# Latest Red Mallee bowl



## larry C (Oct 9, 2016)

Good afternoon y'all, thought you might want to see the latest red mallee bowl from a chunk I bought from @Kevin several months ago....The finish is lacquer, then wax...... it's about 15 1/2" diameter x 5" deep...

Comments welcome, both good and bad....

Larry

Reactions: Like 4 | EyeCandy! 3 | Way Cool 4


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## Kevin (Oct 9, 2016)

Really nice! Don't have any bad just a question - are those chisel marks we see inside? Could just be a trick of the light but it appears much more sanding was needed? 

Also would love to see some bottom shots (er, you know what I mean). 

Anyway great job it's really pretty and I love the lip treatment.

Reactions: Like 1


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## larry C (Oct 9, 2016)

Kevin said:


> Really nice! Don't have any bad just a question - are those chisel marks we see inside? Could just be a trick of the light but it appears much more sanding was needed?
> 
> Also would love to see some bottom shots (er, you know what I mean).
> 
> Anyway great job it's really pretty and I love the lip treatment.



Yep, there are some chisel marks, and I'm not even going to try to excuse them......probably could use some more sanding, and there is a good possibility that I'll do that one of these days. I'm not going to disclose how many hours are already invested in this one, do bear with me. This piece was really frustrating to turn, there were a lot of areas where the grain was a very tight curl that wanted to "pop" out, and were very difficult to sand out......I don't remember how many times I sharpened my tools, but it was a bunch...

As for "bottom" shots, I'll send some, but it might be embarrassing.....

Reactions: Sincere 2


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## Kevin (Oct 9, 2016)

Larry if you don't want to discuss this in this thread just say so - but how are you sanding? By hand with flat paper? Any power sanding?


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## DKMD (Oct 9, 2016)

I really like the shape with the protruding lip.

Red Mallee is a mutha to turn... Period! Sometimes it shear scrapes better than it cuts. It seems like there are often slightly punky areas right next to rock hard areas, and I'll often apply a coat of shellac before taking final cuts or scraps to toughen up the punky areas. I love the look of RM burl, but it's a PITA to finish!

Reactions: Agree 1 | Informative 1


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## larry C (Oct 9, 2016)

Kevin said:


> Larry if you don't want to discuss this in this thread just say so - but how are you sanding? By hand with flat paper? Any power sanding?



I have no problem discussing any of my work on this, or any other thread......as for the marks, this is what happens when you try to "hurry" a project. I have a scraper with a very slight radius that I needed to sharpen and tried to "stretch" it.....it was about 8PM in the shop, I was tired. I thought I had everything to the point where I usually start to apply finish....I sanded, using an air orbital sander, and Abranet......I went to 600 grit, then a 0000 steel wool, after three coats of lacquer, I hit it again with 0000 steel wool, and then rubbed it out with crumpled up newspaper. This usually gives me a very good sheen. This time, I think the sheen worked against me, and amplified the problems that were already visible that I tried to ignore..... 

I should have waited to post this, and I'm not making excuses, just saying, the scraper should have been sharpened the last time, and the sanding should have been done a bit more carefully.....

This is the third piece of RM that I've turned.....the first two came out extremely good, and I got over confident.......I appreciate the critique and your honesty.....I think the next time you see it.....it'll be a bit better.

Reactions: Like 2


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## larry C (Oct 9, 2016)

DKMD said:


> I really like the shape with the protruding lip.
> 
> Red Mallee is a mutha to turn... Period! Sometimes it shear scrapes better than it cuts. It seems like there are often slightly punky areas right next to rock hard areas, and I'll often apply a coat of shellac before taking final cuts or scraps to toughen up the punky areas. I love the look of RM burl, but it's a PITA to finish!




Doc, I haven't tried the shellac trick, but I have used CA glue and it works well also, on this project, I just didn't think of it......I'll be "redoing" the last stages of this bowl, once I get a couple of other irons out of the fire.....thanks for the comment...

Reactions: Like 1


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## gman2431 (Oct 9, 2016)

I think it's a very nice turn and can imagine the time it took to get where you got it. Finishing it off with a good sand job will really help make your hard work come to life. 

We all rush stuff... Don't let it get to ya!

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## larry C (Oct 9, 2016)

gman2431 said:


> I think it's a very nice turn and can imagine the time it took to get where you got it. Finishing it off with a good sand job will really help make your hard work come to life.
> 
> We all rush stuff... Don't let it get to ya!



That's not a problem with me, I asked for comments, good and bad. Next time it's on here, I'm fairly sure it'll look different.

Reactions: Like 1


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## ripjack13 (Oct 9, 2016)

Bah...just tell everyone it's ribbed for their viewing pleasure..

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Funny 1


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## barry richardson (Oct 9, 2016)

Nice work on a nice piece of wood Larry! After a lot of trial and error, I have decided that a wide and thick curved radius scraper gets the insides of bowls and such pretty smooth for me.... held at an angle I should add, creates kind of a shearing action...

Reactions: Agree 2


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## larry C (Oct 9, 2016)

ripjack13 said:


> Bah...just tell everyone it's ribbed for their viewing pleasure..



Damn! I never thought of that! Good idea!

Reactions: Like 1


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## larry C (Oct 9, 2016)

barry richardson said:


> Nice work on a nice piece of wood Larry! After a lot of trial and error, I have decided that a wide and thick curved radius scraper gets the insides of bowls and such pretty smooth for me.... held at an angle I should add, creates kind of a shearing action...



I've got the scraper you are talking about, I just didn't use it as it should have been used. This will be resolved soon.


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## Tony (Oct 10, 2016)

I think it's a great looking piece Larry! We've all hurried things along, I know I do it on a running basis. Like you, I can look and see where I went wrong and hopefully next time do it better. I really like to overall design, especially the lip of the rim. Tony

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## larry C (Oct 14, 2016)

Still looking for a heavy, wide, curved scraper, should be decided today or tomorrow!


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## larry C (Oct 27, 2016)

OK, guys, here's the rework on the red mallee bowl from a few weeks ago. I was able to get the "ridges and grooves" to the point where, I really don't think
it's gonna get much better than this. I left the original pix on here, so y'all can compare the originals...

@Kevin , please take note that there is a "bottom shot" that you wanted to see.....

As usual, your comments are welcome, even yours, Kevin......lol


 


 


 


 

Larry

Reactions: Like 1 | EyeCandy! 2 | Way Cool 3


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## Tony (Oct 27, 2016)

That's gorgeous, you knocked it out of the park! Tony

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Kevin (Oct 27, 2016)

Larry it looks FANTASTIC - I know that had to be a LOT of sanding. great job - they all look great! 

Congrats for sticking with it!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## larry C (Oct 27, 2016)

Kevin said:


> Larry it looks FANTASTIC - I know that had to be a LOT of sanding. great job - they all look great!
> 
> Congrats for sticking with it!



Thanks you sir, actually, there wasn't that much sanding, I bought a couple wide scrapers, that helped a bunch. Started sanding at 120 grit, and worked up to 1000, then a newprint rub, and 4 coats of tung oil then wax....

Reactions: Like 1


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## duncsuss (Oct 27, 2016)

Excellent piece, well done

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## NYWoodturner (Oct 27, 2016)

Larry - thats beautiful. Not a scrape or scratch visible. Seriously great looking bowl!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## larry C (Oct 27, 2016)

The blank came from @Kevin, expensive, but unique. I've got our in one of my shops at $600 ....... perfect Christmas gift for that special person.


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## NeilYeag (Oct 27, 2016)

ripjack13 said:


> Bah...just tell everyone it's ribbed for their viewing pleasure..



Or if it is like me, tell them you turned it on a pole lathe and that is the way it is suppose to be!!!

Any way, I like the shape and I think it looks great.

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1


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## ripjack13 (Oct 27, 2016)

Larry, that looks "Cooked" to perfection...

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## gman2431 (Oct 29, 2016)

Way to stick with it man! Looks great !

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## DKMD (Oct 30, 2016)

Nicely done! The improvement is impressive, and I hope it sells for you quickly.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## larry C (Oct 30, 2016)

DKMD said:


> Nicely done! The improvement is impressive, and I hope it sells for you quickly.




Thanks, Doc.....I have to find a way to convince my wife that it needs to be sold......That blank was expensive, plus about 10 + hours of labor = 1 expensive bowl...
I enjoyed making it...


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## barry richardson (Oct 30, 2016)

Looks great Larry! Did you re-chuck it? if so, how?

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## larry C (Oct 30, 2016)

Yes I did. I sometimes leave the groove that I use when I chuck with 3" jaws in the expansion mode. Thanks to God that I did this on this beast. You can see the groove. on the "bottom" shot. I have a Longworth
chuck, but this bowl was too large.


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