Turn A Basic Bowl

Turning a simple cherry wood bowl on the lathe can be both satisfying and surprisingly easy once you master a few basic techniques. For this project, I started with a 5″ x 5″ x 3″ block of cherry wood—a great size for beginners or anyone wanting to work on a compact bowl. Cherry is a wonderful wood to turn; it’s dense but not too hard, allowing for clean cuts and a smooth finish.

The primary tools I used were a bowl gouge and a skew chisel. The bowl gouge is perfect for removing material quickly and shaping the bowl’s profile. For finer cuts, the skew chisel offers excellent control, especially when you’re refining the bowl’s edges or creating details near the rim.

Here are a few extra tips for turning bowls:

• Keep your tools sharp: A sharp gouge makes all the difference, giving you smoother cuts and reducing the need for excessive sanding.
• Watch your speed: Start slow when roughing out the shape and gradually increase the lathe speed as the bowl becomes more balanced.
• Hollowing technique: When hollowing the inside of the bowl, take lighter cuts near the center and use the tool rest to support your hands for better control.
• Check grain direction: Always cut downhill (with the grain) to avoid tear-out, especially on end grain sections.

Once the turning was complete, I sanded the bowl down to a smooth surface, working through progressively finer grits. For the finish, I used a butcher block oil, which really brought out the rich tones of the cherry and will provide lasting protection. The result was a beautiful, durable bowl that will be a long-lasting piece.

If you make one of these be sure to post a picture of it over on the WoodLogger Facebook Page.  I’d love to see how yours turns out.

Material List

• (1) 5″ x 5″ x 3″ Cherry Bowl Blank

Milling & Assembly

	To get started with turning a bowl.  I picked up this block of cherry wood from my local rockler store.  I then found the center of the block by using a ruler and drawing crisscross lines.
	After finding the center point I then used a compass to draw a circle that would give me the outline of my bowl.  This will be used as a guide for removing wood waste..
	Next up I moved to my band-saw and removed as much as possible to make turning my block an easier and faster turn.
	I drilled a starter hole next in the middle of the block to make it easier to insert a wood screw.
	The next step was to load my block on to a worm wood screw that is attached to my talon chuck.  This is fairly easy to screw on if you drill a pilot hole for it.
	To turn my bowl I start by shaping the outside and bottom of the bowl.  I like to use a bowl gouge to start with and then move to a skew.  After shaping and forming the bottom of my bowl I put an indention in the bottom of the bowl that was approximately 1 – 1/2″ in diameter and approximately 5/8″ deep.   After forming the bottom, I flipped the bowl over and secured the bottom to my talon chuck in the indention I made earlier.   I then turned the inside of my bowl.  I used the same technique of a bowl gouge and then a skew.  I also ensured that I didn’t go to deep into the bowl.
	To finish the bowl.  I sanded the outside and in using a turners pack of sandpaper.  I started with a 150 grit paper and worked my way up to 600 grit.   After sanding I used a Butcher Block finish to seal my bowl.  I really like this product it uses a mix of a food safe mineral oil and bees wax.   The bowl turned out beautiful and will be useful for many years.