DIY Network

Wood-Turned Bowl: Shaping the Bowl's Outside From "Wood Works" episode WWK-605

The finished bowl

In this episode of DIY Wood Works, host David Marks introduces the viewers to one of his specialties: woodturning. In this segment, he begins work on a turning a simple wood bowl by shaping the bowl's outside.

Materials used in this episode:

Claro walnut stock
MDF for templates and mockup
Oliver lathe and related accessories
Wood-turning gouges and tools
Band saw
Air-powered angle grinder
Cordless drill; screwdriver attachment
Circle template
Straight-edge
Carpenter's pencil
Cyanoacrylate glue
Wood screws
Protective clothing and gloves
Face shield
Protective clothing
Leg gaiters

Safety Alert: Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses, and follow proper safety precautions, when working with wood, power-tools, lathes, saws, drills, routers, etc.

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	Figure A
	Figure B

Protective Clothing

With woodturning and working with lathes, safety cannot be overemphasized. It's important to wear protective clothing to protect yourself from flying woodchips (figure A). David wears a jacket specially designed for turning that features a fastening collar designed to prevent chips from getting down the shirt. Leg gaiters over the lower pants-leg prevent shavings from getting into socks.

If you're going to get serious about turning, you might want to invest in a battery-powered face guard with positive air-flow (figure B). These masks are especially useful when power-sanding.

	Figure C
	Figure D

Getting Started: Shaping the Bowl's Outside

The claro walnut stock we used to make this bowl was well seasoned, as opposed to recently cut green wood. Although green wood, which has a high moisture content of sap and water, is actually easier to turn, but is not always available.

• Position the tool-rest in close proximity to the side of the stock, slide the tail-stock so that it makes contact with the walnut blank and tighten it down (figure C). Typically, for safety the tailstock is used to help support the work-piece during the first stages of turning.

• Starting with a 5/8" super-flute bowl gouge, true up the sides of the blank. This refers to making the walnut blank a perfect circle. For this step, David starts at the slowest speed possible on the Oliver lathe -- 900 rpm (figure D). Initially, you'll likely experience some vibrations and bumping on the tool until the blank is reduced to a true cylinder. As stated earlier, remember to "let the wood come to the tool." Guide the tool along the tool-rest at a consistent spacing.
  

  
  

• Make shear cuts along the surface by holding the flute at a 45-degree angle (figure E).

• Next, reposition the tool-rest to the front of the stock and true up the face (figure F).

  Figure E

  Figure F

  
  

  	Figure G
  	Figure H

  
  

• With the walnut blank made into an even cylinder, and the diameter of the bowl defined, work can begin shaping the outside. Since the grain runs across the face of the piece, begin shaping from the bottom up so that the fibers are supported. This helps minimize tear-out. Cut with the grain, working the tool from the smaller, bottom diameter to the larger, top diameter.

• With the tool-rest about 1/2" from the foot of the stock, start cutting up from the base to develop the profile. Continue using a gentle pulling motion with the bowl gouge. After a few minutes, you'll see the outside profile begin to develop (figure G). Holding the gouge on its side makes a nice, clean cut.

• With the tool-rest repositioned along the base of the bowl, continue to refine the outside curve, pulling the gouge up from the foot (figure H).
  

  	Figure I
  	Figure J

  
  

• Next, using a parting tool (figure I), cut into the sacrificial block of poplar (figure J). You'll need to remove some of the block to provide access for shaping the base of the bowl.

• Once the poplar has been partially cut away, use the tip of the parting tool, on its side, to refine the foot detail.

• Next, using a 1" dome-scraper, refine the profile of the bowl. As you work, continually check the outside profile for the shape. David bases his design, proportion and style on some of the classic forms from early pottery.

• With the outside of the bowl shaped, any remaining rough spots can be removed with scraping and sanding.
  

  	Figure K
  	Figure L

• With the side profile complete, sand the surface with some 120-grit sandpaper on an air-powered angle-grinder (figure K).

• Using a pneumatic sander in this way is much faster than sanding by hand. The speed of the lathe is set to its lowest setting -- 900 rpm. As you sand, work your way up from 120- to 320-grit.

• Once the outside profile is complete, work can turn to the inside of the bowl. David takes some measurements to determine the depth of the bowl (figure L). The objective is for this bowl to be about 1/2" thick at the bottom.