When I have time to kill and I get bored, the usual thing to do is turn a quick bowl. It’s a quick hit and works well, and even if you don’t intend to keep it as stock it’s a productive process and often serves to crush the boredom…
Yesterday I turned a quick bowl and for some reason thought to make a video of it using my Nokia mobile phone camera. The film wasn’t too hot – as might be expected for a spur of the moment thing – but I thought it would be interesting to make another and see just how quickly a 6″ blank of green sycamore could be turned into a bowl.
So here’s the format: 6″ blank of sycamore, turned to a clean finish, no sanding whatsoever, tennon removed by reverse chucking…bowl left to dry and warp.
This isn’t the fastest so far, but the best video so far…
Please note that this is NOT an instructional video, and the short-cuts taken to produce a “quick” bowl should not be taken by the inexperienced turner…and probably not even otherwise. This is just for fun!
November 15, 2009 at 9:11 pm
To think that it takes me two hours to turn the same kind of bowl! Very professional work Andy.
November 15, 2009 at 11:37 pm
Thanks Tom!
The truth is that there’s no trick to it at all…just keep turning. The speed will come, I promise. And when all’s said and done the speed isn’t important AT ALL. It’s all about understanding the material, the tools, and the process. Once you’ve got there you can begin to experiment in safety.
I had a student recently who took eight hours and forty minutes to make virtualy the same bowl. He was non-the-less pleased with it because of the time taken.
I often advise students to go away, prepare six bowl blanks of the same size and to try and turn six bowls of the same design. You’ll discard the first four and keep the last two. And next time the process will flow a lot better. It’s all in the muscle memory.
happy turning…
November 16, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Andy,
Cracking short video. I would think any turner or potential turner watching this could pick up some useful tips on tool presentation and tool rest position.
I like the new look website and the gallery gives a broad look at what you can produce.
Keep up the good work and take care.
See you soon.
Roger