Green Wood With Natural Edge

A few Natural Edge Bowls turned from green wood. The light colored bowls are Oregon Myrtlewood (Umbellularia californica) and the red colored bowls are Coastal Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), both old growth and second growth.

Select the wood that you want to work with and cut it lengthwise. I always over cut the length so that I can avoid the end checks.

A small diameter log will produce a bowl with high ends and low sides. A larger diameter log will have a more uniform edge

Use a circle pattern cut from plywood to locate and position the bowl on the log and then trim the excess with a chainsaw. Be sure to locate and mark the center of the circle.

Following the circle pattern cut the log round on a bandsaw

Remove the pattern and attach faceplate. I wrote a blog called "Reverse Chucking" http://blog.yourwoodturningtools.com/2016/10/reverse-chucking-what.html This will help to understand how to attach the bowl blank to the lathe.

Always use the tailstock to support the work. Some of these green bowl blanks are very heavy.

Turn and shape the outside profile and create sipot with dovetail to attach the work to a chuck.

Turning has be reversed on the lathe. The dovetail has a greater holding strength than a straight spigot.

Support with the tailstock.

Remove the inside. Leave the thickness at about 1 inch uniformly around the bowl. If the thickness is uneven there is a greater chance the wood will crack during drying.

After the inside has been removed and the turning is lighter use a large Forstner bit to remove the center.

Finished bowl ready for drying. After the bowl is dried re-chuck the bowl and finish.

I wrote another blog on drying bowl in a Kiln, check it out. http://blog.yourwoodturningtools.com/2016/10/a-simple-kiln.html

This is a unique piece. You don't find these very often. I finished this bowl and gave it to a friend for wedding gift. He complained that it wouldn't hold soup and she threatened him with divorce if he messed with it.