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Copper Beech bowl - or battling with end grain!

bluntchisel

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Joined
Sep 2, 2013
Posts
3,849
Location
Kent, UK.
First Name
Bob
Hi, Guys,

Spent four hours in the workshop turning this copper beech bowl. The bough I used wasn't thick enough to split down the middle so had to go "with the grain". Jeez! The exterior was easy to shape but then a whole new ballgame when it came to hollowing the inside! My chisel kept being snatched by the end grain, despite repeated sharpening, and the deeper it got the worse it became. Anyway, seeing as how I'm a hero I persevered and eventually finished the job. I could have trimmed that natural edge away but decided to leave the prominent bits in place. Wiped with white spirit to pop the grain then sanded to 600 grit. Coat of BLO, followed by two of friction polish. Size is 4" high X 5" wide.
I'd like to turn a bowl from this wood the "right" way as it has some interesting patterns in it.

Bob.

Copper Beech bowl3.JPGCopper Beech bowl2.JPGCopper Beech bowl1.JPGCopper Beech bough..JPG
 

Woody

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Joined
Jul 12, 2013
Posts
12,812
Location
at home
First Name
no
You done well there Bob considering by the sound of it you haven't got the right tooling I take it you used a bowl gouge turning end grain is a totally different discipline you would be better using a scrapper I use the Robert sorby sovereign I have used the hamlet big brother and the roly munro in my opinion the R/M is the best but its over £200
 

bluntchisel

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Sep 2, 2013
Posts
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Location
Kent, UK.
First Name
Bob
Hi, Woody,

I DID use a scraper, Woody, and it was still tough. Actually I have two 1" scrapers and was sharpening them alternately - I reckon I lost about a quarter-inch off each of them before I was finished, LOL!

Bob.
 

Jim

Grand Master
Joined
Oct 19, 2011
Posts
15,617
I can imagine the energy that was needed to shape this bowl Bob, and you made a damn good fight of it .. Well done good sir ... :winking:
 

Penpal

Grand Master
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May 26, 2013
Posts
25,340
Location
Canberra AUSTRALIA
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Peter
Bob,

I gave up bowls or should I say bowl turning my last was a huge open one with holes all through the burl so I know the feeling of fighting a difficult battle, good for the soul.

Interesting grain inside.

Kind regards Peter.
 

bluntchisel

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Sep 2, 2013
Posts
3,849
Location
Kent, UK.
First Name
Bob
Hi, Steve, So you've been there and got the T-shirt too, right? LOL!

Hi, Peter, Yes, mate, some are difficult. I dunno about good for the soul, though, LOL!

Regards,

Bob.
 

yorkshireman

Wood Rat
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Jan 5, 2013
Posts
5,199
Location
wrexham
First Name
Keith
That reminds me that we cut a copper beech down at work 6 months ago. The trunk is still on site, about 6ft by 2ft. Must get it cut up and brought home.
 
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