# Roughing Out Some Oak Bowls



## Corjack (May 6, 2016)

Decided to rough out a few oak bowls as an experiment. Got tons of black oak on my place. Found a tree the wind had knocked the top out of. 



 

Blocked off four blanks.



 

First one ready to turn.




 

First one rounded out.



 

Flipped over, and ready to core.











 



 

Ended up with three nice shaped bowls. The largest 14.5 inches. They are soaking in the alcohol vat now. 

Gotta go, got more blanks to rough out before they check up.

Reactions: Like 2 | Way Cool 5


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## Jim Beam (May 6, 2016)

Man I wish I had a coring tool and a lather big enough to do that....


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## Tony (May 6, 2016)

Why do you soak them in alcohol? Forgive my ignorance! Tony

Reactions: Like 1


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## Nature Man (May 6, 2016)

Black Oak has to be good for something in this world -- might as well be bowls! Chuck

Reactions: Agree 1


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## duncsuss (May 6, 2016)

Nice work, Ron. You a way more advanced at this coring business than I am. (So far all I've made is a 15" diameter funnel. Ooops.)

Looks like you're using the SuperNova2 -- do you have two chucks in play or keep reversing the blank in a single chuck?


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## Corjack (May 6, 2016)

@Tony 

I think it helps the wood dry quicker, with less checking.


@duncsuss

I have a Oneway Talon, and the Super Nova. Not a big fan of the Nova chuck. Friggin bassackward thing. I have learned to live with it, but when I buy a 24 inch lathe, I will be getting the big Oneway chuck to go with it.


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## Tony (May 6, 2016)

Ron, what kind of alcohol do you use? I've never heard of this, just curious. Tony


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## Corjack (May 6, 2016)

Denatured.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Tony (May 6, 2016)

I don't know, maybe I'm just a dumba** but I think it would be cool if you would describe how you do it, for how long, etc. Hopefully I'm not the only one who's never heard this before. Tony


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## Corjack (May 6, 2016)

I buy five gallon DNA buckets at the hardware store. I have a 30 gallon plastic drum, that is short and fat. I could get a 22 inch bowl in it if I need to. When the alcohol is fresh, I just soak 24 hours, if it is old, and mine is old, I leave them in 3-4 days. I am running into town in the morning to get a fresh bucket. I think the water out of the wood dilutes it, as it exchanges place with the alcohol. Also as I had soaked walnut in it, the vat is a bit dark. It darkens the blonde woods a bit, but not like it really stains them much, just antiques them a bit. If you read on some of the other sites, they have had some real knock down, drag out fights over wether it even works at all. I started out wrapping the outside after soaking, in brown craft paper, but got a few checks. Now I just anchor seal the out side and rim. Only occasionally do I get an outside check now, unless there was a knot or smelting. I can usually return them, and finish in three or four months. Bought a gallon of exterior latex paint in a bargain rack at Wal mart today, 8.00. Going to paint them instead of the anchor seal, and see how that works. For me, it seems to work better than just doing nothing, or anchor sealing the whole thing, and waiting a year or so.

Reactions: Informative 2


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## Dennis Ford (May 6, 2016)

My experience with oak is that it is unforgiving when doing twice turned bowls. When the wood is clear of knots, turned to 10% thickness and dried carefully; I get decent rate of success. Any knots or too close to the pith or turned too thick and it cracks. Turned too thin and it warps so much that it can not be turned round again. When it is right, makes attractive bowls.


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## Corjack (May 6, 2016)

I am going to rough out this tree, and see what happens before I cut a bunch more of it.


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## Tony (May 7, 2016)

Thanks for taking to time to explain that process Ron, very informative. Tony


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## Mike Mills (May 7, 2016)

Corjack said:


> I have a Oneway Talon, and the Super Nova. Not a big fan of the Nova chuck. Friggin bassackward thing.



You do realize that if you use the Oneway for tenons and the Nova for recesses then they will both be righty-tighty.


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## Corjack (May 7, 2016)

That would be great if I ever did any recesses. However it is still just a backwards PITA.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## GeorgeS (May 10, 2016)

@Corjack What coring system are you using sir? Sorry in advance if I missed it above.


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## Corjack (May 10, 2016)

It is a woodcut bowlsaver.


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## GeorgeS (May 10, 2016)

Thank you sir!


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