First success (relativly)

[Maccy]

Beginner woodturner.

First bowl which im happy with or havnt trashed.

Made from a wenge blank (mixed lot from ebay to experiment with)

Turned out nice with the lighter grain body and darker rim.
2 coats of sanding sealer, sanded to 600, then caruba wax stick and a bit of buffing.

Any comments welcome, any other beginners first attempts?

[bodrighywood]

You don't believe in starting easy do you LOL? Wenge can be a pig to turn at time but you seem to have managed OK. The shape is also arguably a difficult one with staight sides and what looks like a pretty flat base. Some will argue not a flattering shape but that's up to the personal taste. For a first bowl a good effort.

Pete

[Maccy]

Thanks didnt really know when i started it. Just trying to get a feel for different woods and get smoother cuts. It was a much larger blank and i chickened out before i went too deep.

[Les Symonds]

I agree with Pete, both the timber and the shape are tricky for a beginner, so you've done a good job, and for a first bowl, the finish isn't bad, either.
Where to from here.....stick to shallower bowls with a more gentle curve to them, that way you'll get much better experience of using a bowl gouge. Another tip.....photograph your work against a more neutral backdrop!

Well done...Les

[Bryan Milham]

That's an interesting colour for Wenge, normally a much darker black or grey, I like the golden effect even if it's not deliberate.

I'm guessing you made the bowl from the available size of the piece of wood to get that shape.

Don't take this wrong but that is always a mistake, one we all make when starting on our journey of learning to turn, maximising the shape to the timber, it might have been better and easier to turn if you'd cut it in half and made 2 small shallow bowls from it.

Keep up the good work and enjoy yourself.

[Les Symonds]

...I'm guessing you made the bowl from the available size of the piece of wood to get that shape. ....cut it in half and made 2 small shallow bowls from it....

It's a very fair point that Bryan makes. As it is, your bowl resembles a flower pot, and that's how people will read its shape, whereas two shallower bowls, such as little coin-and-key bowls, would have looked much more aesthetically pleasing.
Don't become despondent at the remarks, though; you did remarkably well to achieve what you did, but just bear in  mind that aesthetics can be every bit as important as the practical skills.

Les

[seventhdevil]

great first attempt especially wit ha tricky wood as others have said.

the golden colour will not last as all wenge starts out that sort of colour when fresh cut and it will darken to a lovely chocolate brown.