How to Make Bowls Using a Wood Lathe
A wood turning lathe can take a single block of wood and create a beautiful wooden bowl. While mass-produced bowls are created entirely with machinery, anyone who owns a common wood lathe can create a very nice wooden bowl. It is one of the easiest of all decorative items to make using a lathe. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Block of wood
- Wood turning lathe
- Square-nosed chisel
- Round-nosed or skew chisel
Instructions
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1
Mount the block on the lathe. Measure the ends of the wood parallel to the joint to locate the true center. Line up the wood with the center of the faceplate, and make sure to securely screw it on. Attach faceplate to the headstock and the tailplate to the opposite surface of the wood. This will position the block so that the bottom of the bowl is located at the headstock.
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2
Set a large square-nose chisel on the tool rest. Locate the point on the wood that is nearest to you, and rotate it by hand, moving the chisel backwards roughly a quarter of an inch. The chisel should completely clear the wood.
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3
Turn the motor to a slow speed, and work the chisel into the wood very slowly. The rotation of the lathe will begin working away small bits of wood. The beginning of this process may be laborious, but it will become smoother and easier as the wood begins to get more rounded. Adjust the tool rest up, down and to the sides while working, to ensure that the chisel creates a hole in the entire block of wood.
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4
Form the contours according to the shape you want the bowl to take. Use a round-nose chisel or a skew chisel to tear away smaller pieces, and give you a sense of the best possible shape for the block of wood you're using. Once the outside of the block has taken shape, wrap a piece of sandpaper around the block, while turning it at a slow speed. This process will smooth the exterior of the bowl.
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5
Secure the screws on the headstock and faceplate, and begin hollowing out the interior of the bowl. Position the chisel against the surface that is anchored to the tailstock, and work your way down to the bottom of the bowl. Do this work gradually, keeping in mind that if you dig too aggressively, you run the risk of cracking the wood.
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6
Sand the inside after it has been hollowed out to meet your specifications. Be sure to wear gloves during the sanding process so you don't harm yourself. Remove the completed bowl from the faceplate, and sand the bottom.
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Tips & Warnings
Check the anchor screws to make sure nothing has come loose as this can result in the wood flying off the lathe at a high velocity.
