Issue 591

Is That a New Hat?

I love turning bowls. It is fun, I can make something beautiful in a few hours and they are useful! They also make great gifts. When people I know are getting married, I usually take the time to turn a large elegant bowl with the wedding date on the bottom; these gifts have all been well received. I have turned bowls for each of my kids from wood salvaged from the big elm tree that grew outside of their childhood home. I’ve also turned bowls for many a charity silent auction.

But apparently there are limits to the number of wooden bowls a person can use or want or store. Whereas in the past when I’ve given my children a wooden bowl for a birthday or a holiday and their faces glowed with happiness, now their countenance seems to fall. I see the “Where in the world are we going to put THIS bowl?” thought cross their minds.

Yes, I believe it has gotten to the point that if I give one of my progeny one more wooden bowl this Christmas, I may be wearing it home on my head.

Rob Johnstone, Woodworker’s Journal

Featured Videos

Parts of a Lathe

Learn the names and functions of each part of a woodworking lathe. You’ll learn the answers to questions about lathes, such as: How is lathe speed controlled? How is the wood supported by the lathe? Is a heavier lathe better than a light weight lathe? What is a lathe banjo? What are the ways?

This video is part of a series introducing woodturning entitled The Way to Woodwork: Getting Started in Woodturning featuring Ernie Conover and Kimberly McNeelan. You can view the whole series as part of Woodworker’s Journal Premium Content. Subscribe to Woodworker’s Journal to gain access today!

Turning a Closed Form Bowl

Learn the basics of how to make a closed form bowl on the lathe. A closed form bowl has an interior that is bigger than the mouth opening. Ernie demonstrates this process using a glue block to secure the workpiece, but you could also use a four-jaw chuck or a vacuum chuck.