How Does One Mend a Bowl?

[Robbo3]

For the first time ever, I made a funnel instead of a bowl - in other words, I went through the bottom.

The question is, how do I fix it, remembering that the bowl is longer than it is wide & that some movement has taken place during the turning? It's cherry by the way.

I've had two attempts already. The first using CA to glue a piece of cherry to the sanded flat bottom of the bowl, failed spectacularly on the final cuts. I had successfully managed to cut a tenon on which to mount the bowl to gently scrape out & finish the inside.

For he second attempt I used PVA & the bond is much stronger as well as gap filling but the joins can easily be seen & the base is still very thin. I attempted to highlight the joins because I couldn't hide them.

I suspect that my method is wrong & the joint should be vertical rather than horizontal. Thus I envision drilling out the bottom of the bowl to provide a true hole then plugging it from the outside.

Any thoughts gratefully appreciated.

Edit: should read as gratefully received or much appreciated

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

In my limited experience, the join is always going to be glaringly obvious.
One thing I've done in the past is to make a base with a short stem from a contrasting piece of wood, so it wraps the outside a bit too. Maybe try a clear epoxy too to join the parts.
Then again, I'm still a complete noob so maybe best ignoring me.

 

[CHJ]

Obviously it's going to be almost impossible to hide the error but if you arrange for the plug to overlap the hole when viewed from above the join will not be visible.

 

[Honest John]

This is a design opportunity! Trying to hide your error is just not going to work, but highlighting as if you meant to do it, may offer some possibilities. Perhaps an oversized plug fitted from the inside then turned to minimise the join lines. You could also consider applying gold leaf to the plug to draw attention to it and further the " I meant to do it " illusion. Some people however have an aversion to decoration or colour action of this kind! Gold leaf (or other metal leaf) is a good way of hiding blood stains on light coloured woods.......don't ask!

 

[Mark Hancock]

As has already been said it's virtually impossible to do an 'invisible' fix so make a feature of it.

One of my favourite fixes was a bowl from the eighties where a sink plug with some chain attached had been used to 'fill' the hole. Not sure if it would look as good in a natural edge bowl though

 

[Robbo3]

I should have said that I realised that trying to hide the fix would be nigh on impossible - especially from other woodturners.

Even though I don't consider my work good enough to be sold, I always point out the faults on those that I give away.

I was really trying to find a workable method, so, as no one has told me that my proposed method is wrong, I will be having attempt number 3 sometime soon.

Thanks for all your input & will post a pic if successful.

 

[Brianp]

As an aside, I do the same thing, pointing out flaws. We should stop.

There is certainly a good chance that a "repair" will work. A friend of mine went through the side of a beautiful piece of walnut while doing a hollow form - it nearly went to the fire (*aghast*) till he was convinced that some glue, and a contrasting timber at the bottom would rescue it. And he did, and while it may not be as nice as if it were in whole walnut, it's still got pride of place.

Particularly where the turning is already at a stage of good quality, it's worth a try. Best of luck with it, we look forward to seeing your results!

 

[HappyPixie]

I did a similar booboo on a small kingwood bowl. I squared the edge of the hole and turned a contrasting piece with a flared foot and a spigot on top that tightly fitted the squared, offending hole. This gave a bowl with a flared foot. I then mounted the flared foot in the chuck and returned to the inside of the bowl where the spigot came through and blended the two woods together into a smooth inside curve. Not as unsightly as it was with a gaping cavity!
On another 3" bowl in blackthorn I went through the base nearer to the side so I turn the resulting ring into a bangle.
Waste not, etc.
Good luck
Steve

 

[Dalboy]

A couple of things that can be done the first bowl was a Ooops moment so I used a contrasting piece to repair.

The second was not a Ooops moment but still can be done to repair the piece it just means that you would need to fill the hole with wood first then cut a recess for a piece of copper or some other material of your choosing

Hope you manage to recover the piece and look forward to the end result.

 

[Robbo3]

Thank you for the further suggestions. Things would be somewhat simpler if the bowl was circular, not warped & not natural edged.

I have drilled out a 64mm hole, 'cos that was the size of my holesaw, & plugged it with a piece of teak - again because it's what I've got to hand.

The next job is, as Steve suggests, to mount it between centres & turn a tenon on the outside which will then allow the bowl to be chucked to turn & finish the inside, then remount between centres to finish off the foot.

 

[Robbo3]

Update.

Would you believe it? I went through the bottom again. This is the hole cut for insert number 2.

And again. #-o A single piece of teak flooring obviously isn't thick enough. Hole cut for insert number 3.

The final insert ..... I hope. Two pieces of teak flooring glued together.

 

[gregmcateer]

You could always make a new bowl, then cut your natural edge top as a rim !!

 

[Jonzjob]

On the occasions where I have got too enthusiastic and done the funnel trick I have turned a tapered hole if the bottom, then turned a flat cone, to match and fit flush with the outside bottom, in a bit of contrasting wood and glued it in place. Then turned the bit protruding into the bowl flush with the inside, being careful not to go through again and hey-presto, you have a bowl where the insert fits snugly in you mastike and all is well.

I mean, it was supposed to be like that init



This one is top quality French 25mm ply. I have no idea why the French put up with such cr-ap, but the plug fits :mrgreen: 4 thickness's glued together for a 4" deep jobbie..

 

[woodfarmer]

I suppose you could just screw a base through the hole ??

 

[Jonzjob]

That looks as if you have a fairly thick base there? How can you put a screw thread in something just 1/16" thick?

Great idea for putting contrasting woods together though..

 

[woodfarmer]

That looks as if you have a fairly thick base there? How can you put a screw thread in something just 1/16" thick?

Great idea for putting contrasting woods together though..

This was done to make a "secret box" out of the base

 

[Robbo3]

You could always make a new bowl, then cut your natural edge top as a rim !!

One more hole through the bottom & I'll have reached that point. #-o At least cutting the rim off should be easier, by screwing a fence to the damaged base & pushing it through the bandsaw, than trying to hold the blasted thing still on the pillar drill using a large hole saw.

John.
Hadn't thought about working from the top even though Chaz tried to point me in that direction.

Woodfarmer.

Might get one complete thread because of the lack of thickness. How would you hold the bowl whilst threading it though ?

 

[Jonzjob]

"How would you hold the bowl whilst threading it though ?"

Very carefully :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

 

[CHJ]

All good practice and grey cell stimulation but at the end of the day someone could have had ten minutes of warmth and you could have made three or four new bowls.

Lesson would have been well on the way to being remembered and the frustration quotient would have been considerably less.

And there would not be a reminder of that few seconds of your life when your attention lapsed and produced a little larger off_cut than intended.

 

[Jonzjob]

No way Chas.. Now there is a new towel ring for him :mrgreen: :mrgreen: All that's needed now is the wall bracket :?