My First Bowl

[SPSlick]

Plenty of errors but a good learning opportunity

 

[red dave]

nice for a first bowl i like it well done.

Plenty of errors but a good learning opportunity

 

[Dalboy]

Good shape as you say plenty of errors at least you know what to work on. Keep this and then look at it in 6 months against what you are turning then, you will notice the difference

 

[Harry 48]

Well done I wish my first bowl was as good =D> =D> =D>

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

and ENTER the competition for goodness sake...you'll learn loads

 

[SPSlick]

Thanks for the kind responses. I may have another go at it. I used a square carbide tool for the outside so may try a skew chisel on it. The inside was done with a round carbide tool and I think I stopped too soon, it could do with being thinner and deeper.

 

[CHJ]

Thanks for the kind responses. I may have another go at it. I used a square carbide tool for the outside so may try a skew chisel on it. The inside was done with a round carbide tool and I think I stopped too soon, it could do with being thinner and deeper.

Whatever you do, DO NOT USE A SKEW GOUGE on a Bowl Blank.
You risk a serious accident when it hits end grain.

For a Bowl of that form and size a standard Bowl Gouge used with the Bevel Rubbing to remove material to produce the form, and in sheer scrape to refine torn grain if necessary, although the last (sheer scraping) may not be for you as a new turner unless shown how to avoid catches.

 

[Dalboy]

Thanks for the kind responses. I may have another go at it. I used a square carbide tool for the outside so may try a skew chisel on it. The inside was done with a round carbide tool and I think I stopped too soon, it could do with being thinner and deeper.

Whatever you do, DO NOT USE A SKEW GOUGE on a Bowl Blank.
You risk a serious accident when it hits end grain.

For a Bowl of that form and size a standard Bowl Gouge used with the Bevel Rubbing to remove material to produce the form, and in sheer scrape to refine torn grain if necessary, although the last (sheer scraping) may not be for you as a new turner unless shown how to avoid catches.

+1 for that

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

the shape is OK but if you want genuine critique then here's 4 changes that will transform your next one:

The form really isn't bad but you need to "lift" the base so it doesn't look like its just diving into the table. It should have a little shadow line at the base which can be achieved by either turning a little foot to lift it up a few mm or curve the base much more sharply so it rounds under the bottom instead of almost going vertically into the table.

Wall thickness should be mm not cm (in the main) and uniform so the curve you've created on the outside should map on the inside.

The finish is poor, visible tool marks. If your tool skill is too young to sheer scrape them away then start sanding with 80 grit and work up to at least 400 before you apply any finish.

For really next level type design bring the curve round the top so the edge is actually overhanging the inside of the bowl. This will mean slightly undercutting the inside but if you have carbide scrapers and you don't go too deep you'll be fine. The undercut top adds an arty professional feel to a bowl and totally transforms the form.

Most first bowls look like a dog bowl so well done because yours is well on the way to looking pretty good. If you make those 4 changes, it'll make a big difference.

 

[Doris]

I like it and still can't really see the errors personally.

 

[monkeybiter]

I'm with Doris on this, apart from some sanding through the grades before applying a finish, the rest is just down to personal taste. IMHO it's an attractive shape, foot or not.
I like the broad but quite crisp edges, and the way the walls appear to continue out through the base. I'd guess wall thickness approx. 10-13mm?

 

[CHJ]

I'm with Doris on this, apart from some sanding through the grades before applying a finish, the rest is just down to personal taste. IMHO it's an attractive shape, foot or not.
I like the broad but quite crisp edges, and the way the walls appear to continue out through the base. I'd guess wall thickness approx. 10-13mm?

We are all entitled to our own opinion on shape/form preferences, the majority of advice regarding refining the shapes/forms will be based on long term experience of artists/craftsmen/even sales operatives who have an eye for forms which have stood the test of time as pleasing to the Majority of humans, in some cases over thousands of years.

You have only to look at the development of pottery or ceramics over the millennia to see a move from thick chunky forms to thinner more elegant to the human eye forms as technique, skills and user preferences have developed to see examples of this, dare I say 'metamorphosis'.

Fashions change, certain 'new look' concepts hit the publicity and marketing merry-go-round and in the odd instance find a niche outlet that allows the producer to survive, but the bulk of items that survive the test of time and garner acceptance culminating in admiration are usually based on those classic shapes, be they providing a pleasurable artistic vision or just a practical simplicity.

Just because someone finds a niche concept or market for a form that requires minimum of turning effort and production time in a bland species of wood that needs little refinement of tool control or wood characteristic appreciation does not mean it will be considered a 'classic form' by the majority of turners or the public at large.

Getting back to the Bowl in question, clean crisp edges and smooth continuous curves at this stage of turning are good, maintain those edges when sanding is a challenge in its own right and the thinner the edge the more prone they are to rounding. There's a very fine line between an edge that will cut the unwary finger and one that looks rounded over by excessive or uncontrolled sanding.

Making the Bowl look more like a classic shape rather than a green turned blank set aside to dry out is a learning curve that we all have to travel at our own speed.

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

Being a relative noob myself, I would like to echo: Please don't use a skew anywhere near a bowl blank.

Apart from that, well done on your first bowl. I still have mine in the shed. I use it to store odds and ends of nuts & bolts. The reason it is there is as a stark reminder of how bloody awful my turning was back then.
I always try to aim for what is described as "the perfect bowl shape." i.e. the top slightly over-hanging the inside, and a rounded curve all the way to the bottom. Or a shape that is recognised as a bowl anywhere in the world.

I do other shapes too, but that's usually what I aim for.
Don't be afraid to experiment. If we were all the same it would be a very boring world. And remember the Cap'n Eddie mantra - every cut is a practice cut.

 

[SPSlick]

Thanks again for all the responses and feedback it's much appreciated.

TECHNIQUE
No skew chisel. I think this idea came from mis-remembering what I read in Keith Rowleys Foundation Course book.
I took a lot of time shaping the bowl as it was my first time and I wanted to try different techniques. I did in fact bear in mind Captain Eddie's advice and treated every cut as a practice cut. I will go back and go through the grades to try to get the outside right. I'll also spend some time getting the bowl thinner and hopefully more elegant.

AESTHETICS
I appreciate the advice on form however I spent more than twenty years as a commercial artist and I deliberately chose the style as it is in the direction of what I eventually want to do. In this case I was somewhat limited by the size of my chuck and the size of the blank (which was kindly donated my Nik Nak of this forum). When I eventually move on to wider and deeper blanks I hope to show what I mean and hopefully submit to the competition

This was (and still is) a learning experience and I am very pleased to be a member of such a supportive forum. Again thanks for all the feedback it is invaluable.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

It's a learning experience that never stops and it takes courage to submit your work for public scrutiny. Judging by the defensive responses from the 2 posters immediately after my critique, it may have been misinterpreted as negative. Nothing could be further from the truth because in reality the very vast majority of first bowls do genuinely look like dog bowls in that the transition from wall to bottom is not fluid and indeed almost at right angles in many cases.

The reason I wanted to give genuine constructive critique is precisely because its obvious you have some talent Now you mention you've had experience in commercial art that makes perfect sense because your first attempt is streets ahead of the normal.

I would strongly encourage you to join your local woodturning club. I waited a year before joining one close to me and that year became all about trial and error practice. By plugging in to the collective wisdom of the turning community you will speed up time by benefiting from the resources and knowledge. You'll also get a crash course in what's safe and what isn't which is pretty important.

But....cycling back to constructive critique, judging by your response it was taken in the spirit it was intended which is positive. I once went on a training course that was very tough and the consequences of getting it wrong meant you got badly embarrassed in public. Some people dropped out altogether. Some got through and benefitted enormously from the development. I was chatting to the instructor in the bar after the wash up and he said their goal is to take people out of their comfort zone and into the learning zone in a managed way. They don't want to take people so far out of their comfort zone they end up in the panic zone! Anecdotally he said that the size of people's learning zone is almost a direct measure of their self esteem ie their preparedness to be "laid bare" in front of criticism without crumbling. Because they have enough self worth in the bank they can handle the vulnerability. In short they have balls! By submitting your work I have to presume you have oodles of self esteem and therefore welcome the feedback. I just want you to be absolutely clear that any feedback from me is meant with constructive and honourable intent. Defending the status quo is for people less interested in learning and being challenged.

 

[SPSlick]

I've taken everything in a positive manner. As I mentioned I am impressed by the friendliness and support in this forum (it's my new home page).

I hope to make it to the next meeting of the Northumbria Wood-turners on Friday.

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

Good news. It's a bit quiet now, which I think may be down to it being winter and folk spending less time outside.

As a caveat to Bob's sound advice above, you may want/have to try more than one club. I visited one where I was made to feel very unwelcome by some of the "old guard" members, and I know others have had the same experience elsewhere. The comment I will always remember was "Oh for f*%£s sake, not more new folk. That means even less time on the lathes for us." My response was, "Oh don't you worry your precious wee head, you wont be competing with me."
Needless to say, I didn't go back.

Everywhere you go in life, there will always be some twit who thinks they have more rights than everyone else because they have been there a while. I accept that, and tend to avoid negative places/people. What these galoots forget is, they will eventually dry up and blow away. When that happens, if there is no new blood because of their conceit - what they thought was their exclusive gang dries up and blows away with them. This may be why there are so few clubs round my way.

Keep at it, and you eventually find a welcoming community, where new blood is celebrated and existing members are happy to help and support us beginners.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Amen to that. I think I exerienced a bit of both in my club. There is an old guard but they are willing to share. Our problem was more related to not getting any practical time. All the meets were about a pro turner demoing and little to no hands on. Simple solution, join the committee and invent the role which is what some of us noobs did

Having said that we did have support and sponsorship from one of the top turners in the club. One of these days I'll snap and post some of his work. It'll blow your minds as it does mine every time I see it

 

[monkeybiter]

I still like the bowl.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Your point being.....