First Bowl, first buff, critique please

[Graham]

Tell it like it is guys.
This is my first proper bowl and, after 3 coats of cellulose sanding sealer,  my first time using the Chestnut buffing system. On the whole I am sort of pleased with it but have nothing to compare it with.
I expected the buffing to bring out a much deeper shine but suspect I may have overdone it and buffed through the finish. ?
Are there visible tool marks etc that I am not seeing ?

Don't be afraid to be brutal. I want to know where I am.

[Les Symonds]

Wow....for a first bowl it's pretty darned good - certainly a lot better than my first bowl! I'm not seeing any tool-marks or tear-out, and it doesn't look like that's been achieved by excessive sanding, so well done you. The shape is clean and simple, ideal for a first bowl and I'm sure that you'll develop that side of things as time goes  by. Put quite simply, Graham, there's no need to be brutally frank....'cos there's nothing to be brutal about.

I wait patiently to see the next development!...Les

[bodrighywood]

Making a simple shape like this is actually harder than it seems as any defects will show up.....still looking for them.    Nope can't see any.  Trying very hard to find something to critique but I am afraid you will have to make do with an echo of Les's comments.  "Wow....for a first bowl it's pretty darned good - certainly a lot better than my first bowl!"

Pete

[woodndesign]

Graham, NOW .... Are you sure this IS your first bowl .. as like Les, can't see any ... any fault with it, classic 1st bowl design, we never like to waste wood, the blank is round, so why go beyond or less than that in size ..   .. never the thought to core the inside and few do so even after years of turning, this also comes down to having the kit as well and more ideal if we use more exotic costly timbers.

I'd consider you've got the finish just right, shines nicely. Why 3 coats of sanding sealer, if needed each coat should have been cut back in between coat and the first buffing compound should cut back the last coat and the next buffs refines the finish, maybe in what your type of your final wax or drying times, next coat, I've yet (after years) to invest in a system.. come to it renew some of the finishes I own ..   ..

Cheers  David

[edbanger]

Graham

There's nothing wrong with that nice and clean Great Job 

Ed

[Eric Harvey]

great first bowl,nice big foot so it won`t topple over when full of fruit etc; nice clean finish,cheers,

Eric.

[julcle]

Looks fine to me Graham, how have you finished the foot ?  --  Julian

[Graham]

Thanks for your positive feedback everyone, much appreciated.
Julian - The foot was a spigot with a nice wide collar, I reversed the bowl in a home made donut chuck and removed the spigot then when on to hollow the 'collar' until there was just a narrow band for the foot.

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

Hi Graham, for a first bowl I think it is well done. Unlike the others however I can see either tooling or sanding marks on the inside. When you look very carefully you can also see the faint trace of what looks like tooling marks on the outside too. Sorry. But very well done  for a first attempt. You may like to try dampening the wood in between grits, this will have the effect of raising stubborn grain and making it easier to abrade.

[georg]

       Very well done for a first bowl Graham  Although Tonys preferred finish would have been 3 coats of Danish Oil,
       then buffed up to whatever lustre required. He finds this finish more suitable for utilitarian pieces.
       but that's just personal choice.
       di and Tony
       

[John D Smith]

           Hi Graham,
                           Well done what can I say the previous postings have said it all.

                                                     Regards John

[Graham]

Thanks guys, and John, I will try that next time. Thank you.

[Bryan Milham]

Graham,

Taking up what the others have said, the buffing system is great but maybe not for a utilitarian piece, but it does give a great finish, other ideas on finishing have been suggested.

If I'm going to be really picky, you haven't told us the bowls dimensions and the top and bottom photo is slightly out of focus, probably because you got the camera a little too close.

But absolutely nothing wrong with this bowl.