sharpening hand and turning chisels. I did not want to expend that amount of money if I quickly learned that this method was not helpful for me.

I have since decided to use Shapton glass stones for hand chisel sharpening. I use a method similar to Rob Cosman's method; however, I do use Veritas honing guides to set my bevels or angles.

After attending the sharpening course at my local Woodcraft store where I saw demonstrations using the Tormek wet grinding process. I have seen videos before, but this "hands-on" demonstration gave me the knowledge and confidence of how to setup the machine and jigs better.

This was my setup to begin reshaping the wings on my Robert Sorby bowl gouge.
Hood Motor vehicle Automotive design Automotive tire Automotive exterior


I continued grinding until I got the the wings as shown below.
Automotive lighting Automotive design Automotive exterior Motor vehicle Material property


From this state I worked one wing before grinding the opposite as the Wyoming Woodturner instructed with the with the SVD186 jig. Of course the bowl gouge is set first in this jig using the Tormek TTS100 gouge jig. It would be impossible to correctly sharpen a bowl gouge with the TTS100 jig. I worked one side until the flat areas disappeared. I was careful not to spend any time grinding the nose or point of the gouge. I saved that for last.
Automotive tire Bicycle part Motor vehicle Bumper Automotive exterior


Tomorrow I will grind my Wood River 1/2" bowl gouge in the similar manner.
 

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#17 ·
Sharpening Bowl Gouge

I wanted more of a fingernail grind on my 3/8 inch bowl gouge. It is a Robert Sorby tool that I like but I had messed up on sharpening it. After taking a Woodcraft sharpening course, I felt I could better use my wet grinder to shape this gouge better. I also watched Sam Angelo, the Wyoming Wood Turner, explain how he shapes the wings on his bowl gouge. I found his presentation to be very instructive and helpful for me.

I use Tormek jigs with my Grizzly 10" wet grinder. I bought this Grizzly instead of the T-7 Tormek in order to discover if wet grinding was really the method I wanted for sharpening hand and turning chisels. I did not want to expend that amount of money if I quickly learned that this method was not helpful for me.

I have since decided to use Shapton glass stones for hand chisel sharpening. I use a method similar to Rob Cosman's method; however, I do use Veritas honing guides to set my bevels or angles.

After attending the sharpening course at my local Woodcraft store where I saw demonstrations using the Tormek wet grinding process. I have seen videos before, but this "hands-on" demonstration gave me the knowledge and confidence of how to setup the machine and jigs better.

This was my setup to begin reshaping the wings on my Robert Sorby bowl gouge.
Hood Motor vehicle Automotive design Automotive tire Automotive exterior


I continued grinding until I got the the wings as shown below.
Automotive lighting Automotive design Automotive exterior Motor vehicle Material property


From this state I worked one wing before grinding the opposite as the Wyoming Woodturner instructed with the with the SVD186 jig. Of course the bowl gouge is set first in this jig using the Tormek TTS100 gouge jig. It would be impossible to correctly sharpen a bowl gouge with the TTS100 jig. I worked one side until the flat areas disappeared. I was careful not to spend any time grinding the nose or point of the gouge. I saved that for last.
Automotive tire Bicycle part Motor vehicle Bumper Automotive exterior


Tomorrow I will grind my Wood River 1/2" bowl gouge in the similar manner.
Very good
 

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#18 ·
Ambrosia Maple and Brazilian Cherry Bowls

Prior to today I have turned the outside of seven bowl blanks. Two of these bowls I had turned previously. The remaining five I turned each of their outside curves and shapes waiting to turn the insides altogether.

This morning I began turning the inside of two bowls; the ambrosia maple and the Brazilian cherry. The grains of these two woods are very different. The ambrosia maple is much softer and grainy; whereas the Brazilian cherry is almost waxy. It was two very different experiences turning today. I made sure my gouges were sharp before starting each bowl.

I first determined the depth I would cut the bowl. I marked my 3/8" drill bit with a red Sharpie pen. With my Jacob's chuck I drilled my depth hole.
Wood Automotive tire Automotive wheel system Gas Machine


I have heard on an instructional video that a 1/4" wall thickness is a good setting for a functional wood bowl. I have no knowledge about that but I took the advice as someone with more experience than I.
Saw Wood Automotive lighting Amber Helmet


With this first bowl I had some difficulty keeping the four jaw chuck on my tenon firmly. I decided to take thin cuts and gingerly remove materials. I have since watched a long introduction to turning video by Lyle Jamieson. In his video he made the point that a four jaw chuck is first made as a whole piece and then is cut. The distance between the jaws is the kerf of the blade that cut it into four jaws. Thus, the most strength the jaw has is when it is set to its nearly round shape before it was cut into four parts. I had set my tenons to a diameter a bit larger than this. I have reset my calipers for the next bowl I turn. I will make sure my new bowl tenons will fit firmer into my Nova four jaw chuck. I have to get by with what I have now.
Foundry Wood Amber Casting Headgear


After getting my bowl shaped and virtually to the wall thickness I was wanting, I used scrapper chisels.
Wood Gas Tints and shades Circle Rectangle


Using a paper towel with some Zinsser seal coat thinned to one pound cut, I applied the sanding sealer to the newly turned surfaces of this bowl. Soon afterwards I buffed on carnauba wax.

I had an easier time with the Brazilian cherry tenon in my Nova chuck. This bowl was much thinner or smaller in depth but as wide as my small lathe can allow. I completed this bowl in the same manner as the ambrosia maple bowl.
Tableware Dishware Ingredient Serveware Wood


I will wait to finish the feet on these bowls until I have all seven completed to the same state.
 

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#19 ·
Ambrosia Maple and Brazilian Cherry Bowls

Prior to today I have turned the outside of seven bowl blanks. Two of these bowls I had turned previously. The remaining five I turned each of their outside curves and shapes waiting to turn the insides altogether.

This morning I began turning the inside of two bowls; the ambrosia maple and the Brazilian cherry. The grains of these two woods are very different. The ambrosia maple is much softer and grainy; whereas the Brazilian cherry is almost waxy. It was two very different experiences turning today. I made sure my gouges were sharp before starting each bowl.

I first determined the depth I would cut the bowl. I marked my 3/8" drill bit with a red Sharpie pen. With my Jacob's chuck I drilled my depth hole.
Wood Automotive tire Automotive wheel system Gas Machine


I have heard on an instructional video that a 1/4" wall thickness is a good setting for a functional wood bowl. I have no knowledge about that but I took the advice as someone with more experience than I.
Saw Wood Automotive lighting Amber Helmet


With this first bowl I had some difficulty keeping the four jaw chuck on my tenon firmly. I decided to take thin cuts and gingerly remove materials. I have since watched a long introduction to turning video by Lyle Jamieson. In his video he made the point that a four jaw chuck is first made as a whole piece and then is cut. The distance between the jaws is the kerf of the blade that cut it into four jaws. Thus, the most strength the jaw has is when it is set to its nearly round shape before it was cut into four parts. I had set my tenons to a diameter a bit larger than this. I have reset my calipers for the next bowl I turn. I will make sure my new bowl tenons will fit firmer into my Nova four jaw chuck. I have to get by with what I have now.
Foundry Wood Amber Casting Headgear


After getting my bowl shaped and virtually to the wall thickness I was wanting, I used scrapper chisels.
Wood Gas Tints and shades Circle Rectangle


Using a paper towel with some Zinsser seal coat thinned to one pound cut, I applied the sanding sealer to the newly turned surfaces of this bowl. Soon afterwards I buffed on carnauba wax.

I had an easier time with the Brazilian cherry tenon in my Nova chuck. This bowl was much thinner or smaller in depth but as wide as my small lathe can allow. I completed this bowl in the same manner as the ambrosia maple bowl.
Tableware Dishware Ingredient Serveware Wood


I will wait to finish the feet on these bowls until I have all seven completed to the same state.
Absolutely beauties
 

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#20 ·
Lucky and Unlucky at the Same Moment

I turned two bowls today. Both were from bubinga blocks.
Tableware Dishware Natural material Wood Serveware


I was working on the third bowl when a catch occurred. That is when I became lucky and unlucky at the very same time. I was turning the inside of the bloodwood bowl. Things were going well, but then all of sudden the bowl became loose in the four jaw chuck. That was caused by a catch. I had sharpened my 1/2" bowl gouge prior to turning and the bowl was secure in the chuck. It is hard to say just what went wrong. Obviously, the gouge got caught by some wood. I wonder if the bloodwood block had some fissures or cracks already present. Did I catch the gouge on a fissure? Or, was it just bad technique?
Wood Amber Automotive lighting Yellow Gas


I was standing in the correct place for safety. I was wearing the proper respirator and face guard. I had the tool rest in the proper location; in fact the rest helped contain the bowl as it broke.
Wood Orange Wheel Automotive tire Automotive wheel system


This bowl had all the signs of becoming a beautiful piece. It was amazing.
Wood Gas Auto part Machine Engineering


My first thought was that I could continue to turn it. There were only some broken parts on the top of the bowl. However, as I inspected the bowl closer I notice that there were at least seven small cracks through the bowl. It is possible that I had overlooked these as I began turning this bowl. Either that or the catch caused these fissures. There was a lot of energy expended in this accident,
Dishware Wood Tableware Natural material Wood stain


I decided that I had already been warned of the danger that I escaped. I was not going to push my luck further. I may keep what is left as a museum piece, or figure some other use for it later.
Serveware Creative arts Pottery Dishware Artifact


The small cracks or fissures show up in the image above.
 

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#21 ·
Turned an Actual Lidded Box

I moved onto turning lidded boxes today. After parting a lid from the hard maple block, I mounted a bubinga block to shape and then part its lid.
Wood Thigh Knee Elbow Wrist


With the lid parted I first worked on the the mortise that will fit into over the male tenon on the base of this box. The tenon will be made in the next step. I used a bowl gouge to hollow out the inside of the lid.
Amber Wood Gas Tints and shades Circle


I cut the mortise on the lid and then cut the tenon on the base so the two pieces can be fitted together. It is a nice feeling when you get these pieces fitting together nicely.
Wood Cylinder Gas Tints and shades Audio equipment


I used a saw to cut the glue chuck free from the base.
Table Wood Hardwood Wood stain Audio equipment


With the base placed into my Nova four jaw chuck, I decided to hollow out the base with a 2" Forstner bit. I measured how deep I wanted to hollow out and marked the Forstner bit with a red Sharpie pen.
Wood Machine tool Cylinder Engineering Gas


I used an angled gouge to hollow a bit more material inside the base beyond what I got hollowed with the Forstner bit.
Wood Yellow Gas Tints and shades Saw


Now with the lid fastened to the base and using my tail stock, I used a spindle bowl gouge to shape the outside of the lidded box.
Wood Cylinder Gas Metal Auto part


I sanded the box; both the outside and the inside surfaces. Then I applied some Zinsser seal coat. Afterward I buffed on some carnauba wax.
Furniture Table Wood Chair Outdoor furniture


I parred off the top nub from the lid My next step will be to work and complete the foot to this lidded box. However, I will do the foot work when I have all three lidded box ready for that task. Tomorrow I will complete the remaining two lidded boxes.

Furniture Table Tableware Textile Dishware
 

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#22 ·
Soft Maple Lidded Box

I turned another lidded box today. It was from a large block of soft maple.
Wood Machine tool Gas Cylinder Auto part


Wood Automotive tire Cylinder Gas Audio equipment


I have some more sanding to do on its very top; the box's lid. This spot is where I turned the top to a small nub. I chose to remove the nub with a hand saw. I then cleaned up the remaining wood with a sharp hand chisel. Tomorrow I will sand it more through several grades of grit.
Rectangle Wood Table Wood stain Hardwood


The last lidded box that I hope to work on tomorrow is African mahogany. I did work on it some today. I bored through the centers in the lid and base with a large Forstner bit. Actually, I preceded that with a 3/8 inch drill bit to the depth I premeasured. So I believe I have most of the hard work done. I wanted to be fresh mentally and physically when I start turning the lid's tenon and the base's mortise; I want these boxes to fit nicely.

Some turners call these vessels "boxes" and I have heard others call them "containers". I am new at turning so I am not sure what the correct term should be. I have chosen to call them "lidded boxes". If someone on this site knows the correct naming convention, then I am ready to be taught.

I "burned" a ring around my box where the lid connects to its base. I did this by pressing a taut wire in that crack or seam. The wire I used was just a scrap piece or length of insulated wire. I stripped it except for about two inches on one end. The wire was threaded; not a solid core. From holding the wire taut as I pressed it into this crack, the friction literally heated up the wire so it left a perfect burnt ring.
Tableware Table Wood Serveware Hardwood


I heard a professional turner say that we should celebrate these joints instead of concealing them. So this ring is my celebration. Actually, it is a great feeling when you have successfully joined a lid to its base.

Note: With every bowl and box I am presently turning, I am waiting to finish their feet so I can use the same process all at once. I have a small jig that will be used like a jam chuck. Thus I don't have to mess with this device until all of the bowls and boxes are turned and ready to have their feet finished. Further, I may also configure buffing wheels on my lathe so I can touch up these vessels further-to enhance or improve their finish wax coat.
 

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#23 ·
Beautiful African Mahogany Wood

I continued turning my African mahogany block today. I fitted the lid to its base. Then I created a small graduated curve on the outside of the box and smoothed the transition where the lid and base joined.
Wood Cylinder Gas Machine Engineering


This wood really revealed itself when I rubbed on a thin coat of Zinsser seal coat, the sanding sealer.
Wood Gas Cylinder Composite material Metal


Tomorrow I will remove that nub from the top of the lid sand the insides of all these lidded boxes. Lastly, I will turn the feet on all the lidded boxes and wood bowls. I also will mount my buffing wheels onto my lather or drill press and buff all the bowls and boxes. I could use the Beall buffing system on some of these bowls. I will see how that goes.
Flowerpot Wood Plant Serveware Flooring


To mount the lids and the base with the tenons gone, I have a small clamping system that mounts to the Nova chuck I own. I have to be careful while using it since it does not firmly secure the bowls or boxes,
 

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#24 ·
Beall Buffing System for Finish Wax Coat

My experience prior to this huge project was I had only turned two bowls plus I performed a test to see if I could turn a lidded bowl with a scrap piece of Douglas Fir. Those two bowls I turned was nearly a year ago and after I had taken a Woodcraft lidded box class at my local store. The instruction was great. Getting personal attention let me know how delicate cuts are needed at times. We were given instructions on how to sharpen the turning chisels, but that skill was not acquired until a more recent class I took, again at my local Woodcraft.
Wood Tableware Ingredient Serveware Table


Making eight bowls and three large lidded boxes has been a good learning experience for me. It also was hard work for this old man. There were several long days where I swear I was beaten up, cut up, and bruised up. I did not go down to the mat. I survived the fight to the 12th round bell. I hope I get the decision or win on points. I tell you I need a few days rest to recover.

I mailed those gifts out this morning.
Wood Household supply Cylinder Hardwood Gas


I have to admit that I had to rush the lidded boxes. Their insides needed to be scraped and sanded more smoothly than what they got. I ran out of time with this Christmas deadline. I feel bad about that, but my Ann says our kids will never know unless I bring the subject up. All I can say is I won't let that situation occur again. I will give myself more lead time in the future, but I doubt I will be turning these many bowls or lidded boxes again. It was a lot of work.
Tableware Dishware Wood Drinkware Serveware


Also as note to myself: I will not turn wenge wood anymore. I was seduced by its price. It came with a block of Lati wood. So it was to two-fer: two blocks for the price of one. I had so much difficulty working with the wenge's coarse grain. It seemed that no matter how well I cut or scrapped or sanded this wood, I could not get its surface to behave the way I wanted it. Maybe I should have used a wood filler that I have on hand, but I did not think of that solution at the time. Plus, I do not know if it would done any good. Wenge is off of my shopping list for future projects.
Wood Circle Event Metal Hardwood


The lati hardwood that was bundled with the wenge, I loved it. I had no problems with its grain. In fact, the grain is outstanding. Also the bubinga blocks I bought was a delight to turn. I went back to Woodcraft and bought some more. I cleared out my local store of what they had on their shelves. Besides I loved how well it turned for me. Bubinga is a beautiful grain hardwood.

My biggest disappointment was that my bloodwood block was going so well when I got a catch and it fractured on me. I was lucky that it did not come completely out of my four jaw chuck. The tool rest I had secured in front of the bowl helped hold it in place. The beauty of this bloodwood was amazing to me. I loved it. This block of the many that I had bought was the only one that was encased in thick wax. I assume that the wax was there so the block would not dry out causing checks. I think my chisel found a small crack that cause the block to fracture more. It could have been my cutting technique, but I recall I was being very careful. I was taking small cuts to carve out the inside of this fantastic bowl. The problem I had is probably why I do not find any full bloodwood bowl images on the Internet. Now my fractured bloodwood piece is just a paper weight and lesson learned… I have gained enough experience to know when to call it quits…

Since I had supplies using the Beall Buffing System, this is how I finished and waxed all of these bowls and lidded boxes. That process for these many items took a long day to complete. I was glad I had a face shield and a good respirator to protect my lungs and respiratory system.
 

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#25 ·
The Beall Wood Buff System

I turned one more bowl today. This Yucatan rosewood bowl will be a gift to my neighbor Susan. It was her that gave me this JET mini-lathe when her husband Jim passed. She insisted that Jim would have wanted me to have this lathe. it had never been removed from the original box. I gave Susan one of the two first bowls that I turned with a promise that I would give her another when I got better at turning. This bowl is for that purpose. Of course, I won't end there. She takes an interest in what woodworking projects I make. She is a good fan. If I turn something that I feel is better yet, she will get one of those too.
Automotive tire Wood Tread Gas Tints and shades


I liked turning this wood block. i would be happy to turn another if I could find another block to purchase at my local Woodcraft store.
Wood Automotive tire Gas Tool Audio equipment


I decided to document the stages of buffing this bowl. I have the Beall wood buffing system so that is what I used on this bowl.

The first buffing wheel uses the Tripoli material.
Wood Cookware and bakeware Dishware Audio equipment Circle


I have two buffing wheel types for my Beall system. This image below shows the small round buffing wheel that I an use to get inside my small bowls. This image also shows the result I get using the white diamond material.
Wood Gas Automotive tire Auto part Machine


The image below shows how the the white diamond material brings this bowl to it near finish condition.
Plant Wood Gas Tints and shades Cookware and bakeware


The last buffing wheel uses the carnauba wax. The large wheel is shown spinning below.
Wood Automotive lighting Hat Cuisine Dishware


Here the Yucatan rosewood bowl is finished and ready for gift wrapping.
Tableware Dishware Singing bowl Mixing bowl Kitchen utensil
 

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#26 ·
The Beall Wood Buff System

I turned one more bowl today. This Yucatan rosewood bowl will be a gift to my neighbor Susan. It was her that gave me this JET mini-lathe when her husband Jim passed. She insisted that Jim would have wanted me to have this lathe. it had never been removed from the original box. I gave Susan one of the two first bowls that I turned with a promise that I would give her another when I got better at turning. This bowl is for that purpose. Of course, I won't end there. She takes an interest in what woodworking projects I make. She is a good fan. If I turn something that I feel is better yet, she will get one of those too.
Automotive tire Wood Tread Gas Tints and shades


I liked turning this wood block. i would be happy to turn another if I could find another block to purchase at my local Woodcraft store.
Wood Automotive tire Gas Tool Audio equipment


I decided to document the stages of buffing this bowl. I have the Beall wood buffing system so that is what I used on this bowl.

The first buffing wheel uses the Tripoli material.
Wood Cookware and bakeware Dishware Audio equipment Circle


I have two buffing wheel types for my Beall system. This image below shows the small round buffing wheel that I an use to get inside my small bowls. This image also shows the result I get using the white diamond material.
Wood Gas Automotive tire Auto part Machine


The image below shows how the the white diamond material brings this bowl to it near finish condition.
Plant Wood Gas Tints and shades Cookware and bakeware


The last buffing wheel uses the carnauba wax. The large wheel is shown spinning below.
Wood Automotive lighting Hat Cuisine Dishware


Here the Yucatan rosewood bowl is finished and ready for gift wrapping.
Tableware Dishware Singing bowl Mixing bowl Kitchen utensil
Great project for a good neighbor!

Only right to "give back/send ahead" on many things.
 

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