Rough Turning Bowls

[Flute Maker]

I am real new to turning bowls .I have been reading and watching the videos and started turning a couple of bowls but dont have my techniques ironed out . I have the magnolia I found and wanted to rough turn it. I have turned the 2 I started between centers(not complete yet) but wanted to begin roughing the magnolia out to help it dry. Would turning the magnolia blanks between centers, rough shaping the bowls somewhat ( a long way from finish size) and leaving both tenons on be better than leaving them in totally as blanks? Im just not sure of all my steps and dont want to do something I cant undo. I just want to help it dry some!

 

[Joe Bradshaw]

Mike the rule of thumb in roughturning bowls is to make the thickness 10% of the dia. Leave the tenon on and round over the sharp edges. I store mine in a cardboard box. I date them and weigh occasionally. Sometimes the end grain should be sealed. When the blank stops losing weight it is probably dry. Try not to make the sides to vertical. They should have a gentle curve. Don't worry if you lose a few. Remember the stuff grows on trees.

 

[Roy G]

Mike, what Joe said was right. Try to rough out the bowl blank as quickly as you can, cause those checks start and then you can't do much with the blank. I usually put paste wax on the end grain, both inside and out, but some species of wood tend to crack more than others. I put a date on the roughed out blank and check back in a year, usually they're ready to final turn.

Roy G

 

[Gunslinger]

Mike said - "leaving both tenons on be better than leaving them in totally as blanks"

From your question it sound like you will leave two tenons on? Or one tenon on each bowl?

Make sure you make your tenon oversize when turning green. You will need to grab it again after it dries and you remount it. I make mine about 3/8" larger and it is enough to take care of the warpage with room to re-true.

I seal the endgrain and rim with anchorseal.

Leave a dimple in the tenon for recentering. (For between centers you have to leave a dimple but using a faceplate you need to make sure one is there before reversing to hollowl. That area is the last thing I remove even after the final turning.

 

[JRD]

Mike,

Don't forget that you can speed up the drying time significantly if after rough turning you use DNA drying. I turn quite a bit and have become a very firm believer in the DNA method, especially with check prone species such as fruit woods. In most cases you can go from green to dry and ready to turn in a month or two.

Jim

 

[Flute Maker]

Gunslinger, right now I am new to turning bowls but I start turning between centers and have 2 tenons on each bowl as I havent gotten enough experience yet. Ill turn the outside of the bowl to a general shape and then turn the inside some.. I may flip it around a few times
in the process....Got to get the tool presentation part down too and get comfortable sort of turning bowls. I have turned a bunch of flutes but no bowls...Just a beginner here but Im off and running....somewhat..

 

[Gunslinger]

Since you are making a tenon I assume you have a chuck? Or do you just leave a tenon type area?
The two tenons would make it difficult to get thin enough to dry; as well as turn. If you don’t have a chuck you can turn the exterior and leave a tenon and true it up. Then mount a waste block onto a faceplate and glue to the tenon. Use tailstock support on the inside as long as possible until well balanced. You can then remove the tailstock and turn the inside just with the glue block.
Here is a good video on many chucking methods.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUXil-5dEeo

 

[CaptnA]

Generally I like to rough turn then let the pieces dry. Looking at the pile of logs in my shop, you'd never believe it!
Been blessed with AWESOME gifts of wood this past two years, and got well piled up (pun intended).
Sounds like you are on the right track, especially for your level and confidence level. Ask 50 turners and you'll get 50 answers. 51 or 52 if you ask me. I CAN NOT make up my mind sometimes...
I leave them thick and expect them to warp some. I did a walnut piece that I left as it warped and was one of my favorite pieces, until the first wife somehow - sometime - acquired it....... <expletives deleted, prayers replaced them>. Even rough, I bag them in simple paper bags and set them aside. Even rough they can dry fast enough to split and ruin your efforts. I have buried in sawdust etc and the bag does just as well for me. I've done DNA but it isn't free or cheap (I AM) and unless I need something in a hurry I don't do that often.

 

[Flute Maker]

I have one small bowl in a DNA bath. Gunslinger that was a great video you directed me to. Thanks everybody for all your help... CaptnA Im cheap too and only wanted to give this a whirl...just need more hrs in my day !!