# My first complete bowl.



## GeorgeS (Jul 1, 2015)

I finally finished one of the bowls I've been working on tonight. I probably shouldn't have done a spalted wood bowl as my first as I had a lot of difficulty not getting tear out. It's also a very small bowl and I'm not sure if they are harder than larger bowls but I had difficulty getting into it when hollowing. I'm still learning a lot. I had some issues as well with the banjo not getting in the right spots. My lathe is a Jet 1236 and the banjo has an arm attached to it that seems to be too long at times. If I try to take it off and put my tool rest directly into the banjo the locking mechanism doesn't let the shaft of the tool rest sit far enough down. Again I'm not sure if it's just because this bowl is so small. The other bowl I'm working on is a little larger so we will see. Anyway here it is. C&C is welcome as that is how we learn. Don't be to hard on me I know it has flaws. Oh it's 4-1/2" wide and 2-1/2" tall. Finish is friction polish with walnut oil. Thanks for looking!

Reactions: Like 4 | Way Cool 6


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## ripjack13 (Jul 1, 2015)

Looks great George!!


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## ironman123 (Jul 1, 2015)

Cool looking bowl George.


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## duncsuss (Jul 1, 2015)

You did really well -- as you already know, starting off with a spalted blank is making it even more difficult than a first bowl usually would be.

For your banjo and tool-rest: did you flip the arm around 180 degrees so that the hole for the toolrest is on your side of the lathe? The only reason I can think that the toolrest wouldn't drop all the way down to where you want it would be if the hole is directly over the cast iron bed of the lathe ... offsetting it so you can look down through the hole and see the floor should allow you to lower the rest to where you want it.

The shape of bowls is a matter of personal preference, but I try to get a smooth continuous curve from rim to foot. It's a lot easier said than done, and I reckon I'm doing well if I get close. The inside curve is notoriously difficult, getting it so there's no obvious line where it transitions from the side-walls to the bottom of the bowl is my aim. Sometimes I can, and sometimes I don't show people what I just made


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## steve bellinger (Jul 2, 2015)

http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2015/05/woodturning-design/?ext=MikeRoper_F1&utm_source=Mike Roper&utm_medium=Instructor&utm_campaign=General-Course Activity&initialPage=true. George if this works, ( i suck at puter stuff) It's a good place to start in getting form down to where you want it to be. Great looking first bowl by the way. My first looked like a dog food dish.LOL Yep a lot like the first piece on the right of the link.

Reactions: Like 1


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## GeorgeS (Jul 2, 2015)

Thanks everyone! 

@duncsuss The hole for the tool rest is on my side. It might help to turn it 180 though and have the arm the tool rest goes into come back to me under the piece. Never thought about doing that. The problem is the bolt and nut mechanism that tighten it down runs all the way through the banjo front to back and the tool rest hole is not off set so that mechanism is right under the hole. I'll see if I can get a quick picture so you can see what I mean.


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## GeorgeS (Jul 2, 2015)

Here you go.


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## duncsuss (Jul 2, 2015)

Aaah ... sorry, I forgot about that cam rod. I have the same machine (Harbor Freight version) as my back-up lathe, and I always removed that extra arm unless I absolutely had to use it. I guess the toolrest I use has a shorter post.


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## phinds (Jul 2, 2015)

Very nice job for a first bowl, especially since it's spalted. Nice looking wood


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## Nature Man (Jul 2, 2015)

Commendable first bowl. Love the spalting. Chuck


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## GeorgeS (Jul 2, 2015)

Thanks everyone!


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## NYWoodturner (Jul 2, 2015)

George - Nice first bowl. In a lot of respects a smaller bowl is more difficult when you start out. That depends greatly on what tolls you are using. My first bowl (I still have) was like hand to hand combat because I sit it entirely with a roughing gouge. I was too anxious and just jumped in there. I also used about 50 sheets of sandpaper 
I also used to have that same Jet 1236. On that very same first bowl, I snapped that articulated arm on a bad catch. Like I said it was hand to hand combat. I never replaced it and used that lathe for years. 
When you put the tool rest directly in that hole and tighten the handle on the right side in the pic above, is that whats getting in your way? If so do this - Tighten it up, then pull the handle away from the center of the post. It is held in place with a spring and will move away from the post and disengage the handle from the screw that tightens against the post. You can then put the handle in any position that is not in your way and release. Your good to go!


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## GeorgeS (Jul 2, 2015)

@NYWoodturner Thamks! I never seemed to be in the right place ( light, tool rest, head, light, head, arms, light, head etc). It felt like hand to hand combat! I also think I need to back the lathe away from the wall a little more. I can't blame the tools as I have a pretty good assortment for a beginner and I just got a Sorby Pro Edge sharpening system to keep them cutting right. The problem isn't the piece on the side I can't get the tool rest far enough down into the banjo because the cam rod (see pic above). The newer models are offset. I just need to see if the spacing between the ways is the same and I can order one off a 14 series lathe.


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## duncsuss (Jul 2, 2015)

GeorgeS said:


> @NYWoodturnerThe problem isn't the piece on the side I can't get the tool rest far enough down into the banjo because the cam rod (see pic above). The newer models are offset. I just need to see if the spacing between the ways is the same and I can order one off a 14 series lathe.


It might be cheaper and simpler to buy a tool rest with a shorter post ...

Reactions: Agree 1


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## HomeBody (Jul 3, 2015)

Like it. What kind of wood? Sycamore? Gary


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## GeorgeS (Jul 3, 2015)

@duncsuss LOL you may be right!

@HomeBody I think it is spalted maple.


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## GeorgeS (Jul 6, 2015)

@duncsuss Problem solved. Only cost me a 1/4 off my metal cutting disc!

Reactions: Creative 1


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## GeorgeS (Jul 6, 2015)

Got back in my second bowl. She's up in a bag for drying right now. Had a small catch and lost a piece of bark so I'll have to see what I can do when it dries a little.

Reactions: Like 3 | Way Cool 1


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## manbuckwal (Jul 6, 2015)

Great looking bowls george ! Don't you just love all the sanding . Looks like you are getting hooked on em


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## GeorgeS (Jul 6, 2015)

@manbuckwal Fortunately there wasn't much on the first one. We shall see on the second after its dried and I can finish turn it. There are a few spots with raised grain that I'm hoping are easier to knock down after it dries a little. Yes I am hooked on anything that's turned on the lathe. I'm still doing some flat work but it tends to be projects for the house or kids. I see a bigger lathe in my future.


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