Early bowl

[Glen Smith]

I got a Jet Mini lathe last year and have been tinkering around with it for a while. I did some turning in high school, but this is the first bowl I have completed with the mini. I got lots of hints reading this board and the old Badger Pond.

The wood is Sweetgum, it came from a neighbors yard, I got three logs that I let sit too long. Then cut into bowl blanks and put soem old poly on the ends - then I let them sit too long. I roughed out this bowl and left it to dry. By the time I got to rough out the next blank, it was too late, they were punky and rotten.

I had always intended to make something for the family that gave me the wood - unfourtunatly, they moved back to California. Two days before they left I realized that this blank was the only possible thing to give them, so I finished it. It will be sent to them to remember the house they lived in for 4 or 5 years. I like the way it came out.

Finish is mineral oil and beeswax.

Please feel free to cirtique honestly, the nieghbors who have seen it have all stroked my ego - I'm looking to improve.

The small collet in the photos is 1 3/8" long to get an idea of size.

Glen Smith
PS, I hope the pictures work, this is my first time posting pics!

[Glen Smith]

Whups, one of those was supposed to be a profile - this one should do it.

[Tom Sweeney]

Glen - nice looking bowl you ended up with, after all the trouble

I love the look of spalted wood for bowls - I've done some maple but I like the look of that sweetgum.

Different shape than I'm used to seeing also - I like it.

[Bob Lasley]

Very, very nice! Never thought of using sweet gum, but that looks great. Your neighbors gone to the west coast should love it.

Bob

[Bob Janka]

Glen,

Bring it to Thursday's meeting of Triangle Woodturners of North Carolina (TWNC) for our "gallery". Every meeting, members and guests bring turned pieces for a gallery on a sideboard. We take pictures of the items and include those in the newsletter. We especially love to welcome people who are new to woodturning.

TWNC meets 2nd Thursdays (7 pm - 9 pm) at the Craft Center on the North Carolina State University (NCSU) campus. Send me a private message or an e-mail if you need directions.

For more details on Triangle Woodturners, visit this URL:

http://www.trianglewoodturners.com/

Cheers,
Bob