Attended my first wood turners club meeting and saw a single "rib" bowl (reminded me of one of Saturn and its rings). The rib was left to provide some strength to the piece while turning - reduces or stops wall flexing.
Had a small piece of black walnut - an off cut from a bowl blank - and had it set up between centers on the lathe for the next time the turning bug bit me. Had a new tool rest to try so it was Grab The Skew and See What Happens Time. Soon I had a fat at the bottom and thin at the top vase. Then I remembered the single rib bowl. Hmmmm.
Why do I have to have a single shape in a piece? Why can't I have BOTH a wide at the bottom and narrow at the top AND narrow at the bottom and wide at the top in one piece?
This is the first application of an idea worth exploring and then refining.
I often have no idea what I'll end up with when I mount a piece of wood and grab the skew. Very different from making a piece of furniture. pic - though not a very good one - in alt.binaries.pictures.woodworking subject same as this post
charlie b