Wood Turned Bowls

Kimberly Winkle from Nashville, Tenn., has been interested in structure and building as long as she can remember. She recalls building wooden birdhouses in her garage as a young girl. Using the lathe, this fun and talented wood worker will be turning a uniquely shaped bowl out of poplar wood.

Materials:

Jet Mini Lathe
2" thick dried milled surfaced poplar*
wood glue
sandpaper
milk paint
foam brush
pencil
lacquer
power drill
drywall screws
band saw
clamps
turning tools: 4-jaw chuck, faceplate, bowl gouge, bedan tool
*Milled surfaced poplar can be found at most lumber supply stores.

Steps:

1. Set two pieces of milled surfaced poplar on top of each other and glue together to create a deep bowl. Option: Use one piece of 2-inch or 3-inch wood stock for a smaller bowl.

3. Unclamp the dried poplar and draw a circle, the size of the exterior of your bowl, on the top surface of the poplar with a compass. Mark an "X" at the center point of the circle (figure B).

4. Carefully cut the poplar into a circle using the band saw and the drawn lines as a guideline (figure C).

5. Center the faceplate on the top surface of the poplar and screw it down using a drill and drywall screws. Use the "X" mark as a guide for placement of the faceplate. Tip: Avoid long screws that will pierce to the other side of the poplar.

6. Mount the material onto the lathe using the faceplate and adjust the lathe's gauge to a lower speed (figure D).

7. Move the tool rest close to the mounted poplar and slightly below the center axis.

8. Turn the lathe on and using a bowl gouge begin centering the mounted poplar. Note: The lathe will be a little wobbly at first until the material becomes balanced.