Bowl turnning questions - Woodworking Talk

don716 · 09-19-2009, 11:17 AM

I would like to turn a bowl but don't know where to start.I do turn pens but I don't know what other pieces of equipment I will need.I don't have any other things other than a lathe and a few turnning tools.I have no chucks,faceplates or anything else so I would like the basics to start.I have a full size lathe from HD (Ridgid).So what items would I need to look for? I'm just looking to make a basic small bowl to start out.
Donny

phinds · 09-19-2009, 11:36 AM

Well, you'll almost certainly need a bowl gouge and then you'll need some sort of chuck or a faceplate, depending on how you decided to do your bowls. Other than that you can probably get away, particularly to start with, with just the lathe tools you have for your pen turning.

If you you'd like a singe place to check out all kinds of lathe tools to see what you MIGHT want to get, try this:

http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/person...latheterms.htm

Paul

firehawkmph · 09-19-2009, 09:56 PM

Don,
check out this link for some basic info on bowl turning.
http://www.wonderfulwood.com/articles/roughbowl.html

Mike Hawkins

slatron25 · 09-20-2009, 01:23 AM

Definitely a bowl gouge, I think most people recommend 1/2" to start out. I started with a fingernail ground Sorby. If you don't mind making your own handle, Thompson tools is the way to go.

As far as a chuck or faceplate and glue blocks, if you can afford a chuck, do it, if not no big deal. A chuck will make your life easier in many ways but if you don't go through the trials and tribulations without one you won't realize it.

And the most important of all if you're anything like me when I started out....60 and 80 grit sandpaper.

Dvoigt · 09-27-2009, 12:14 AM

I was just thinking about this exact same thing.... I just got the Barracuda 2 T/N chuck set.... with all the fancy attachments. I didn't know which way to begin... the outside or the inside... I have all these attachments that I just don't know where to begin!

That link was a good place to start... although it seems like his keeps his bowls thick to me... If I'm making a 5" round bowl he would have it be 1/2" thick.... That seems thick to me.

How do you guys do it?

slatron25 · 09-27-2009, 03:03 AM

Dvoight, shape the outside, form a tenon for the chuck, turn it around and do the inside. The thickness or thiness (is that a word?) is relative, depending on the purpose of the bowl, the wood, your skill and nerve. You may have some

moments but that's a part of learning. Be careful, if it seems unsafe, don't. A lot of it is just learned by doing or finding a mentor. You can also ask here.