Re-turning roughed out bowls

[Fred Oliver]

This may be a dumb newbie question, but...

I have some 6"-12" diameter roughed out cherry bowls that have been drying for 4-5 months and should soon be ready for final turning.

Since they are now somewhat oval, I need to take some wood off the inside and some off of the outside to make them round.

If something is oval in shape, how do you ride the bevel of the tool? If you can't ride the bevel, how do you approach the re-turning of a distorted bowl?

Thanks,

Fred

[Scott Conners]

Light cuts with a steady hand, just like turning a natural edge or any piece where you are "turning air". Once you get it back into round you can take a continuous light finish cut to leave a smooth finish. The bevel rides only while the tool is touching and cutting, and when the wood drops away from underneath, your hands hold the edge in place as the wood comes around again.

[Wes Henson]

Its kinda of like when you are roughing out a piece. But since you are mostly done go for light cuts until you can true it up.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Like the others have said. Take light cuts on the outside till it is round. I would recommend Bill Grumbine's video on how to turn bowls green and then returning them to the lathe after drying to finish turning. Mike Mahoney has a good one to.

[Jim Underwood]

Less pressure on the bevel and more down pressure on the tool rest.
In other words let a sharp tool do the cutting, don't push the tool, just hold it down.

[Barry Elder]

If the rough-out has dried oval, then the tenon will more than likely be oval so that would be the first part to true up.

[Mike Minto]

Fred, I had asked the same question recently, being new to 'turning green'. I was told (and have done this since, and it works just fine) to initially turn the bowl between centers - yes, between two points, and just true up the tenon. The bowl can then be mounted in your chuck again, and turned round and finished. Mike

[robert hainstock]

And get a look at Bill Grumbines video on turning bowls. I take you through the process from log to finished product step by step and Bill is a great teacher.
Bob

[Jim Becker]

I use a side-grind (Ellsworth, specifically) gouge, so I'd be mounting that piece between centers and using pull cuts to re-rough it round, both for the outside and most of the inside. Once remounted, it's easy to continue from there.