I had cut the top out of a hollow form that wasn’t that great. The plan was to wrap the walnut around it, not my best plan but I was bored
. It took too much to get the inside of the bowl cleaned up so I went with a closed rim instead.
-
It's time to cast your vote in the October 2025 Turning Challenge. (click here for details) -
Congratulations to Curt Fuller for "Bell Ornaments" being selected as Turning of the Week for October 27, 2025 (click here for details) -
Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.
What’s on your lathe?
- Thread starter Rusty Nesmith
- Start date
. It took too much to get the inside of the bowl cleaned up so I went with a closed rim instead.
It's times like this I'm REALLY glad I installed a heat pump for my shop building. I keep the thermostat at 80 F but when I step in from feeding animals and such it feels so cold!
I can't count the number of times I have started off with an idea about what I wanted in a bowl form and it ended up being some thing else....
robo hippy
robo hippy
I need to learn when to stop and move on to something else . Turned this a few weeks ago and it had so much flex in it I couldn’t sand any. Put it back on this morning to sand and started wondering why I punish myself like this. Has some nice color, lot of voids, could be art, could be a mistake!
May have to carve the tenon off since I don’t think I can put enough pressure on it to remove the tenon on the lathe.
. Turned this a few weeks ago and it had so much flex in it I couldn’t sand any. Put it back on this morning to sand and started wondering why I punish myself like this. Has some nice color, lot of voids, could be art, could be a mistake!May have to carve the tenon off since I don’t think I can put enough pressure on it to remove the tenon on the lathe.
small enough to sand by hand . . .I need to learn when to stop and move on to something else
May have to carve the tenon off since I don’t think I can put enough pressure on it to remove the tenon on the lathe.
View attachment 77997
View attachment 77996
View attachment 77995
Basically was sanded by hand, just easier when mounted on the lathe instead r of holding it.
A coworker had a shagbark hickory taken down yesterday. I told him to save me a chunk. He brought me a 11" x 30" log. I wanted to make something for his wife so I started on a natural edge bowl. I thought there was no way the bark would stay on, but to my surprise it did. So now it's a live edge. @James Seyfried, I'm gonna do it! 
A chunk of fresh cut spalted beech. We had a storm last week and this was a cleanup job by a local tree service that allowed me to help out (dragging branches to the chipper) while I waited for them to load my trailer.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone learn to turn HFs as quickly as you have. Amazing. That thing is beautiful and well worth the effort! And thin!I need to learn when to stop and move on to something else
May have to carve the tenon off since I don’t think I can put enough pressure on it to remove the tenon on the lathe.
View attachment 77997
View attachment 77996
View attachment 77995
I’m just trying to halfway catch up to you
. Now the carving thing, that’s going to take a while.
Now that's a score.
Those are beauties, Ric.
A coworker had a shagbark hickory taken down yesterday. I told him to save me a chunk. He brought me a 11" x 30" log. I wanted to make something for his wife so I started on a natural edge bowl. I thought there was no way the bark would stay on, but to my surprise it did. So now it's a live edge. @James Seyfried, I'm gonna do it!
View attachment 78005View attachment 78006
By the way, this piece of hickory has some pretty nice heartwood. I turned it all away on the NE bowl. I might make one of those board bowls out of the pith section.
Those are perfect!
Darryl, I am thinking, after looking at that beech, that there is some spalting, but there is some thing else going on with that wood. Not sure what it is. I have seen similar in other trees. I think it is due to some infection or mineral stains/colors and defense lines. Anyone know for sure?
robo hippy
robo hippy
I had the same thought but I don't have enough experience to be sure. Most stuff spalts outside in as you are indicating.
Edit: Maybe some beeches react to attack like box elder does. https://natureinfocus.blog/2014/02/22/beech-tree-cut-timber-patterns/
Tom Gall
TOTW Team
I l-o-v-e BE burl !!! Those two are beautiful, Ric.
Maybe Carpenter ants in the Birch? They can kill a tree.
Today was a 13” x 5” maple and a small rolling pin for my soon to be 5 year old granddaughter. She was struggling with the full size rolling pin this morning when rolling out cookie dough . So I made one to fit her hands!
. So I made one to fit her hands!
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2018
- Messages
- 1,312
- Likes
- 2,806
- Location
- Baltimore, MD
- Website
- loujacobswoodturning.com
I also recently came into a hickory log about 6’ x 11” and have been making bowl blanks from it to rough turn. Saved a couple of pieces for NE bowls. Here’s one of them.
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2010
- Messages
- 3,420
- Likes
- 2,503
- Location
- Brandon, MS
- Website
- threeringswoodshop.square.site
Sweet Gum Does something similar and makes for great hollow forms or endgrain turnings.
Good job granddaddy!Today was a 13” x 5” maple and a small rolling pin for my soon to be 5 year old granddaughter. She was struggling with the full size rolling pin this morning when rolling out cookie dough
View attachment 78044
View attachment 78043
View attachment 78042
Sweet for sure.
Roughed in the feet. You can see a gouge on the side where I slipped with the 2" disc. I ordered a small air belt sander. I'll stop here until that arrives.
Work continues on my Christmas ornaments. Hollowed parts are Osage, soft maple, flamed box elder and cocobolo. It’s always fun mixing different woods for the bottoms and tops.
One thing that helps me protect the sides is to cover them with painters tape until almost done.
Great advice.
Those look great!
This never happens. A couple of hours after I ordered that belt sander, it was delivered. No surprise for folks who have done this before, but the feet kept getting shorter. 
I'll take it for my first attempt.
I'll take it for my first attempt.
They look great!This never happens. A couple of hours after I ordered that belt sander, it was delivered. No surprise for folks who have done this before, but the feet kept getting shorter.
View attachment 78114View attachment 78115
They look great to me! When you perfect the process you’ll have to demo those for us.This never happens. A couple of hours after I ordered that belt sander, it was delivered. No surprise for folks who have done this before, but the feet kept getting shorter.
View attachment 78114View attachment 78115
Next in line. Not sure what they will be yet.
Sycamore and cherry burl.
Sycamore and cherry burl.
Taking a 3-4 day break with my wife and heading to the great state of TN. So I had to run out to the shop and put another coat of oil on several turnings. Decided to finish sanding this natural edge maple, remove the tenon, and finish the foot. They should all be ready for the final coat of oil and wax mixture when we get back and then I will start on some hollow forms.
Cherry burl out of a firewood processor's scrap bin, about 10"d x 7.5"h x 1/8". Multiple splints to stabilize the blank while spinning.
Beautiful! Have fun on our side of the mtns!
Thank you! I just need to keep my eye on those TN people