Thin Maple Bowl

Messages
687
Location
Harvey, Michigan
Wanted to turn something that was a little different and this is the result. Finally got over treating each piece of wood I put on the lathe like it is the last piece of wood I have. I was determined to turn this bowl thin and I didn’t care if it blew up in the process. I am happy with the result!

Thin Maple bowl, 10 ½” diameter x 5 ¼” high. The rim is 3/16” and rapidly tapers to 1/8” for the rest of the bowl with the center bottom area a little thicker at ¼”. Sanded to 320 grit and has 3 of 7 coats of Minwax Wipe-On Gloss Poly. It will get buffed after the poly cures.

Thin Maple Bowl v1.JPG Thin Maple Bowl v2.JPG Thin Maple Bowl v3.JPG Thin Maple Bowl v4.JPG Thin Maple Bowl v5.JPG

As always – your comments, critiques and opinions are welcome!

Thanks for looking! :wave:
 
I'll give it a WOW... haven't tried for a particularly thin bowl yet... I guess I need to get over the fact I might blow one up... I hate to waste anything and like you, don't know why I think it's the last piece of wood I have... I have the equivelent of about 2-4 cords of wood stacked out back under tarps that I may or may never get turned.... A lady the other day give me a full pick up load of spalted maple... I'll lose a good portion of it before I ever get it turned... I cut a maple on my own property 4 years ago that was 3' diameter and still have a portion of that... (Unforutnately I burned over 1/2 before I realized what I had)... I have another friend that is about to cut a walnut tree and I know I'll get that... I guess I could waste a piece now and then.:D:D:D

I have a bradford pear bowl I turned in that shape, but not so thin... wish now I had gone thinner. Great Job Steve.. Love the coloring.
 
Good stuff, Steve. :thumb: After all the hollow forms you've posted lately, I wasn't sure if you still remembered how to turn a bowl. :p

I like your attitude about going for it and not treating a blank as if it's the last one you'll own. I turned a little 4" diameter ironwood hollow form a few nights ago, and got one part thinner than I'd planned, so I went ahead and thinned out the rest of it. It's now got 1/16" walls, and I'm really liking it. (Still need to post some pics of it.)
 
Thanks for the kind words everyone!

Pete - I roughed this bowl out in November '08, soaked it in DNA and then wrapped and stored it in my shop - so it was plenty dry when I finish turned it.

Vaughn - I can see why folks like to turn the thinner stuff - very challenging and you can feel the difference! Course, any of my hollow forms would make great paper weights! Looking forward to seeing your Ironwood HF!
 
Like the simple form Steve, the wood has enough character to lift it out of the mundane.

I must admit to using the 80 grit gouge on the rim areas of similar to complete, if they start to move around causing tool bounce before I have finished.
 
Chas - this was the first time I actually turned the inside of a bowl much like a hollow form - I did it in steps. I turned the rim and about 2" into the bowl first and got it the thickness envisioned and then moved down to the next 2" section. Only time I went back to the areas was with sand paper after the bowl had been completely turned.

I will admit that 80 grit was used in the transition area (wall to bottom) of the bowl but overall the maple cut very clean.
 
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