First Attempt

[DaveH]

Ok, here goes, My first bowl.
Don't ask me what the timber is as I pulled it out of my log store and thought it looked interesting. I do know it came from a friends garden, a shrub of some kind, from what I remember of it best guess would be Fatsia Japonica ?
Anyway I had a go at it and I know its not perfect (had a couple of little catches) but its about  as far as I was comfortable taking it !
Finished with a coat of Danish Oil.
Comments and pointers always welcome







And apologies for the picture quality

[fuzzyturns]

Not shabby for a first bowl. Very nice piece of wood you got there, whatever it is, with a very nice contrast between sapwood and heartwood, and some nice grain in it. The shape isn't bad either. For a first bowl I can understand that you wanted to leave it a little thicker. With more confidence over time, you'll be able to get a better definition of the edges and slightly thinner wings. I probably would have done a little more work on the foot, it looks like you left the tenon pretty much the way it was initially turned. Natural edge is probably not what I would have recommend as a first piece, it has challenges of its own, but you certainly had good result there.

[Les Symonds]

I'd say that was an excellent first bowl and certainly not an easy type to start on. I'd also say that it looks remarkably like laburnum.
Well done....Les

[edbanger]

Wow first bowl - Great job 

Ed

[Lazurus]

For a first bowl that is brilliant, and a already said not what most would do for a first attempt. Most importantly did you enjoy making it?

S.

[DaveH]

Thanks for the comments guys.
Agreed, its probably not the best thing to start with but I found the piece of timber and couldn't resist finding out what lay inside, got to say I wasn't disappointed !
Enjoy making it ... yes, immensely but not without quite a bit trepidation lol. Like I said, I'm used to working engineering (metal) lathes and without that background I might have thought twice. The more "hands on" wood machining I found very enjoyable and more "personal" if that's the right word.
Les, its definitely not Laburnum but it would be nice to know what timber it is, I'm fairly sure its the Fatsia, shrub type plant with very large leaves I mentioned What doesn't show in the photos so well is how yellow the timber is.
I do have a few more bits of it but most are split due to drying, they were destined for the log burner before I got the lathe !

[Lazurus]

The good thing with our turning as opposed to metal working is the raw product does grow on trees, so if it goes wrong its easy to start with another piece. 

[seventhdevil]

if you show me a pic of the bark and endgrain i may be able to inform you as to the species?

[Bryan Milham]

I found the piece of timber and couldn't resist finding out what lay inside, got to say I wasn't disappointed !

Thus is born a woodturner. What a great first attempt.

[rick_dobney]

A cracking first bowl Dave and way more ambitious than my first 'dog bowl'. The timber you used certainly has a lot of character and the bowl has a good form.

Some advice (and I hope you're open to it), on a piece like this you'll need to hand sand finishing along the grain line. Zooming in, I can see sanding / tooling rings. Working through the grits by hand will give an improved finish. If you have sanded the bowl on the lathe, do take care as the wings on a piece like this show no mercy.

A great first piece....I look forward to seeing what follows.

Cheers
Rick

[DaveH]

Of course Rick, always open to advice. I must admit I never thought of sanding along the grain and yes, sanding on the lathe was a bit dodgy !
Think I will heed your advice and refinish it. Cheers

[DaveH]

if you show me a pic of the bark and endgrain i may be able to inform you as to the species?

Here you go, hard to get a decent pic of the end grain. My camera doesn't have a macro setting

[Bryan Milham]

You say it was a garden shrub. Looking at the grain & colour, I'd go for burberris. Did the shrub have small holly type leaves?

[DaveH]

No, It had very large glossy leaves, some exotic species I expect. If you google Fatsia Japonica it had very similar leaves.

[georg]

     Looks like Mulberry to us Dave...... That's a well thought out piece for a first attempt ... all looks in balance..
     Well done.
     Regards Tony d