Is there a simple way to turn an oval bowl ... ?

On Mon, 2 Aug 2010 17:52:32 -0500, snipped-for-privacy@nusquam.rete wrote (in message ):

cut the blank to an oval shape, then turn carefully.

You can always heat up the bowl and then compress sides in a towel and tie off. The wood in a microwave will soften in a minute or so. Martin

Mart> On Mon, 2 Aug 2010 17:52:32 -0500, snipped-for-privacy@nusquam.rete wrote

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Several answers, and not one of them actually answers the question. Sorry guys, but it is obvious none of you knew a real answer

The answer is yes. Your best bet is to find David Springett's video on Oval Turning or his book "ADVENTURES IN WOODTURNING", which is, unfortunately, out of print

They both describe a fairly simple to make wooden adapter and chuck. One point in getting ahold of the book (many local clubs have a copy) is that it discusses using shapes, other then a disk, as the cam. He shows a "wankle" shaped cam and discusses (in brief) the effect of having different shapes as the cam.

The downside of the "Springett" system is that you can't make anything larger then a small bowl or box. If you want to make something really big you will need a hunk of "complex machinery". Like the Vicmarc VOD

300 (see my review on this newsgoup, many forums or More Woodturning)

~Mark.

I have done that, and it can (if the wood is wet) result in an oval(ish) bowl, I do recommend putting a band-clamp around the bowl and letting it dry

Emmm, try it and see what happens

Some good ideas. Oval is good and oval and oblique is even better. Just received my AAW Journal. Veery interesting and the way things are turning out these days, this COC's round bowls and plates will soon be rare and much desired collector's items.

You think? Naw, you're right. Actually, I'm envious of artistic and innovative turners and their work. Scorn is my only refuge. :)

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

Simplest is to grab a fresh green hunk of tree, the fresher the better, turn a round bowl, and wait. As it dries, differential shrinkage will make it oval.

Emmm, try it and see what happens

------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you are careful, you can do an oval exterior. It's no more difficult than turning a square bowl.

My uncle used to do cowboy and other hats. These are turned and then adjusted to match the shapes of the person it was being made for.

The process was complex - but consider turning a bowl with a 6" rim that is 1/8" thick. And have the bottom of the bowl thin and have creases. Those are kinda neat. My wife and I were lucky enough to get one each before he stopped turning big stuff. He is in his

80's and does pencils and pens. So now I have turnings from my Great Uncle and my Uncle as well as myself.

Martin

Mart> On 02 Aug 2010 22:52:32 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@nusquam.rete wrote: >

I'm purty certain the OP wants an OVAL BOWL (hence the title of the post and his question), rather then a round bowl with an oval rim

I's surprised nobody's mentioned natural edge bowls. They look oval due to the cut-away sidewalls. Any given plane through the bowl is round when cut, but because the ends extend up farther than the sides, it creates an oval affect...

A bowl is a bowl. If the body is oval, it is an oval bowl. He may settle for that, given that the other options are more difficult.

I would agree with the two centers approach, I have made some nice oval knife handles by using two centers. Little confused with "sanding oval"? How much tequila does that require? Teknatool has no answer.

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Thank you, Ralph, and thanks too to all the others who posted suggestions. Springett's book is available second-hand but it's fairly pricy. I have no idea where to find the video. If it isn't asking too much, could you give us an outline of Springett's method, please? And perhaps a hint as to where to find the video?

I can see how you'd turn a boat-shaped exterior on a face plate by moving the point of attachment. Some sanding would take down the pointy ends and leave you with an approximate oval. Similarly, I can see how you could produce a series of interior overlapping circles that would approximate the exterior shape. But the result would be something of a kluge -- at least, it would be if I did it.

A better approach might be to turn an (American) football-shaped bowl with a narrow opening, then slice one or more oval pieces off it.

The only other possibility I can see would be to turn a deep bowl, cut a large scoop out of two opposite sides, steam the thing, and bend the two high sides outwards (easier to draw than describe).

Either way, it wouldn't be easy!

Nemo

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Nemo

You might like to read the blurb about his DVD that was released in 2009

or if it wraps

Maybe the jig your after is on it. HTH Steve