Simple Burr Bowl

[Steve Jones]

OK! You all love your bowls so I am putting myself up for a battering with C&C.
I made this bowl today from the customers own blank. He left the design to me but insisted I did not fill any faults leaving them open. This is personal choice what would you do?
I made it a simple shape as nature gave this wood all the character needed.
The photo does not show the size well.
It is a large bowl 325mm dia x 120mm.

[Les Symonds]

Hi Steve....fear not, there's not much negativity coming from this direction. The shape is right, and as you say, keep it simple when nature provides her own decoration, and the tool-work certainly looks good. I can't say that I dislike the beaded rim, just that I probably wouldn't have added the bead, yet it seems to work and to add just a little more interest. I'm guessing that it's oiled, so my only suggestion would be to invest in a buffing system to take out what appears to be some lines in the finish, here and there.

Les

[GBF]

Is it Oak Steve.
I wish the pics were sized better because I really want to see this bowl as I am sure its simple form is going to be beautiful.
I can see the lines flow nicely but I want to see it as a whole and none of the pics do that for me.
I never make anything to order but if I was a production turner as you are I would do what the customer wanted as long as it did not make me look
as if I don't know what I am doing if that makes any sense

Regards George

[Steve Jones]

George I do not know how to change the picture size. I can see all the bowl on the laptop if I right click it  I can open in another tab.
Les It is sprayed with a sanding sealer then waxed, I agree with a buffing system,  just using a cloth is difficult with all the faults. It might have been better oiled.

[TWiG]

I thought it is Elm , very nice bowl indeed with a nice nice depth to it , which always looks good in my eyes , simple form is ideal with such a figured wood I think , I would not fill the faults either and would apply oil with a brush ....I am sure the customer will be pleased !!

[Steve Jones]

Oil with a brush sounds a good idea to me.
I am fairly sure it is Ash but it's not that easy to tell, I am going by the grain in the lighter section near the rim and the smell as I turned it.

[rick_dobney]

I agree with Terry, it looks like Elm to me too and several coats of oil applied with a brush will build a nice deep shine.
Leave it for a few minutes to soak in after oiling then wipe off any surplus. When properly dry, cut back with fine abrasive / wire wool before applying the next coat. Finally, as Les says, buff up using a three mop system.

If you have a compressor, use it to keep the voids clean, particularly before applying the first coat of oil and after cutting back between coats.

It's a nice form and I do like the idea of the beading on the rim, my only comment would be that it either needs to be centred on the rim or obviously offset, to me it looks not quite one or the other.

Thanks for sharing.
Rick

[Steve Jones]

Is it Oak Steve.
I wish the pics were sized better because I really want to see this bowl as I am sure its simple form is going to be beautiful.
I can see the lines flow nicely but I want to see it as a whole and none of the pics do that for me.
I never make anything to order but if I was a production turner as you are I would do what the customer wanted as long as it did not make me look
as if I don't know what I am doing if that makes any sense

Regards George

Is that better George I have edited the post.
Thanks for the advice Rick. I don't polish Burrs very often I do cut back with wire wool but found it wanted to catch in the voids and it left too many strands of wire so ended up using very fine abrasive. The bead was meant to be obviously off set but I can see your point now looking at it.
Definitely going to try oil next time.

[GBF]

Thank you Steve.
My sort of bowl

I think it is Elm now I can see it better.

Regards George

[Steve Jones]

Now you have got me in two minds. Elm or Ash. Yes some of the grain looks like elm but the light section is what gave me the impression of Ash (see new pic below)
I have an open mind what does everyone else think?

[georg]

    Like this very much Steve..... Not sure about the beads.... though that as always is down to personal choice.
    Tony Di

[Mark Sanger]

That's a beauty.

[Bryan Milham]

The extra photo says Ash to me.

And no argument over the shape, simple and perfect. But the beads on the top of the rim work the best, they lighten the width perfectly, clever addition.