Tag: Woodturning Projects

Clean Up Your WoodTurning Shavings or Else :)

How I Grew 12 Inches
While Woodturning

Ok, I’m turning a new bowl and something just didn’t feel right.

My back was killing me, I tighened my back brace. Still, something wasn’t right.

I figured out what was the problem and did a quick post to my Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/woodturningbasics

8″ Makes a Difference When
Standing at Your Wood Lathe!

So, December I went crazy making bowls, bats, vases, cups and pizza cutters and fire starter kits. I also turned a bunch of bowl blanks and probably 15 or more tool handle blanks.

I went back out to the shop, been busy with other stuff and wanted to clear my head. I started turning a bowl/dish from some willow that floated on my beach. It was dry, I put a faceplate on and began to turn.

Something wasn’t right
with my WoodTurning!

My back was killing me, I was having a hard time seeing and positioning myself while turning this project. It was really uncomfortable, I didn’t even want to put a camera up because something was wrong.

Dummy me! Clean Your
Woodturning Shop 🙂

I’m somewhat of a slob. I’d rather do or make than clean up.

I had been planning to clean up and put all the shavings in some of the old chicken feed bags and give my chickens and turkeys some new nesting materials.

How to make your own carbide insert woodturning tool

If you haven’t figured it out, I had anywhere from a 6 inches to a foot of shavings and sawdust on the floor. It caused my lathe to be 12″ lower than normal ….just was totally uncomfortable.

Lesson learned, clean up after yourself while woodturning !!!!!

Oak Burl Woodturning Project

Wood Bowl from Oak Burl
Woodturning Project

Another piece of oak saved from the firewood pile.

I thought I could get some nice slabs or even make a couple of book ends or something out of this but the woodturning part of me got the best of it.

oak burl woodturning project

Roughing Out the Bowl Blank

I drew a 12″ circle on the piece with the big hump in the middle. And then I roughed out the circle on the bandsaw….very rough!

oak burl woodturning project

I found what I thought was a center and ended up using my Nova Scroll chuck with the woodworm screw and the far side tailstock. It was rough going at first but it settled down after I started putting some shape to it. I was using my Sorby 1/2″ Bowl Gouge and it cut the oak like butter.

Cut A Tenon For Nova Scroll Chuck

I worked the far side and formed a tenon, I decided this would be the top of the bowl since the side that was mounted in the chuck needed a lot taken off the be shaped properly. Everything going good so far.turning a tenon for supernova 2 scroll chuck

I haven’t used a woodworm screw method of attachment with the Nova 2 Scroll Chuck much, in fact I only tried it once before. I was surprised by the fact that it held tight and did not strip out. I tried it with the tailstock against the piece at first but then pulled it out to cut the tenon on the back of the oak burl blank.


After the tenon was shaped I flipped over to the back by the chuck and started shaping the bottom of the bowl. Everthing was going good, the bowl was taking shape ….it wasn’t going to be as big as I wanted but I still might get 10″ out of it on the outside top of the bowl.

Roughing Out the Bottom
Of The Oak Burl Bowl

I did some more roughing on the bottom and the shape was coming along well, I stopped to check it out because I noticed a grabbing feeling. I was using my DIY 5/8″ circle carbide cutter to rough now, it worked great ….in fact it works much better with the circular cutter than with the square cutter. I made the tool using 5/8 x 5/8 square bar and it allows me to extend it quite far beyond the tool rest, also absorbs a lot of shock. Carbide turning tools are more forgiving than traditional woodturning tools and when I’m a little unsure of sticking my nice Sorby bowl gouge into a oddly shaped rotating piece of oak….. I use my go to carbide woodturning tools. If you haven’t tried these types of tools and you are new to woodturning, they can really boost your confidence.


Oh, Oh! ….A Great
Big Hollow Knot

Anyway, I noticed a big ole knot, actually a hole that makes the whole piece look like it is hollow on the inside. Pretty much a piece of firewood now.filling oak burl with alumilite

But then I came up with an idea, not sure if I will follow through or if its worth the effort.

The piece is hollow enough that I might be able to fill it with epoxy …something like alumilite. I heard of someone using alumilite with coffee grounds. Not sure if I want to invest the money or time ….will put it on hold for now.