| Project by Alin Dobra | posted 537 days ago | 579 views | 0 times favorited | 25 comments | ![]() |
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This is a bowl made from the same China Huckleberry tree as the previous bowl. I tis higher and the finish on it is significantly better. The reason for better finish is one extra coat of finish before polishing it. The bowl has a very high polish, is about 1/8” thick and, as you can see, it is translucent. The images you see on the base are reflections of the bowl on itself. If you change the view angle, the picture changes.
Dimensions: 10” X 10” X 3”
Wood: China Huckleberry
Finish: General salad bowl finish polished with auto rubbing compound
Estimate Time: 2 1/2H
I went a little overboard with photographing this piece. Here are some more pictures. It seems that photobucket.com is doing some funny stuff with the pictures. Click on the pictures to see an accurate image.
Thanks for looking,
Alin
-- -- Alin Dobra, Gainesville, Florida







































25 comments so far
Woodhacker
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1145 posts in 602 days
posted 537 days ago
Wow…Alin that is truly beautiful! Does the light actually show through the wood in some of those pictures, creating the “glow”?
Thanks for posting it.
-- Martin, Kansas
Alin Dobra
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316 posts in 766 days
posted 537 days ago
Martin,
Since the bowl is 1/8” thick, it is translucent. The light goes through and gives a reddish effect as you see in the first picture. The pictures were not manipulated electronically more than cropping and sharpening. What you see is exactly how the bowl looks like with a light behind.
Alin
-- -- Alin Dobra, Gainesville, Florida
Cathy Krumrei
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344 posts in 1065 days
posted 537 days ago
Boy that is really something! That’s a pretty thin bowl! WOW! And you used salad bowl finish an auto compound… amazing. Thanks for sharing your wonderful piece!
Krum
-- Cathy Krumrei
woodybits
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3 posts in 651 days
posted 537 days ago
Very nice piece of turning,wood collours realy show,have you thought of turning a lamp shade out of it I’m sure it would really blow you away.Well done, john
-- john,kiwi woody
rikkor
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11338 posts in 753 days
posted 537 days ago
Wow! You set a mighty high bar for an aspiring wood turner.
Scott Bryan
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20068 posts in 700 days
posted 537 days ago
Alin,
This is a stunning bowl. It is an art form rather than a simple turning. Wow is all that needs to be said about it.
Very well done. I enjoyed the extra pictures as well.
By the way I was so caught up in the bowl itself that I almost forgot to compliment you on the photography as well. Well done.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
TedM
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1839 posts in 611 days
posted 537 days ago
Alin, another fine piece!
-- I'm a wood magician... I can turn fine lumber into firewood before your very eyes! - http://www.woodworkersguide.com
jockmike2
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7222 posts in 1125 days
posted 537 days ago
Alin, this is a truly amazing piece of art. You have really raised the standard of turning for us all that turn. Very beautiful. mike
-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com
teenagewoodworker
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2470 posts in 646 days
posted 537 days ago
that is an amazing piece Alin, Keep up the great work!
Alin Dobra
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316 posts in 766 days
posted 537 days ago
Thanks everybody for your comments.
Cathy: as I mentioned in the posting for the other bowl, the sanding on the piece to finish it this way has to be stellar. I can honestly say that it took me as much time to figure out how to sand as it took me to learn to turn. End-grain pieces are merciless when it comes to scratches. I still have a cherry bowl that I have refinished at least 3 times and still looks crappy.
John: I thought about a lampshade for a while but I am afraid it might catch fire. Too see the nice patterns you have to put the light very close to the bowl. Maybe if I turn it thiner, it would wool fine with the light far away. Another option is pine, which is a lot more translucent.
Rikkor and Mike: it is not about setting the bar, it is about inspiring. This is not a competition, it is a community.
Scott: Thanks for your complements, especially about the photography. My next tool will be a DSLR photo camera (probably the Nikon D80). I call it a tool since it is the thing I need the most now to take better pictures of my work.
Alin
-- -- Alin Dobra, Gainesville, Florida
trifern
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7890 posts in 645 days
posted 537 days ago
Alin, thank you for sharing another beautiful piece. I love how the reflection upon itself becomes a part of it.
-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.
Alin Dobra
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316 posts in 766 days
posted 537 days ago
Thanks Trifern.
When you hold it in your hand, the bowl is almost overwhelmingly shiny. It reflects everything around. In low light with nothing else interfering, it just reflects itself. You should try the auto rubbing compound yourself.
Alin
-- -- Alin Dobra, Gainesville, Florida
darryl
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1370 posts in 1205 days
posted 537 days ago
the shine you have on this one is impressive! what a mirror finish!
-- ~ www.darrylmasterson.com ~ www.darrylmasterson.etsy.com ~ www.woodworkingdungeon.blogspot.com ~
Mark Shymanski
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1548 posts in 591 days
posted 537 days ago
Wow, an amazing bowl. I’d like to see this in person someday. Incredible work!
-- ...it's rennovation time!!!
CharlieM1958
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7466 posts in 1097 days
posted 537 days ago
Great job, Alin. Your work is always excellent, but you seem to have an extra-special talent for turning bowls.
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
Alin Dobra
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316 posts in 766 days
posted 537 days ago
Thanks Darryl, Mark and Charlie.
Charlie: I know at least one person that thinks my bowls are (maybe) nice but they get nowhere close to my boxes and furniture—in case you wonder, that person is my wife. I guess I am happy if everybody finds something they like in what I do. To be hones, the main reason I dot pretty good at woodturning is because my wife keeps on telling me that I should stop doing something I’m not good at and start doing more furniture and boxes. Proving somebody wrong is the biggest motivator for me.
Mark: I do ship my work :)
Alin
-- -- Alin Dobra, Gainesville, Florida
Joe Weaver
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105 posts in 565 days
posted 537 days ago
That bowl is out of this world.
-- Joe, Ga
brianinpa
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1363 posts in 601 days
posted 536 days ago
Ouch! My chin hit the desk so hard it hurts.
Alin that is another wonderful bowl. You must have an extreme amount of paitence.
-- Brian, Lebanon PA, If you aren’t having fun doing it, find something else to do.
Alin Dobra
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316 posts in 766 days
posted 536 days ago
Brian: actually I am a very impatient guy (ask my students if you do not believe me) but I go mad if I make mistakes. Woodworking is the only thing I am patient with since otherwise I am ashamed to show the results. By now I really need woodworking to cool off.
Joe: thanks for the comment. The bowl is nice but I played some tricks with the camera which made it look even more stunning. By photographing your work decently you already make your work look better.
Alin
-- -- Alin Dobra, Gainesville, Florida
jockmike2
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7222 posts in 1125 days
posted 535 days ago
Did’nt mean to make it sound like we were in competetion Alin, just simple praise, you are right in respect to inspiring, that is what I think we both meant, when we said you raise the bar. We are well aware of the community aspect of this forum, thats why we posted on your project. Still your friend, mike
-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com
Alin Dobra
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316 posts in 766 days
posted 535 days ago
Mike: no offense taken. I hate the idea that people get discouraged jut because they see somebody’s good work. Everything I do is very much doable by somebody else. The key is practice and perseverance (and willingness to put up with destroyed bowls for a while).
As an aside, I am actually a vulcanic guy, so my comments might sound like I’m upset but I am really not.
Alin
-- -- Alin Dobra, Gainesville, Florida
Grumpy
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14852 posts in 729 days
posted 525 days ago
Beaut job Alin. That is one thin piece of carving.
-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python
thetimberkid
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1944 posts in 582 days
posted 487 days ago
Great looking bowl!
Thanks for the post
Callum
-- For wood working podcasts with a twist check out http://thetimberkid.com/
Dusty56
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3401 posts in 566 days
posted 390 days ago
She is certainly thin and beautiful !! Maybe your wife is a little bit jealous of your fine turning skills : )
-- You know you're getting old when you know the difference between you're (you are) and your (belonging to you) AND how to use them in a sentence .
mmh
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1366 posts in 601 days
posted 107 days ago
You do beautiful work! I hope to see more!
-- "They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." ~ Edgar Allan Poe