Walnut Bowl

Jeff Bower

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5,762
Location
DSM, IA
Last night I finished up a walnut bowl. It's about 12" in diameter and 5" tall. Before I rubbed on my home brew of danish oil, I once again used a reverse image of my friends horse show logo and transfer pen on the wood burner to get the logo onto the bowl. Works like a charm every time. This is one of the awards for the last horse show of the year. (still need to finish up a brush box and some picutre frames) I still have to turn off the tenon, but it's done other than that. Comments are encouraged please!
 

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Nice looking spinny piece, Jeff, but I have to ask. Is there a functional reason you left the sides so thick? Most turners I know would have gone to 1/4" (or less even... some of them like to show off!;)).
 
good looking bowl there jeff!
Thanks Dan!

That fancy metal pedestal looks a little out of place, but the bowl and logo look great. :D
Makes it a bit heavy too! ;)

to much sap wood for flat work but looks great in your bowl jeff:) but if the walnut had come from michigan it would have looked better:):)
I don't know about that...this walnut is Iowa grown and comes from the front yard of my parents priest! Beautiful and Holy! :D

Nice looking spinny piece, Jeff, but I have to ask. Is there a functional reason you left the sides so thick? Most turners I know would have gone to 1/4" (or less even... some of them like to show off!;)).
Billy, take a look at some of my past threads and bowls. I usually go a bit thicker than most. I like a bowl with some heft to it and most of my sales have been this kind as well. That way I don't have to hold my breath as much for that last cut. :eek: This one is about 3/4" thick.
 
I also like thick walled bowls -- maybe not that thick but really thin looks wimpy to me. Yes I can turn thin but really thin is not my thing.

You have a fine look bowl...

apul or paul
 
yeah billy when he started all he did was pound in a nail and then pull it out and called it a bowl:)

:rofl: I mean I seriously fell :rofl:!

Jeff, I can understand on all counts. When I first decided to delve into bowl turning, I watched the masters going stupid thin so I thought this was the right way to do it. Then I began to discover that there is no "right" or "wrong" way. It is a matter of personal taste, what sells and sometimes just what you can get away with. About 6 years ago I was turning a beautiful piece of spalted Maple into a bowl. I had it done and could have sanded out any imperfections. But I saw one small area where one last cut would make it perfect. I now have a very pretty 5 inch platter instead of a beautiful 7 inch bowl! The bowl gouge hit a catch and blew the top off in less than a heart beat. I kept the top piece hanging in the shop as a reminder until I moved back to Texas.

That said, I still had a tendency to try to go thin because many turners can be a little snobby about such things. Anymore I just don't care. I make what pleases me and that is the important thing. So good on you!
 
Jeff,
That's a really nice looking bowl... I like your shape and the wall thickness... I think that makes them more practical.... most of the bowls I turn and sell all have about 1/2 inch walls... my customers seem to prefer them to the thinner walls... also, the walls don't move quite so much... I have a relatively thin walled cherry bowl that isn't anywhere near round now like it was when I first finished it...
 
Great looking bowl. I like them thick, and thin. To me the darker wood looks hefty and should be - hefty, while most lighter colored woods are ok thinner. Well except maybe oak which looks strong and should be hefty. You are correct, the turner should make the choice.
 
Beautiful bowl Jeff.

I have the agree there is no right or wrong. I tried the thin wall bowl route and tried them thick. My preference is about 1/4" thick. Thin utility bowls are not good because if dropped they will crack before you can blink your eye. So all my utility bowls are at least 3/8" thick.
 
I think its perfect as a working bowl and really stands out as a functional work of art. I've certainly been guilty of over noodling on pieces and it often ends up detracting from the finished piece (imho), in the end I find pieces like this to really look better. Its a bowl dagnabbit it should look like one :D

Well done!
 
Jeff that's a great looking bowl. and the thickness don't bother me at all. It's still thinner than the ones i'm used to seeing you do.:D I know the HF i have sitting on my night stand,with your name on the bottom,is still my favorate that i've seen from you.:thumb:

Steve, I'm glad you're still enjoying it! :)
 
Nice bowl Jeff I like the way the logo came out and that finish of yours on your walnut gives it a nice rich dark look. I am in the camp for the thinner walls if the bowl is going to be a user. Only because when contents are in it "pass the bowl" should not mean weight lifting to me. :) But for a presentation bowl (kinda plate in horsy terms) as a trophy ornamental bowl i think thick fits the design and purpose. Handing over a light weight bowl in this situation could make the recipient feel well you kinda did them in. :)

Just a side thought not that i have a bone or artist in me but some of you spinny guys should experiment with adding a bit of metal to the bowl designs. I can see where there could be a unique look with a combo metal stand rough blacked like say blacksmith style and bowl resting in or on it somehow. The chuch attached spurred that thought. That first pic with the logo and dark wood and the chuck aint half bad. I know purists might no be happy with these comments.
 
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