Nice Bottom Madam…….

OOOh Errr missus!
I haven’t really been getting much turning done lately thanks to the weather, my shoulder, and family commitments. Like many turners, I have previously used a recess in the bottom of the bowl to hold the wood in the chuck to hollow the inside.
More recently, I have been using a tenon on the bottom, and then removing it afterward to leave a flat bottom.

I still have a fair amount of horse chestnut (conker) which is now much drier than I would like. It is very splintery to work with, and no matter how sharp the tools I still get a huge amount of grain tear. The main thing with this though, for me at any rate, is getting the bottom flat.

I think it looks pretty good.

Side view is OK too I think, and of course……

the top looks fairly reasonable.

I could be doing with some cole or coles jaws for the chuck, but for the time being I will have to make do with a jam chuck.

This is a piece of alder, from a crotched branch of a diseased tree.

Some tool marks and torn grain on this one, but I blame the inclusion for not getting the bevel of the gouge to rub properly. (my story and I’m sticking to it)

The inclusion is attractive though.

Even from the top it looks OK.

Finally, this piece of either maple or ash was my first attempt at the flat bottom. Something black got in the finish though. I have no idea what it was, as the finish is only cellulose sanding sealer.

Again, there is a fair bit of grain tear. This timber has been lying around for at least 3 years, so could also be a bit too dry for my skill set.

The side view looks a bit better.

The grain tear is quite visible inside this one too.

All in all though, quite a successful experiment. I think I will most certainly continue using this method.

I also started building a new bench for the shed, which may become a stand for my lathe. The stand supplied with it is made from pressed steel, and is a bit flimsy.
Photos to follow