# Bowl Returning to Lathe



## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Ok Harry here is how I return the bowl. As you can see from the first two pictures the bowl has moved while drying and is oblong. The tenon is also oblong and won't fit well in the chuck. So I put it back on the lathe using my chuck as a jam chuck. Don't worry if it makes a scratch on the inside because we haven't finished the inside. I bring up the tailstock for support and this is important I put the point of the livecenter back in the same hole that was there when I had the tailstock up roughing it. Tighten the tailstock against the bowl bottom. I then retrue the tenon. I also retrue the outside of the bowl. Once I have it rounded and did my shear scrapes with a freshly sharpened gouge I am ready to turn it around and start the inside and rim. I like to put the small lip on the outside of the bowl because a lot of people who have bought my bowls say that is a great enhancement because with arthur in their hands it helps them pick up the bowl. 

Now that the bowl has been turned around I start by getting the rim true. Then I start hogging out the inside. Once I get close I start measuring to see where I am at from rim to the bottom as far as thickness goes. I like my bowls 3/16" to 1/4" walls. I have to agree with a gentleman who helped me via the internet. He said and I totally agree with him, "turn a bowl with thin walls 1/16" and turn a hollow form vase with a small opening of 3/4" or less. Get it out of your system then turn a bowl with walls 1/4" thick and a hollow form with a opening of 1" or more."

Anyway once I have the bowl to 1/4" I then check for tear out. If I do have some I take my bowl gouge with a conventional grind that has just been sharpened and honed on my Tormek and put some mineral oil on the tear out. I then take a couple of final light cuts. Most of the time that is all it takes and I can start sanding at 150 or so. 

Harry I use a 3/8" angle drill with a hook & loop attachment and power sand. I don't hand sand any bowls. Guess I am to lazy. Anyway I sand most times to 320 grit but never over 400 grit. I feel it is a waste of time to go higher than 400 especially to 1200, 1400, 1600, or 2000. I then turn the bowl around in a donut chuck to finish the bottom. I wanted to go this way because most turners don't have a vacuum chuck. I didn't get a picture because I wasn't thinking but I take the chuck with bowl off the headstock. I put it on a attachment that fits in my tailstock. I put the first part of my donut chuck on the headstock bringing up the tailstock with the chuck and bowl still mounted. This insures that the bowl will be perfectly centered in the donut chuck. I tighten the donut part of the chuck down to secure the bowl. Once this has been done I loosen the chuck and move it out of the way. I then take the tenon off and finish the bottom so it is concave. I put 3 circles on the bottom and sand. 

Once that is done I take the bowl out of the donut chuck, finish with either Minwax Antique Oil or Walnut Oil that I get from Mike Mahoney but can be bought in wood supply stores. His walnut oil will dry because it is specially treated but is natural with no additives. I use these finishes because they are food safe. The Antique Oil is food safe after drying 72 hrs. One other finish I am going to try is Waterlox Gloss because it is food safe and will with stand hot foods, food acids, alcohol, etc. 

So folks there you have how I re-turn a bowl after drying. I will post the bowl that I just finished as soon as the finish dries. I am using walnut oil on it.


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## marvmn (Dec 7, 2013)

I've noticed that a lot of wood turners on this forum use outer tenons to turn which if you are making a thin bowl is essential but for thicker bowls i use an inner tenon of 5mm. I personally find them easier to ue. Just a suggestion, kind regards.


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