Making a wooden bowl....(I hope) !!56k warning!!

[JonnyP]

Ok, while I wait for some leather to make a knife sheaf, I thought I would have a go at making a wooden bowl.....So up to the shed, out with the chainsaw, one bit of seasoned, but damp cherry wood, I start by taking a slice off of it. (I am no expert on this and could be making loads of mistakes, ie grain going in the wrong direction etc, but hey ho....I am a bit worried that the wood is damp, and may split when done, so I am going to dry it out as slowly as poss....

Slice is taken off the side, then its out with the axe. I havent given my GB mini much use yet so I use that one.....

I start to hack away at it to make it bowl shaped...

Its now roughly bowl shaped, so I mark a circle on the top and bottom...

more chopping and its taking shape now....

That will do for now after about 1 hours work...

Will put up more when I next get back onto it....

 

[andyn]

looking good Jon!

 

[JonnyP]

looking good Jon!

Cheers Andy, I am having great fun up the shed at the mo, making all this stuff...

 

[woodwalker]

Looks brilliant! Do you have access to an adze or similar heavy duty tool, as that could be a lot of work for something as small as a crooked knife.

The more extreme option would be to build a pole lathe or stick it in a regular lathe.

It has the makings of a great bowl though, keep up the good work.

woodwalker

 

[JonnyP]

Looks brilliant! Do you have access to an adze or similar heavy duty tool, as that could be a lot of work for something as small as a crooked knife.

The more extreme option would be to build a pole lathe or stick it in a regular lathe.

It has the makings of a great bowl though, keep up the good work.

woodwalker

Cheers Woodwalker, I do not have an adze, I nearly bought a small hand held one once, but it was expensive, and I thought I would not use it much
I am going to do the bowl work with my spoon knife, it gonna take a while, I know.
I do have a pole lathe set up in my garden, but I do not have the right chisels to do the bowl with...I might be able to rough it out with something though...Will look into that one, might be easier...

 

[Halfdevil333]

Jon

I have just picked myself up a bit of birch today in the hope im going to make my first bowl aswell.
I thought i would investigate bowl making so i checked my copy of green woodworking.
It says one of the problems your likely to run into is holding your bowl if you carve the outside first. It states the best way to start is to keep your bowl as part of the log and carve out the inside first.
But never mind keep going its looking good. Keep us posted with some pictures. I should be starting mine at the end of march (After my birthday) cos im asking for an Adze.

Cheers
Scott

 

[JonnyP]

Jon

I have just picked myself up a bit of birch today in the hope im going to make my first bowl aswell.
I thought i would investigate bowl making so i checked my copy of green woodworking.
It says one of the problems your likely to run into is holding your bowl if you carve the outside first. It states the best way to start is to keep your bowl as part of the log and carve out the inside first.
But never mind keep going its looking good. Keep us posted with some pictures. I should be starting mine at the end of march (After my birthday) cos im asking for an Adze.

Cheers
Scott

Ha ha, cheers for that Scott, oh well.... I will let you know if I run into problems...Good luck with your bowl...

 

[andyn]

Cheers Andy, I am having great fun up the shed at the mo, making all this stuff...

I can imagine mate. All these threads about band saw blade knives and cherry bowls is very inspiring. Its made me get off my bum and crack on with some more projects myself. Cheers.

Good luck with the rest of the bowl.

 

[Singeblister]

looking good , cant wait to see more

 

[JonnyP]

Got up to the shed again this afternoon for about 1 1/2 hours and started to carve out the inside....I was hoping to do some of this with the chainsaw, but it kept on jumping about as I tried to hold it in the bowl, so I soon gave up this idea, cos I like my legs as they are, so I got the spoon knife out....This is going to take me a while to do...I soon found the best tecnique to use the knife though, and now its looking like a bowl and I have loads of shavings on the shed floor....

 

[Too Much Kit To Carry]

Nice work yet again Jon

Mrs. TMKTC just saw your bowl and wants me to find her a lump of cherry

Last time I had dealings with cherry was when a trunk fell of the back of a lorry, skided down the road end over end and did the best part of £2,000 of damage to the back of my car. Since then I've not been a fan

Nice pic's though mate

Phil.

 

[JonnyP]

Nice work yet again Jon

Mrs. TMKTC just saw your bowl and wants me to find her a lump of cherry

Last time I had dealings with cherry was when a trunk fell of the back of a lorry, skided down the road end over end and did the best part of £2,000 of damage to the back of my car. Since then I've not been a fan

Nice pic's though mate

Phil.

I got a fair bit of it Phil, I will slice you off some, if you like....

 

[JonnyP]

was able to do some more last night.... I am nearly at the sanding stage now, but because the wood is still a bit damp, I do not want to carve too deep. I may get a strap and wrap around the bowl to help stop it from splitting (maybe..??).
Can anyone help me....Any idea's to help it stop splitting and, is it ok to oil it while it is still damp, or does it need to be completetly dry. I am going to use tung oil...

Sorry about the size of the photo's, just switched from image shack (which has become virtually impossible to use) to photo bucket. Havent sussed it all out yet...

 

[spamel]

Looking good! Are you gonna use sand paper or sand and a smooth stone?

 

[JonnyP]

Looking good! Are you gonna use sand paper or sand and a smooth stone?

Oh gonna use sand paper, got loads here......

 

[JonnyP]

Got my bowl finished at last, its been in the airing cupboard for a few days, letting the tung oil dry.....It hasn't split either.
I am really pleased with it, but a lot of work went into making it (but that was fun). Next one will be done on the pole lathe, so I need to try and find me some chisels for doing bowls.
Its a bit rough and ready, few dinks from the axe work still in it, but it will work...
Next job will be a small bread board / chopping board....

 

[andyn]

Nice on Jon, Looks nice and rustic, has worked out well!

 

[Dave Budd]

looks good!

what's next? a canoe?

 

[JonnyP]

Cheers guys...Gonna do a small chopping board next Dave...You say canoe, but I do want to make some paddles for one at some point....

 

[jon r]

That is such a nice bowl! i love the colour! Looks fab, thanks for showing us, its an inspiration!