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truing a dried bowl

2K views 22 replies 7 participants last post by  Karda 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi, i am turning some bowls that have been dried and are ready to finish. How do you true up a bowl when nothing is true. Even the tenons or recesses are out of shape thanks
 
#2 ·
I almost always make a recessed bottom with dovetailed inside edge for my chuck jaws to clamp into. Yes. After drying, they are usually out of round. When its time to finish them up, I experiment with positions until I find a place where they turn the best. I mark the spot and go. If it is too badly out of round, I will turn it around and, using the original centering point from when I made the bottom recess and with the spur drive inside the bowl, I true up the dovetail edge and then put it back onto the chuck.
 
#5 ·
I use tenons and leave the original dimple from turning the green blank between centers. I use the tenon dimple in the tailstock live center and jamb chucks to align the dried bowl between centers and true up the tenon and bowl bottom. Recesses/mortices are very difficult to reach with this method to retrue, one of the main reasons I dont like them.
 
#8 ·
OK I have learned to true the tenon, But this wood is very dry and very hard. every time i touch the tool to the wood it kicks and bucks and slams the tool rest, but it does very little cutting what am I doing wrong. i am really getting frustrated. Ive got a lot of bowl drying
 
#9 ·
Mike, more than likely your blank is out of round causing what you describe as a Bronc Ride. When you can pass the 8 seconds, you could possibly have gotten the blank round enough to start finishing it.

Another possibility coupled with the Bronc ride is your tool rest might be too low, adding to the rough ride. Verify things are in order, then approach it carefully, and finish the piece.

What is the starting speed you're using to do this finish turning? ............ Jerry (in Tucson)
 
#10 ·
In the future, leave just enough meat on the inside bottom for a dimple and drive center also. Then mount dimples between drive center and live center until you make the tenon true. Even if you prefer recesses, remount between drive centers until you can true the recess.
OR! as an alternative, finish the bowl green and let it warp, VERY interesting!
 
#11 ·
Sometimes wood appears to be dry on the outside but is still wet inside. Many bowl turners that use wood from the forest pre-turn a bowl or object getting it close to the final shape, then remove the wood to let it sit for a while, like a few weeks or months, and dry out. They then remount and turn to the final size and shape.
 
#12 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi, Jerry the tool rest could be part of it but fro the time i started truing the tenon these dry pieces make the tool jump. Not all the time, on the sides i was able to get smooth cuts but on convex cures its rough. from the cut pattern on the one I am doing now I think I might tun the wall to thin because of the way it is warped. My turnning speed is 750, can't go lower and the bowl was rough turned in 7/19
 
#13 ·
Kind of stating the obvious, but it's really not very different than turning a rough blank.. it will buck a bit until rounded out. Just make sure your tools are sharp and go slow.

Cheers,
Brad
 
#15 ·
If you are right handed, apply a little more downward pressure to the tool on the rest. It shouldn't bounce, but kick back some as the blank rotates. As it gets rounder, the kick backs should stop and then you should be getting good long curls…... Jerry (in Tucson)
 
#18 ·
Mike, the knot's your issue. It's harder, therefore causing a kick as the tool hits it. It will eventually stop, but you must have a sharp tool.

That's a good looking piece of wood, and just about centered to where the grain becomes the center of attention. Gitter dun, man…........ Jerry (in Tucson)
 
#19 ·
What tool are you using to finish turn the bowl? If a bowl gouge may not be sharp or very likely you havent found the sweet spot of aligning the bevel just right. It will still chatter a bit due to the interrupted cut but there is a big differencebetween actually getting on the bevel vs a scraper cut if the tool handle angle/rotation arent right. If using a scraper or carbide, well, just keep riding the bronc till its round. Look up "Lyle on rough turning a bowl" on utube - yea its rough turning but that is what you are doing till its round.
 
#22 ·
i don't expect it to be round it is what ir is but i want to level off the inside more but I don't want to go through the walls look at the shadowed areas on the end, the lower edge is a seam the darker area is lower than the lighter and it is dried red maple very hard so sandpaper won't do it. I'll let you know what happens. I think I have an idea.
 
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