Several years ago I started turning bowls on a wood lathe, and what started as a mere pastime has practically become an obsession.
Every piece I begin presents a challenge, not only to complete a flawless assembly, but also to design the piece utilizing different woods and colors to maximize its visual appeal. I’m continually experimenting with new wood species, and can rarely finish one before the next is begun!
My bowls have been available at a number of outlets, including The Artist’s Palette (Manitowish Waters, WI), Donna Mae’s Antiques (Boulder Junction, WI), Odonata Art Gallery (Mercer, WI), and at The Naperville Art League (Naperville,IL).
Since retiring as a physician in 2017, I have been making segmented bowls nearly full time. I have adapted the same work habit of attention to detail to my bowl making. I hope you enjoy my bowls.
Bowl Construction
Segment and ring assembly
The construction of segmented wooden bowls starts with a design. Following precision sawing and sanding, the bowl starts to take shape. I use kiln-dried hardwood, both domestic as well as exotic species (see Hardwoods below). Segments are assembled into rings which are subsequently stacked, and ultimately the final contour is achieved on the wood lathe. The piece is completed by sanding followed by a protective finish, resulting in a super-smooth final result. My segmented bowls generally have between 150-300 (or more) individual pieces of wood, and require approximately 15 to 30 hours of labor to complete.
With few exceptions, I do not use paint, stain, or dye. The vibrant colors result from the different wood species. Whenever possible, I like to contrast the lighter colors against dark colors, often using very thin veneers for color separation.
Most of my pieces are finished with Danish oil, which has a urethane component. They can be cleaned with a damp cloth, but DO NOT IMMERSE IN WATER. The wrenhouses are finished with polyurethane to protect from the outdoor elements.
Hardwoods
Hard White Maple (Acer saccharum) Known for its durability and strength, hence it’s common use for flooring, butcher blocks, and large furniture. It has excellent turning properties, a fine & even texture, and a natural luster. Somewhat difficult to work due to high surface hardness. Paints and finishes very well, though.
Figured Maple, also known as curly or ripple maple, is a feature of maple in which the growth of the wood fibers is distorted in an undulating chatoyant pattern, producing wavy lines that look like rolling waves or “flames”. There are lots of theories about why figure develops, but the ultimate cause is unknown. Prized for its beautiful appearance, it is used frequently in the manufacturing of fine furniture and musical instruments.
Flame maple (tiger maple), also known as flamed maple, curly maple, ripple maple, fiddleback or tiger stripe, is a feature of maple in which the growth of the wood fibers is distorted in an undulating chatoyant pattern, producing wavy lines known as “flames”. This effect is often mistakenly said to be part of the grain of the wood; it is more accurately called “figure“, as the distortion is perpendicular to the grain direction. Prized for its beautiful appearance, it is used frequently in the manufacturing of fine furniture and musical instruments, such as violins, guitars, and bassoons.
Walnut (Juglans nigra) Walnut is a domestic wood from North America. One of the most enjoyed American hardwoods for its fine-yet-open grain, unique patterns, and bold dark color. Walnut is easy to cut, shape and sand, and the wood takes on an amazing look with a clear finish.
Cherry (Prunus serotina) Cherry has no
rivals that are as easy to work, fine textured, strong and regal in
color. It’s highly rated in all working properties including wood
bending and turning. Cherry’s color ages to a richer, rusty red brown
with any clear finish.
Exotic Species
African Padauk (Pterocarpus soyauxii)
Gorgeous and naturally colorful wood, padauk elicits the joys of
woodworking with its solid and consistent color, and its ease of
routing, cutting, sanding and finishing.
Wenge (Millettia laurentii)
From Africa, wenge is an amazing unique wood that’s nearly 100% black.
Wenge is also marked with slightly lighter brown streaks which gives
the wood an unusual, yet delightful, appearance. Wenge is hard and
heavy, and makes a superb accent wood in highly decorative projects.
Mahogany
(Swietenia macrophylla) Mahogany, an exotic wood from Latin America,
ranks among the finest cabinet woods. Exceptionally stable and clear
with a natural luster. Moderately coarse texture, accepts virtually all
finishes with ease. Widely praised for its response to hand tools,
power tools, and all woodworking procedures.
Canarywood (Centroloblum orinocense) Color can vary from a pale yellow-orange to a darker reddish brown, usually with darker streaks throughout. The color tends to darken with age. A medium texture hardwood, the grain is typically straight, but can be irregular or wild on some pieces. Canarywood is said to have good acoustic properties, and is sometimes used for speaker enclosures and entertainment system cabinets. Some other common uses for Canarywood include: construction lumber, railroad crossties, flooring, veneers, boat-building, furniture, cabinetry, and turned items.
Tigerwood (Lovoa trichilioides), also known as Bolivian koa, is best known for its beautiful grain. Deep reddish/orange background with dark vein striping. It is a very dramatic species for boxes, tables and other small projects. Native to Brazil. Wood is a product of nature, and as such, no two pieces are alike to start with, while the same wood growing in different locales can vary greatly even though it is the exact same species.
Hawaiian Koa (Acacia koa) Koa trees have
been prized for their exceptionally fine wood, and Koa is currently the
most valuable native timber species in Hawaii. Similar in appearance
to Tasmanian Blackwood, Koa frequently has striking coloration, and the
heartwood may vary through many rich shades of red and golden brown.
It has excellent working properties.
Purpleheart
(Peltogyne paniculata) is an exotic wood from central and South America
with mechanical properties reported to lie somewhere between those of
Greenheart and Oak. It is reported to have exceptional tolerance for
shock loading. Purpleheart is highly desired by hobbyists and craftsmen
who use the hard heavy wood in small projects.
Patagonian Rosewood (or Curupau) is found in the forests of Bolivia and Paraguay. Curupau is a very appealing wood that will darken upon prolonged exposure to light.
Jatoba (Hymenaea courbaril) is also known as Brazilian cherry, courbaril, jutahy and South American locust. It grows in Central America, South America and the West Indies. Most of the jatoba sold in the United States comes from Brazil. It is hard, heavy and dense (.91 specific gravity) and with the combination of its beautiful color and hardness is a perfect flooring wood.