Bend-A -Bowl

Chris, you've knocked my socks off this week with your original work and skill. Are you saying this was made from a typical half log and it bent itself 90 degrees when it dried???

If I remember correctly Chris showed me a picture of a bowl he did this to and the edges overlapped. Nice piece!

@Dean Center Yes it was a half log section and was turned in a closed form profile using a Thompson 1/2" bowl gouge. It was turned from fresh cut or green timber, sanded then rubber bands were placed around the bowl end grain to end grain to bend it as it dried. This one bent inward about 7 additional inches from the turned profile. 12 hours after turning it and with the rubber bands in place two shop lights (brood light) with a 100 watt monofilament bulb (for heat) were used to complete the bend and set the bend. The lights were placed one above as close as possible and one below. The trick is to turn it thin to 1/8" and get the pressure on it right away. At 12 hours after turning, the majority of the "free" water has evaporated leaving the "born" water which is a micro-drop inside each cell. Introducing heat at 12 hours after turning and sanding speeds up the evaporation of the micro-drop. With increased pressure at 12 hours after the turn the evaporation of the "born" micro-drop occurs. This is when the majority of the bend will occur. The born water evaporates and allows the cells to collapse and bend significantly.

@Bill Blasic Thank you Bill. It is possible to get a bowl to curl up and roll inside its self.