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Had a piece of elm crotch that I'm going to turn a bigger bowl from, but when I went to square it up, I had a fairly nice piece about 3 inches square. The grain orientation was a little weird because it was near the crotch, so I figured it would be good practice.

I started out with the faceplate on what became the bottom, thinking that was going to be the top, and I'd turn away the screw-holes, but I ran into some difficulties that convinced me to change my plans, and I ended up turning a tenon on that same end, then hollowing the other end.

After a couple sessions of repairing small cracks with CA glue, and soaking down a couple spots of problematic end-grain with CA, I got a reasonable turning that was about 4 inches high. But I had a catch while smoothing the inside (I need a side-scraper, I think), so I parted off the top inch and tried again. Still not great, but it's done and my sweetie thinks it's "so pretty!"

Finished with linseed oil and shellac, but I'm thinking of putting on a couple coats of tung oil or maybe epoxy so I can use it as a whiskey glass.

I tried to "sign" the bottom by using titanium dioxide in place of coffee grounds for a kolrosing powder. That doesn't work so well, since titanium dioxide is oil soluble. Oops!

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Great piece of wood. Nice cup.
 

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nice cup dave and lots of good practice solving various problems.it's always a win when you screw something up and fix it so it's better than you planned.
 

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This came out nice, seems you are learning a lot with each bowl, and that's what it's all about.
 

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Thanks Jack. Yeah, it's a nice piece of wood, and the rest of the chunk should make a great bowl. I just need to get better before I cut into that one.

Thanks, Pottz! I agree, but some days I wouldn't mind having an easier time.

Yep, Tom! I learn from my mistakes, and this one taught me a lot of lessons.
 

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Looks good, nice work.
 

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I've never seen elm that dark, nice piece of wood to venture forth from.

+1 for Pottz, I see your progress and problem solving evolve with each project, this is some nice work!

The signature on the bottom has a nice "scratched into the table top" appeal 8^)

It'll hold a shot or two of that bottle of Pappy's you have squrreled away!
 

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Thanks, oldrivers!

Splint, it was fairly light last week, before I hit it with CA and linseed oil.



I've signed lighter wood with the same sort of carving and then coffee grounds, which turn almost black when the linseed oil hits them, but this wood was so dark I wanted to try something else. Guess I'll keep experimenting…

Thanks! I don't actually have any Pappy's. More of a Maker's Mark guy. Basil Hayden if I'm feeling fancy. ;-)
 

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Thanks, oldrivers!

Splint, it was fairly light last week, before I hit it with CA and linseed oil.



I've signed lighter wood with the same sort of carving and then coffee grounds, which turn almost black when the linseed oil hits them, but this wood was so dark I wanted to try something else. Guess I'll keep experimenting…

Thanks! I don't actually have any Pappy's. More of a Maker's Mark guy. Basil Hayden if I'm feeling fancy. ;-)

- Dave Polaschek
eagle rare or buffalo trace are a couple i nibble on.
 

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That looks great Dave.
Cool cup for your whiskey.
Each piece is a progression. I like the creative problem solving that you've described. Its so different from flatwork where you might have an idea in mind. I'm going through some of the same processes… trying to decide which will be the top or bottom and little fixes along the way. I think this kind of problem solving makes turning so much fun.
Can't wait to see your next piece.
 

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That figure, grain and colour is gorgeous Dave, top marks sir!
 

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Jon, sometimes the wood is going to do what it's going to do… but then I have that with flatwork too, especially when I was buying almost all my wood from the shorts bin and purposely picking pieces with crazy grain.

But yeah, the problem-solving, whether in the flat or in the round, is one of the things I love most about playing with my wood.

Thanks, Peter! I just hope the larger piece this was cut from makes as pretty of a bowl.
 

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That's a nice dark elm one Dave. Looks like our slippery elm. I like the way you sign it very much.
 

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Thanks, Dave! Still working out the details on the signing, but I'm getting closer, I think.
 

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Woodturners don't make mistakes just creative design changes…

Nicely done, really do like the size of it.

CtL
 

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Yeah, Chris. When I'm working flat I mostly design as I go, too. Just about every project has some surprise along the way.

Yeah, I think it's a good size. Lowball / rocks glass size. Gonna put a couple coats of epoxy on the inside of it tomorrow so I can use it with alcohol.
 

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party time - nice glass
 

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I have not made a cup yet. Sounds like you had a heck of a struggle, but finished it all the same. Nice job
 

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It's just a skinny bowl, right Chips? This was challenging wood, and I really should have taken the time to sharpen all of my gouges and scrapers before starting on it, but yeah, I hung in there and got it done.
 
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