Journey into Woodturning #35: Largest Fruit Bowl I ever turned!

Ambrosia… with a SURPRISE!! Maple is a wonderful wood to work. It is not very hard and can be finished to a nice luster. In this piece I was granted a bonus, as I discovered some absolutely stunning curly maple in the bowl section of the wood.

Now this was the second time I turned a fruit bowl, but it was the first time I turned a fruit bowl this big on the new lathe. It really was not my intention to turn the large fruit bowl to the same look as the first small fruit bowl, but it certainly looks like a larger version.

There were a few things I did different, from this bowl to the previous one. I used a technique for burnishing or burning, using a metal cloths hanger to friction heat the wood and darken it. I also used the “decorating elf tool” to put a design on the edge of the bowl.

My only concern is that I might have made the bottom edge a little too sharp and could be prone to damage if dropped on it’s base. I suppose it would have to be a pretty hard drop, but I doubt that will be an issue. What do you think?

Here is this week’s video: Largest Fruit Bowl I ever turned!