Bowl wall thickness for utility bowls

[Mike Novak]

Are there any rules of thumb for utility bowl wall thickness vs diameter? I’m finishing a 16” white oak bowl, largest I have successfully dried so far. I want it to be thick enough to survive a drop, but not so thick it’s too heavy.

Thanks

 

[Dean Center]

thick enough to survive a drop, but not so thick it’s too heavy.

Thanks

That's a pretty good rule of thumb, right there. Seems like I read one once, but the previous threads on the forum where this has been discussed suggested that numerical rules of thumb were not commonly used. Richard Raffan has some comments on getting a good feeling bowl, and he might also cover thickness for diameter, probably in his "Turned Bowl Design" book. The comment of his that I definitely recall is that a uniform wall thickness didn't produce the best feel when hefting a bowl. Seems like going a little thinner as you go towards the base was his recommendation.

 

[odie]

Seems like going a little thinner as you go towards the base was his recommendation.

Hmmm.....My thinking is exactly the opposite, in that I prefer the weight to be carried at the base, rather than at the rim. My thought on this, is to provide more stability while serving and handling.

For overall toughness, keeping the bowl to about 3/4" thick at the rim and tapering up to about 1" thick at the base would make a very durable salad bowl. Weight is not the issue.....utilitarian sturdiness on a daily use bowl is my driving thought here....

-o-

This 10 1/16" x 3 3/16" ash salad bowl is made thick like described above, and it weighs 1 lb 6.6 oz.....hardly an issue concerning the weight of a very thick bowl...

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

Richard Raffan has some comments on getting a good feeling bowl, and he might also cover thickness for diameter, probably in his "Turned Bowl Design" book. The comment of his that I definitely recall is that a uniform wall thickness didn't produce the best feel when hefting a bowl. Seems like going a little thinner as you go towards the base was his recommendation.

I recall reading that somewhere, too (whether it was Richard or someone else). The premise is that most folks pick up a bowl by the rim and a bowl that is thicker on the top rim is easier to pick up. Either that or it feels better to the user. Or both.

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

I found it. This is from an article on www.turnawoodbowl.com called 7 Valuable Glenn Lucas Gems.

 

[Holmes Anderson]

Are there any rules of thumb for utility bowl wall thickness vs diameter? I’m finishing a 16” white oak bowl, largest I have successfully dried so far. I want it to be thick enough to survive a drop, but not so thick it’s too heavy.

Thanks

Just my personal preference but 3/8" thickness has a nice feel up to 16" diameter. Rim thickness seems to have a big aesthetic impact because it can be easily felt and seen. Anyway, that's what my critics notice.

 

[Tim Mehling]

That's a pretty good rule of thumb, right there. Seems like I read one once, but the previous threads on the forum where this has been discussed suggested that numerical rules of thumb were not commonly used. Richard Raffan has some comments on getting a good feeling bowl, and he might also cover thickness for diameter, probably in his "Turned Bowl Design" book. The comment of his that I definitely recall is that a uniform wall thickness didn't produce the best feel when hefting a bowl. Seems like going a little thinner as you go towards the base was his recommendation.

I try to match the wall thickness to the feel of the bowl and type of wood being turned. I take the piece off the chuck and get the feel once I get close. If it feels good it most likely is.

 

[Darryl Fective]

It also depends on the the size and type of wood. Harder/denser wood can be thinner than something softer. Too thin or light feels more fragile. Too thick can look good, but feel clunky. I had 2 similar 10" bowls from the same maple log. One was about 1/4" and the other about 3/8" thick. Alone, either were fine, but the thicker one felt heavy and thick when next to the other one.

I do really like the feel of a thicker rim and thinner sides like the diagram above.

 

[robo hippy]

Surviving a drop on the floor depends on a number of things, from the type of floor to the wood. Some tile floors are very hard, some woods are very brittle. For thickness, I prefer about 1/4 inch. Part of this is because I once turn my bowls, and the more they warp, the better I like them. Madrone can not be more than 1/4 inch unless you boil it because it will warp far beyond the 10% rule. Softer woods will absorb shock better than harder woods. I do aim for a consistent wall thickness. While some say that having the rim curve in a slight bit helps pick up the bowl, most, when they pick up the bowl hook their thumb joint on the rim of the bowl rather than sticking their thumbs all the way down in and using the thumb pad to pick up the bowl with. This may vary depending on how heavy the bowl is.

robo hippy

 

[Mike Novak]

Still a work in progress. Rim is 3/4” wall is 1/2”. Seems pretty sturdy. of course , I’d need to drop it to see if it’s drop proof! don’t want to take it off the chuck to see how heavy until I’m done.
@odie, I’d have thought 1” thick would make a very heavy bowl. I have another ready for second turning. I will probably go 1” on that, take it off the chuck and see how it feels.

@Kent Reisdorph , I like that Glennn Lucas rim. Another thing I will try on next bowl.

I’m a little disappointed that it’s looking pretty basic. I’ll need to think about how I can give it more interest.

 

[hockenbery]

I’m a little disappointed that it’s looking pretty basic. I’ll need to think about how I can give it more interest.

To me the rim is a detail that you see the most.
It’s your bowl so do the rim the way you like it.
If you are disappointed in the look it may be the rim or it could be something else.

I leave the rim thicker and taper the wall thickness toward the bottom.
Looks better to the eye and makes the bowl feel better in the hand and feel lighter.

In my bowls I do mostly two rim styles.
1. A bead at the top. the inside curve rolls over into a bead. Then I often put a little frieze type embellishment under the bead.
The outside curve flows all the way to the rim it is interrupted by the grooves around the beads.

2. Curved rim, I like the outside curve to go all the way to the rim. Then I curve the rim up to the inside wall
No flats 3 curves. Inside curve, rim curve, outside curve…
The upward curving rim will be visible when the bowl is full of stuff.

Curved rim (cherry bowl has beads way below the rim)


Beaded rim

 

[Lou Jacobs]

I try to match the wall thickness to the feel of the bowl and type of wood being turned.

I agree with this comment. I recently gave a walnut bowl to a friend. The bowl was about 12” in diameter and perhaps 3/8” thick. I was very pleased with the design, but the recipient commented that it was lighter than he expected it to be. I think what he was too polite to say was that he was disappointed it didn’t have a bit more heft. If the same bowl would have been made to the same dimensions out of ash or maple, I think it would have felt more in proportion.

 

[Mike Novak]

The linseed oil really brought out the grain so I’m much happier with it now. I don’t think I’m going to make any changes.

It is just a bit heavier than I’d like at 4 1/4 lbs, but I wonder if I made it thinner if it would be sturdy enough?

 

[Mark Fairchild]

I do what strikes my fancy at the moment but not a fan of thin utilitarian bowls. This cherry is 13” dia. and 9/16” thick. The wife says “it has a nice feel”. Take that for what it’s worth.

 

[Bill Boehme]

I feel like a utility bowl of that size needs to have some sturdiness and heft so that it stays put and doesn’t wobble all over the countertop while you’re kneading bread dough or working with thick cookie dough (I can give you my mom’s recipe for oatmeal cookies). I’ve turned a couple of bowls about the size of your sixteen inch bowl with a wall thickness of about ⅞ inch and a foot that is about six inches diameter. People who aren’t woodturners aren’t impressed with thin bowls. However, it’s your bowl and there aren’t any rules, just opinions. Make the wall thickness whatever looks good to you.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

I feel like a utility bowl of that size needs to have some sturdiness and heft so that it stays put and doesn’t wobble all over the countertop while you’re kneading bread dough or working with thick cookie dough (I can give you my mom’s recipe for oatmeal cookies). I’ve turned a couple of bowls about the size of your sixteen inch bowl with a wall thickness of about ⅞ inch and a foot that is about six inches diameter. People who aren’t woodturners aren’t impressed with thin bowls. However, it’s your bowl and there aren’t any rules, just opinions. Make the wall thickness whatever looks good to you.

My philosophy also. It is your turning and turn what suits you unless you have a special order it is all a mote point. We spend way too much time on the elementary. Style is what makes a difference. @hockenbery gave some good examples of style.

 

[robo hippy]

I don't consider wall thickness to be an issue for 'durability'. To me, it is more about the species of wood. Kind of a Goldilocks thing. Not too hard, not too soft, just right. Mine do vary a lot, but that depends, again, on wood species. I did go through a phase where I turned as thin as I possibly could. At the time, I was selling juggle balls and custom hacky sacks. I had to put a juggle ball in my thin pieces to keep them on the shelf if there was any wind at all. 1/8 inch can work, but it doesn't feel right to me. 1 inch thick is way too heavy for me. I don't think I ever go over 3/8 or so. Part of that is because of my once turned bowls. Any thicker and they will probably crack.

robo hippy

 

[Dean Center]

David Wyke has a 12" cherry bowl in the photo array today. How does the wall thickness of that bowl look to you, Mike? (David, what's the actual wall thickness?)

 

[Mike Novak]

Dean

There is a lot that can be done to the rim to make the bowl look thicker or thinner. The bowl by @David Wyke looks nice to me, but hard to tell how it feels, or how durable it is. Maybe David can comment?

 

[David Wyke]

David Wyke has a 12" cherry bowl in the photo array today. How does the wall thickness of that bowl look to you, Mike? (David, what's the actual wall thickness?)

This bowl is 1/4” to 3/8” thick. I don’t like going under a 1/4” so most of my bowls fall in the 1/4-3/8” thickness. I put a slight bevel on the rim which makes it appear thicker but I like it and feel it invites the eye into the bowl.
I will go thicker on wall thickness if it is a larger bowl say, 16-18” diameter may be between 3/8-5/8”. I’ve had larger bowls of 17-18” diameter and 6”+ in height at close to 3/4” thickness.
It all depends on the species, and basically what you like and what sells.
This is a 11-3/4” bowl I turned tonight and has a 1/4” wall thickness because I thought it fit this bowl. Tomorrows bowl may be a 1/2” thick, the bowl will dictate the thickness.