...and I thought bowl turning required skill...

[kelLOGg]

Keep reading - no offense intended.
We had to cut down an ash tree because of EAB and since there were no long logs for lumber it became firewood and cookies.
I put a 24" diameter trunk section on my sawmill cookie platform and cut 2" thick cookies for end tables and the remainder of the section was a thin cookie less than 1/2" thick. The 2 inchers were stacked and stickered for a long air-dry time but take a look at the thin one. It curled in 1 day. I am cutting more in hopes I get the same results. Indoor air conditions may destroy it but I will find out. Sanding will be a pain but if it survives w/o cracking I will deal with that.

 

[Wilsoncb]

I think you are on to something for people who don’t have a lathe.

 

[Roy G]

Polyethylene glycol would keep it from splitting. The Moulthrops did this with bigger stuff.

Roy G

 

[kelLOGg]

I cut a bunch more but many of them are splitting so now I have kindling as well as few "bowls". I'll pass on using PEG because foodstuff, crackers, etc., my go in the bowls. The Moulthrops? explain that.

 

[Echd]

Impressive. The wood fears you, and submits to your will even without turning.

 

[Roy G]

Bob, the Moulthrops were known for the large bowls they turned out of southern woods like tulip poplar. Ed Moulthrop was active in the 70s and 80s and his son Philip picked up the style later on. Ed's work is in several museums including the Mint museum in Charlotte and MOMA in NYC. They didn't worry about PEG contamination because most of their pieces are way too big for salad bowls. One of the books I have has an article about Ed and he is shown turning a blank 27" in diameter that weighed 550 pounds. On his homemade lathe, by the way. The blank is rough turned, soaked in the PEG, dried in a room with a de-humidifier and then finish turned. Final finish may be a poly or oil.

Roy G

 

[kelLOGg]

Any recommendations on a sander for a curved surface other than the palm of my hand? I want to sand both sides of these "bowls".

 

[Dee2]

Any recommendations on a sander for a curved surface other than the palm of my hand? I want to sand both sides of these "bowls".

Check the supplies from Klingspor Woodworking and Woodturners Wonders for ideas.

I use a hand held foam device with a 3" H&L pad mostly. For heavy sanding I have a 10 year old angle drill from HF with 2" and 3" pads that you can get from KWS and WW. I'm keep hoping it will die because it is so noisy. Sandpapers from KWS, mostly.

 

[Roy G]

The pads that go in a drill are the way to go. You can sand the piece and reverse it to sand it the other way. Cuts down on those end grain tear outs.

Roy G