Swirl effect pewter-leather-walnut bowl

[willstewart]

This is a variant of a design I put up here in 2019 where a spiral/swirl effect is achieved by inserting flat sheets into the kerfs of part-through bandsaw cuts, with the spiral effect coming from the skewed planes intersecting with the curve of the bowl.
In this case the sheets are 1.2mm pewter (1mm is rather loose and 1.5mm too tight). The base ring is cast-in-place pewter, re-finished so as to make it the bowl bottom. There are also circular leather insets top and bottom.

Fabrication notes are below

[willstewart]

I was not entirely happy with the leather insert inside the bowl (the one on the base is good).  So here is a version with this removed and an independently-cast and machined lowish pewter boss instead.  Comments appreciated!

[Mike Amphlett]

I think it would look even better if the pewter followed the contour of the bowl, rather than being a boss.

[willstewart]

Thanks! A good thought and I see what you mean - though in this case I was anxious to cover the not-quite-clean edges of the hole that held the leather.  If I were starting again I would be inclined either just to leave the plain wood bowl base I once had (with no central decoration) or to cast a thin ring (same thickness as the plates) in the base. Clearly it is hard to hold the bowl once finished so the other option of opening up the hole a bit is tricky!  One knows for next time!