“Learning never exhausts the mind.”
Leanardo da Vinci…Painter, sculptor, engineer, inventor, etc. (1452-1519)
For some reason this 2-1/2″ x 9″ fruit bowl of cherry and walnut is one of my favorite segmented bowls turned on the wood lathe. It’s as if this segmented woodturning has claimed me and I’ve become rather fond of it. There are other bowls that I’ve turned on the lathe that are more complex and more challenging. However, this wood bowl has won me over. Perhaps it’s the simplicity of the wood design and the contrast between the cherry and walnut. Maybe it is just the simple shape of the bowl that pleases. Anyway, there is just a warm feeling about this wood project with 11 staves and vertical spacers. It was a satisfying and enjoyable time designing, cutting, assembling, and turning this arts and crafts project.
The wood art of segmented wood turning is captivating as 90% of the work is spent in designing, dimensioning material, cutting, fitting, and gluing. Once the wood turner mounts the wood project to the chuck of the wood lathe it’s just a matter of shaping, sanding, and then applying the finish. The entire woodturning process is fascinating yet it is critically important to get all of the joints aligning properly for a good tight fit. This requires patience and concentration. It either make it or break it time as there is no in between or margin for error at this point.
Part of the fun of this wood craft is the strategy used in mounting and turning the wood projects. It’s almost like playing chess where it helps to think a couple moves ahead.
Part of the beauty of handmade bowls such as this one is the joinery that you don’t see. There is a mortise and tenon joint where the base is let into the staved walls.
The cherry will deepen in color as time goes by and the fruit bowl will develop a nice, warm patina. Yet, something tells me that my appreciation of this simple wooden bowl and the time spent turning the wood project on my wood lathe will deepen as well.
The Apprentice and The Journeyman University
