How do I make a Koa bowl?

[Kalai]

Hi everyone, I know you folks like pictures so I thought I would take some pictures of how I make a Koa bowl.
The first picture shows the Koa logs.

Then we have the Bandsaw mill with a log being milled.

Next is the Koa slabs all milled and ready to be made into bowls.

Then I take the slabs and draw the circles on.

This is the bowl blanks cut out with my bandsaw and they have the waste blocks glued up, now they are ready to rough cut.

This picture shows the outisde of the bowl made and I am just starting the inside.

This picture shows the inside almost done, I carve it about 1 inch thick and then dry it.

This is some of the rough cut bowls that are done, I waxed the outside only and let them dry for about 6 months, then I will put it back on the lathe and finish it.

This is the finished product, a nice Koa bowl

I hope you all enjoy this, aloha.

Kalai:icon_thum

 

[TracyP]

Very nice documentary Kalai and a really good looking bowl. Thanks for posting this!

 

[woodArtz]

Very cool slideshow! You missed the part where you ship one of the large slabs to woodArtz in NC :wink_smil. Great bowls Kalai!!!

 

[jeff...]

Now how cool is that :thumbs_up

Interesting that you wax the outside of the rough bowl only - I don't turn but I'm sure a lot of members will find that interesting.

 

[DaveO]

I love posts like this :icon_thum:icon_thum What size gouge do you use?? Do you leave the tailstock in place while roughing out the inside? What do you glue your waste blocks on with? How do you hold your bowls to clean up the bottom and remove the waste block?

Dave

 

[Kalai]

Hi Dave, I used a 3/8" bowl gouge for these but I have bigger and smaller ones if I need them. I leave the tail stock in place from the time I put the blank on the lathe until I am just about done with the inside, then I have to take it out to finish the inside, I leave the tail stock there not only for stability when I carve the rim and the inside but for safty too, since I am using a chuck on a 7"x4.5" bowl it helps to keep it on the lathe and not pop off ( not to say it can't happen) I tend to be agresive when I turn since I am a production turner.
When I glue my wase blocks on I use hardwoood block(koa most of the time) and I sand the bottom of the bowl blank and the waste block and I use a thick super glue, I have been doing this for years with great sucess. After the bowl is done, I will take it out of the chuck and cut the waste block off with the band saw and then I sand the bottom of the bowl using a inflatable drum sander and then a random orbital sander, let me know if you guys want a more detailed slide show, I can do one with the Norfolk Pine or any other bowls or turning from natural edge bowls and miniature bowls to vases with captive rings and vessels, oh ya WOODARTZ, let me know what size Koa wood you might need and I can mill some for you, aloha to all.

Kalai

 

[Rob]

let me know if you guys want a more detailed slide show

Always and anytime. I love details and pictures.

Those bowls look very nice and I love that wood.

 

[sawduster]

Very interesting and informative . Thanx for sharing that . Personally I would love to see more pics and processes
Man that is some purdy wood !! :icon_thum

 

[Glennbear]

Wow!! thanks Chris, that is quite a process. Now if you will excuse me I have to get some paper towels to clean the drool off my keyboard........:embaresse

 

[Tar Heel]

That is one beautiful bowl. Thanks for the pics.

 

[DavidF]

Lovely looking bowl, gorgeous wood. More pics and techniques are always welcome, thanks for posting.