A Salad Bowl set of maple & walnut…part 2

On the following day after the glue has set,  the band clamps are removed. It is time to begin truing up the ring of segments. In order to attain flatness on one of the ring’s edge I’ll lay a segment flat on the bed of the disc sander. It’s important to maintain a 90 degree angle during this operation. Take your time and make sure of accuracy. When the edge is truly flat we can then proceed to the lathe.

Now the ring is mounted on the lathe and the opposite edge is being turned so that it is flat and parallel. A straightedge is placed against the edge and indicates that there are no gaps. This is a good sign.

The depth of the mortise is being checked to allow for the base to be let in. The calipers are indicating 1/4″ . The base is 3/4″ maple. The depth of this mortise is fine to allow for a good glue bond.

The maple base pictured to the right has been bandsawed to the diameter of the ring. Notice that screws are used to attach a waste block. Hot melt glue is used to adhere the maple base to the waste block.  So now it’s time to true-up the tenon of the base on the lathe.

Here’s how the base looks after it is trued-up and sized. The tenon matches the mortise in depth and diameter. When you have a good fit it is time for gluing the two parts together.

It’s a simple matter of applying an adequate amount of glue to the joint of the ring and base and letting the glue dry.  A good rule of thumb is to allow the glue to set-up overnight before turning the bowl on the lathe.

Here you can see a number of the smaller bowls as well as the tossing bowl. The process is easier and more efficient when you can find a rhythm. What do I mean by that?

Here’s it in a nutshell. I’ll cut all the segments at one time. I’ll perform my glue-ups all at the same time. I’ll do all of my tenons for the small bowls at the same time and then all the mortises at the same time. You get the idea. It’s a matter of making the most of your setups.

Here’s how the small bowl looks when it’s mounted and ready to be turned.

And…here is how the bowl looks after a little turning. The bottom will now be completed. (Take a second and note the hollowed out area at this time. This area allows for lathe chuck to grip the bowl for the previous operation. The outside walls of this mortise are angled out to allow for a dovetail-like grip of the chuck.)

The tossing bowl measures 10 1/2″ by  5″. It is turned to shape, sanded, and burnished with sawdust.

The entire set of bowls are now completed except for the finish.  The next step is to remove all the dust and I’ll use the air compressor for this operation. Then numerous coats of a  food-safe finish called Tried and True are applied.

Gotta go now. It’s time for dinner!

The Apprentice and The Journeyman University