With or against across the grain for a bowl

[Bill Jobe]

I have a very nice piece of black cherry and I'm wanting opinions on which has the greater potential for a good looking bowl, with the grain or across. I do not wish to leave any bark.

[Peter Fabricius]

Hi Bill,
Most bowls are turned in a face grain orientation. Grain running across the Lathe bed. But this is not to say you cannot turn a bowl in end grain orientation, grain running along the Lathe bed, spindle orientation, so you would be cutting only end grain.
Think of Hollow Forms, vases, are turned End Grain orientation and hollowed out through some sort of hole.

For bowls you get a nice display of grain in the face grain orientation. Think of doing a bowl from a Crotch piece and being able to see the junction of the three trunks of the tree. Split the Crotch and turn between centres to balance the location of the tree trunks, keeping the centre of the bowl in the middle of the three trunks.
Just a few thoughts, but the options are pretty much in your hands depending on the look you want for the finished bowl.
We will be looking for a picture of the finished bowl. Good luck.
Peter F.

[John K Jordan]

I have a very nice piece of black cherry and I'm wanting opinions on which has the greater potential for a good looking bowl, with the grain or across. I do not wish to leave any bark.

Much depends on the actual piece of wood and the look you want. Is this a dried chunk? Wet from a log, turned green, rough turned/dried/finish turned? Bowls from different orientations shrink in different ways. The orientation makes a huge difference in how the figure looks on the side and inside the bowl. Is one goal to make the maximum sized bowl, or do you think like the other John Jordan (the famous one) who says he is prepared to waste as much of the wood as needed to get the blanks just the way he wants them?

I'm afraid anyone making a recommendation without knowing more would mostly be telling you what they like to do. But is that right for your bowl?

There has been a lot written on this if you want to research a bit. Hoadley's book "Understanding Wood" is excellent for this, as is "Turning Green Wood" by O'Donnell. Anyone who turns bowls would benefit from these.
http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-.../dp/1561583588
http://www.amazon.com/Turning-Green-.../dp/1861080891

There is also much on the internet with a little search.

Perhaps give a bit more detail? Pictures of what you are starting with?

JKJ

[Steve Schlumpf]

I agree with John - a few photos of the wood would really be a help to anyone offering suggestions.

[Bill Jobe]

It's a small piece of OO, about 8" dia and 6" long. I thought about turning it at 45* but went with grain parallel to the bed. Ain't done yet. It was very green so I'm microwaving it too. Ended up having to take more off than thought. I don't care for a big white spot on one side so it's a very small bowl.
Couldn't do much more. The belt is just about to snap on my HF mini and I had to stop several times to tighten it up.
I'm just going to have to get that new Grizzly even though the price went up $50.
I've was told by a former union guy I ran into that my insurance runs out tonight. Federal court overturned it's ruling that the company I retired from honor the contract they signed by providing insurance. I guess a man's signature doesn't mean much anymore. If I don't buy now my new medical bills are going to clean me out anyway. Better to be broke with a new lathe than broke without. Plenty of free wood.
If I manage to salvage anything decent you'll see a pic. If not, well, you won't be out much.