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Contorted bowl

Project by Alin Dobra posted 423 days ago 235 views 2 times favorited 9 comments Add to Favorites
Contorted bowl Contorted bowl Contorted bowl Click the pictures to enlarge them

I made this bowl from a large oak that was cut down in my neighbourhood. While lots of things went wrong (lost the bark early on, lost a little bit of the rim), when the bowl dried I had a big surprise. This was the first time I saw something so contorted. As it turns out, oak moves a lot due to humidity. Since the bowl is of uniform thickness it bent instead of cracking. From what I can tell, the bowl has to be less than 3/16 for that to happen. Another bowl that was about 1/4 did crack in two places.

This is the first bowl I experimented with spraying shellac on and it did not turn up too well (I figured out the problem: need the smallest nozzle to spray shellac). The bowl is not sanded properly either. A large chunk came out and I re-glued back using super glue. Nevertheless, since none of these show up in the pictures and since is contorted in such a spectacular way, I thought It might make a good post. To get an idea about how big it is, the largest dimension is 15” and the height about 6”.

-- -- Alin Dobra, Gainesville, Florida


9 comments so far

View dennis mitchell's profile

dennis mitchell

3048 posts in 852 days


posted 423 days ago

That is interesting. Nice work!

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

12282 posts in 698 days


posted 423 days ago

dang that is SWEET !!

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

View James w. Elrod's profile

James w. Elrod

11 posts in 473 days


posted 423 days ago

Really turned out to be a very nice piece. Awesome.

-- James Elrod Jr.

View TonyWard's profile

TonyWard

163 posts in 866 days


posted 423 days ago

Alin

Nice work. I have the view that there is no such thing as a mistake, just opportunities for creativity!

-- Bandsaw Box Plans

View Roger Strautman's profile

Roger Strautman

506 posts in 671 days


posted 422 days ago

Very unique Alin. We never stop learning no maker how old we are!

-- " All Things At First Appear Difficult"

View DAN's profile

DAN

3501 posts in 521 days


posted 422 days ago

really nice. what rpm do you run the lathe at when turning somethings this thin and large ?

-- ..... art for lifes sake ... danwalters@lumberjocks.com

View Alin Dobra's profile

Alin Dobra

317 posts in 426 days


posted 422 days ago

Dan,

My lathe’s smallest speed is 600rmp (I think on portions is doing 700rpm though). The trick is to perfectly balance the log on the lathe. In one of the postings for the other bowls I’m making I described the technique. I’ll prepare a blog entry the next time I turn a bowl (soon hopefully) in which I”ll include pictures and explanations of everything.

Alin

-- -- Alin Dobra, Gainesville, Florida

View Karson's profile (online now)

Karson

13833 posts in 938 days


posted 371 days ago

Great design. And a fantastic looking bowl.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

View YorkshireStewart's profile

YorkshireStewart

653 posts in 439 days


posted 371 days ago

Thanks Karson for resurrecting this one. You didn’t really need to point out the problems with it Alin; it comes over as a real work of art. I’ve never turned an ‘end grain’ bowl. I must have a go at that.

Author and cartoonist Scott Adams said: ”Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.”

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business.

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