Wood Turning: Turn a Bowl

About this event

So you want to make a bowl out of wood? You've come to the right place.

By the end of this workshop, you'll be able to: 

• Identify the appropriate wood orientation to make a "face grain" bowl
• Learn how to mount a bowl blank to the lathe using a face plate
• Turn a tenon on the bowl blank and prepare it to be mounted in a scroll chuck
• Shape the outside of the bowl
• Shape the inside of the bowl 
• Remove the tenon using a "Jamb" chuck and chisel
• Understand how you would go about finishing your bowl (Subject to time constraints).

Overall this session will focus on using a bowl gouge and performing a "push" cut to perform nearly every cut on the bowl blank. You'll also learn how to avoid "catches" with the bowl gouge. And as time permits, you'll learn how to recognize "tear out" and ways to address or avoid it to greatly reduce sanding time.

In this class: You'll mount the bowl blank, turn the tenon, turn the outside shape and do a first-pass sanding. You'll next flip your bowl around, mount it in the scroll chuck, carve the inside, and give the inside a bit of sanding. Once you're done shaping the inside, you'll learn how to remove the tenon with a "jamb" chuck and a chisel.

Recommended equipment: Technocopia will provide you with a bowl blank, a face shield and a sharp bowl gouge. However, we recommend that you wear a shirt with short sleeves (no longer than your forearm). If you have a wood turning smock with a neck closure, bring that along. (It keeps the wood chips out of your clothes). And, due to COVID, Technocopia requires masks at all times. 

Additional Information

• Please visit https://technocopia.org/directions for more information about getting to and parking around Technocopia.
• For this course, students are required to have already successfully completed Wood Turning 1 at Technocopia or received equivalent certification.
• If you already have wood turning experience, Email pictures of some of your more recent projects to mark.durrenberger@technocopia.org and you might be able skip Woodturning 1.
• Successful completion of this course will result in certification of Technocopia members to free use of the tools directly covered in the course. Non-members who complete this course will be eligible to participate in future project-based classes which require these tools.

About This Instructor

Mark Durrenberger is a lifelong woodworker. He first used a lathe when he was about 10 years old in his dad's wood shop. After a ~35 year break ( from wood turning :-), he took it up again in a big way and now produces about 100 bowls, vases, and hollow forms a year. He regularly sells his work at local craft events. 

Mark is a member of the American Association of Woodturners and The Central New England Woodturners. You can see his work on his instagram page https://www.instagram.com/durrenberger_wood_art/?hl=en. In his non-wood turning time, Mark is the President and Founder of New England Clean Energy. A Hudson, MA based solar and solar-charged battery installation company. In that capacity, Mark sells solar and battery systems. He also regularly teaches builders about solar systems and Net Zero homes through the Home Builders of Western MA and the Home Builders of Central MA.