DIY Network

Shaping the Exterior From "Woodturning Techniques" episode DWTT-107

With the rough wood blank now balanced between centers, it's time to proceed with the exterior.

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Steps:

1. New cuts must be made from the top down, without removing the bark. The key to this step is to concentrate on where the tool needs to go to slice the wood away without damaging the wood (figure A).

2. Maintain control and leverage of the tool with the body and legs, not the hands, Keep the tool against the tool rest to keep the cuts smooth (figure B).

Figure A

Figure B

Figure C

3. Once past the bark line, the cutting direction is reversed, cutting from the base up, shaping and smoothing the exterior of the surface (figure C).

Next, the base of the bowl is turned fairly flat to help show what the bowl shape will look like at turning competition; a tenon is turned in the base to hold the blank in the chuck.