Woodturning Firewood Log To Bowl: The Problematic Poplar - Potential Paint Pour Project?

[@johnpbh]

Oh thank goodness.... so many people make the bottom of bowls look easy. Great to see that there are others out there just like me. Love the wood and the shape of this bowl. Stay safe.

[@LisaRamlow]

Lol, I just ordered my Official Lifetime Member of The Woodturner’s Funnel Club t-shirt. I’ve qualified several times 😂

[@mikec53]

I like it. The poplar has character and so do you! You hung in there! You won! I once made a 3 legged table to sit besides my gas grill. The poor thing looked so bad I put it out of it's misery with a sledge hammer. My sister cremated it in her wood stove. It just happens to all of us. Be safe and TY for posting.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Mike, RIP your little table 😂 Everything is a learning experience I guess, and an opportunity for experimentation of things go sideways. Thanks for watching & sharing 😃

[@davidnickell9381]

Beautiful piece. I'm glad I'm not the only one digging through my firewood pile for pieces to learn from. I'm also glad you posted this as I learned a lot from it. Thank you.

[@davidnickell9381]

For what it's worth, I have thrown more failed bowls into the wood stove in my shop than I have finished out. It's a process...

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi David! It is a bit frustrating but is part of the learning curve I guess. I tend to have slightly unrealistic expectations of myself and that doesn’t help! 😂

[@davidnickell9381]

@@LisaRamlow You did an impressive salvage of a piece that definitely would have gone into my stove. That says a lot.

[@billmaxwell640]

What a great recovery. I have a habit of tearing the side off my tenons and watching my almost finished bowl bounce off my work light and break in two. Who says turning is boring! The major take away from this video is the fate change for a 50 foot poplar I felled last summer and is laying , without branches, in the woods beside our house. My plan was to chop it up and haul it to our community burn pile for next years New Years neighbourhood party. No more...the plan has changed....now I have unlimited bowl fodder. It’s a joy to watch and listen to you enjoying one good turn after another. Thanks from The Greater Madawaska Valley in Ontario Canada.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Bill, I’m glad you are enjoying the videos and can commiserate 😂 I think this piece is technically one of the aspen varieties of the Populus genus, though I’m not sure which one. I figured poplar (of any sort) would be great wood to practice on, and experiment with paint, dyes, and other sorts of embellishments. Thanks for watching! 😃

[@mr.modern4419]

I really like this bowl in spite of the mismatched grain, no biggie to me. Great recovery from your unfortunate mishap. You are a true woodturning warrior!

[@LisaRamlow]

I am persistent! And this piece did grow on me 😁

[@helenburke9507]

I think a sweet lidded box. Just for treasures. I love the natural look of any wood. Especially, as it comes out , the more you work it. Such a reverence you have to the wood. It really shows in your work. Thank You.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thank you Helen, I appreciate that! 😊

[@lakeshorewoodturner5136]

It looks nice Lisa. I enjoy the fact that no matter how long you have been doing turnings in the blink of a eye anything can happen. How you recover is important. Well done.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thank you! It does get a bit frustrating but I guess that’s part of the deal. 😁

[@davemccann7510]

Lisa, Nice save , although I agree with your sentiments. One option I have used when faced with nothing to "line up to" for the tailstock, is capture the bowl in a home made doughnut chuck. Enjoy watching all you videos and also your narrative. Too many times, the "experts" make everything seem so simple, that we viewers are left wondering why we always seem to face struggles that the experts do not. Thanks for sharing.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Dave, thanks for watching. I figure I should show all of it - good, bad, ugly, and otherwise 😁

[@curtisstacy5829]

Great save. We all have those moments where we go too deep. I think the bowl turned out great. Thanks for sharing.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Curtis. I always think I’m good and then.....rats. It’s a funnel 🙄😂

[@crystalswenson8844]

Thank you for sharing your frustrations. Some people would not even show this video because you had to fix it instead of just turn it. Showing it tells all of us that things don't always turn out like we want them to turn out. Don't let problems define you or defeat you. I like the idea of a bowl for a 5K giveaway. It will allow you to practice on the bottom of the inside!

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Crystal! Yes, I think it’s important to show the good, the bad, and the ugly - might help someone else salvage a piece they’re working on, or just to show that not everything turns out like you plan. Another vote for a bowl - check!

[@thomasverdi2056]

Overall looks great. Over coming issues is what makes us better at our craft. Good video

[@LisaRamlow]

Thank you Thomas!

[@patriotamerican62]

I think pretty cool that we got a lady wood turning. Good job.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thank Allan! There are a few of us here on KZbin and a bunch more out there turning off camera! 😁

[@kathywidmer1439]

I’m glad you saved it! It’s absolutely beautiful and worth every bit of effort and patience

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Kathy. I’m persistent if nothing else 😂

[@dankrupp6584]

Thanks so much for sharing your challenges and triumphs with us. It is great to know that my issues are not mine alone!

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Dan! There’s a whole club of funnel makers, among other things in the turning community. We’re Among good company! 😃

[@joeywalker4392]

Nice looking bowl Lisa. I'mglad I'm not the only one that has trouble getting the bottom of a bowl done without humps and waves in it. You did a nice job putting the new bottom on. Great job and video. Have a great weekend.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Joey, there’s a large membership in the Funnel Club 😂

[@cherifowler137]

Very nice! Thanks for showing how to deal with a blow out! Beautiful!!

[@LisaRamlow]

This is one way, and it grew on me. It was actually the first piece that sold at a relatively upscale gallery so just goes to show you what I know 🤣

[@bawbreizhartwood]

Hi Lisa A very nice job, nice finish, nice wood grain, perfect! I really like😉👍 Morgan

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Morgan! This was definitely a process 😂

[@danwalton395]

Good recovery! Glad to see that I'm not the only one that turns funnels.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Dan! I just ordered my Official Lifetime Member of The Woodturner’s Funnel Club t-shirt, YT it’s coming from the UK so I dunno how long it’ll take to get here 😁

[@danwalton395]

@@LisaRamlow Hahaha. So do you have a link?

[@LisaRamlow]

www.woodturnersfunnelclub.com

[@danwalton395]

@@LisaRamlow Thanks much. We can be twins.

[@davidconaway2830]

I uttered several expletives for you when the bottom gave out. Great job of hanging in there and making it work while saving it from the burn pile.

[@LisaRamlow]

Me tooo! Quite a long string of them actually. 😬. But I figure it’s good to show the boo-boos and some possibilities for a fix - might help someone else save a piece 😁

[@johndalby6149]

Great choice, glad you didn’t paint! I am a 73 year old man and have recently got into woodturning and really love what you do. Especially that you make mistakes but still end up with lovely pieces!

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi John! This one was definitely too pretty to paint but I’m going to be getting some willow that should make nice candidates for paint pouring and some other embellishments I’ve got in mind. 😊

[@mako160962]

Nice work Lisa, the fact you rescued it made this a really interesting watch. 👍👍

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Mark! I figure I should show the good, the bad, and the ugly 😂

[@larryfontenot2206]

Enjoyed the video, especially the commentary. I am new and enjoy the finishing lesson. Thanks.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Larry, I’m glad you found it helpful 😁

[@TheDanyBelanger]

Hi Lisa, nice little bowl. Thank you for sharing your work even when everything dont go as planned. It is very usefull for new woodturners.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Dany, much appreciated 😊

[@mikksweeney8804]

It is very refreshing to see the mistakes people make. I love the honesty of the bowl. Its all good. PS I love sanding :)

[@LisaRamlow]

Hey Mikk! Sometimes it doesn’t go how you’d like but being persistent can pay off and maybe this will help someone else feel better about making a funnel of their own 😂

[@Pigfarmer51]

I don't "hate" sanding, but if I ever say I love it, someone is pointing a gun at me!

[@traceyevans215]

I think it’s gorgeous the grain is really unique. None of us are perfect so trying to produce something perfect is impossible. I love the fact you left the blowout in the video. It’s always nice to know we all have issues with “WHOOPS” 😂😂😂😄🤗🤗🤗🤗

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Tracey! Yeah I think I have some relatively high expectations but that does push me to try to improve so it’s not all bad 🙃

[@BrickhouseCraftWorks]

Looks great Lisa! Glad to see you worked through all of the roadblocks you faced! - Seth

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Seth! I certainly made a project out of this one! 😂

[@WithTheGrain527]

I think you did an amazing job at recovering that :) its so pretty! Thanks for sharing Lisa.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Matt - I actually like the contrasting bottom from the outside I just wish I’d remembered to line up the grain through the hole in the inside bottom. Its like an OCD thing I guess. But the wood, which another viewer said he thinks is the Aspen part of the poplar family, is beautiful and oh boy did I get it thin! 😬😁

[@WithTheGrain527]

@@LisaRamlow haha I know how you feel with the OCD!

[@thomaskahan3922]

I actually like the disruption (is that a real word? English isn't my mother tongue) between the lines. It summarizes the philosophy of the design change opportunity: just take another road. Lovely bowl. I'll keep in mind the idea of glueing a new bottom instead of throwing the whrecked work away. Thanks Mrs. Ramlow. And please don't be too hard on yourself...

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Thomas! Yes, disruption is a word and I agree - I like the different woods, I just wish I’d remembered to line up the grain on the inside of the bowl. Oh well - it’s a pretty little bowl and I’m probably the only one who cares if the grain is in line! Thanks for watching and for taking the time to leave me a comment, I really appreciate it! 😃

[@lewisgreenway5065]

First time watching one of your videos, I admire your honesty and perseverance, you are learning on the job, brave of you to share the mishaps and your solutions to the encountered problems, I have subscribed and look forward to watching you progress, I did wood turning many years ago and gave up moving on to other work, just enjoy watching now.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Lewis, welcome! I’m glad you are enjoying the videos. I started this channel to sort of chronicle my turning journey and figure I should show all things - good, bad, ugly, and otherwise 😃

[@TheBuckStopsHere480]

A VERY nice bowl! I'd be proud to own this piece.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Todd 😊

[@bryanmoir]

Beautiful! You always seem to know how to rescue things from the jaws of disaster. The more I watch you and others, the more I begin to appreciate that while your artistic and wood turning skills are amazing, the real secret in the sauce for any artist is the ability to "fix" things when disaster strikes so that the vision of the project can still move forward. And you dear Lisa, have that rare skill which is why you are such a great artist.

[@LisaRamlow]

Oh thank you Bryan, I appreciate the kind words 😊

[@timmills5873]

Nice rescue job and Such a pretty bowl! My heart sank for you when the bottom came away but you have created an even more interesting piece with a nice story to go with it! Thank you Lisa and keep on turning please!

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Tim, thanks so much. It is definitely frustrating to screw it up once you’re done but I seem to have a knack for it! 😂. Fortunately I’m persistent 😃

[@bryanholden6487]

Good save, Lisa. Well turned!

[@LisaRamlow]

Thank you Bryan 😊

[@OwDo]

Nice to see your solutions there Lisa. I made a funnel out of a bowl last week, myself. I've been waiting for inspiration on how to fix it. Thaks for the idea.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Owen, welcome to the Woodturner’s Funnel Club-we’re in great company 😂

[@soniaminter6665]

You have good control of your tools, nice to watch. Some of the videos I watch the end result is beautiful but getting there is frustrating because of the poor use of tools. Lovely bowl,good comeback

[@LisaRamlow]

Thank you Sonia, I really appreciate that! I’m working hard to learn to use the tools properly. The bottom-bowl gouge still confounds me but I’m persistent! 😃

[@bdemaree2672]

Like the poplar Lisa. There are some beautiful colors that show up. When I am cutting firewood I end up setting alot aside that seem too pretty to burn. Thanks for explaining as you go along. Beautiful bowl, you were right not to paint 🤠

[@LisaRamlow]

Me too, it takes forever to stack firewood! 😂

[@GigaCahd967]

Lol, I just did the same thing, nice looking live edge bowl and bang right through the bottom. Thanks for the idea, I’ll try it out.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Sandra! I just ordered my Official Lifetime Membership in The Woodturmer’s Funnel Club T-Shirt 😂

[@GigaCahd967]

@@LisaRamlow 🤣

[@grumpyswoodturning7390]

As a new Woodturner I really appreciate seeing an established Woodturner such as yourself still make mistakes and recover from them and not be ashamed of it. Poplar is one of the main trees that we have in our area here in East Tennessee so it’s one of the woods that I have to work with mainly. I’m lucky to have friends that send me word from there downed trees such as Maple and cherry every once in a while. ....🇺🇸GrUmPy🇺🇸....

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi there! I’m not sure how establishes I am but I figure I should show you guys the good, bad, ugly, and otherwise! It may help someone else find a way to save a project that has gone sideways. And just wait til I get this week’s video uploaded - it’s quite a lesson in perseverance 😂. Hoping to have the new one up later today, and it’ll have the giveaway info so keep an eye out for it! 😃

[@philipvale1674]

Hi Lisa , in the end it ended up being a lovely little bowl, i'm relatively new to small wood turning as I used to make large pieces for finials for buildings on the outside so there anything from 8 to 10 inches in diameter and quite long, anyway just before Christmas I was doing thanks summer to you and yes I done the same thing I made a hole in the bottom but what I done I made the whole slightly bigger in the bottom and tried it up so I ended up with about 16th or an 8th inch thickness of material in the bottom, then I turn the spindle with a tenant on the bottom which then the bowl then sat on and I've got a better surface area for gluing up, The shaft ended up being around about 4 inches long which I then made up another piece to mounted it on the bottom has a foot and finished turning it, it ended up looking very nice. Stay safe, keep up the good work, practice makes perfect, I am a retired English gentleman living in France and I think that I am still learning things at my time of life. Phil from the Moulin in France

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Phil, thanks for watching 😊 That’s a great idea for fixing the bottom, I’ll have to remember that - but hopefully I won’t need to use it 😂

[@scottfarnham2717]

Nice save Lisa! Still looks good. Good job!

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Scott - I just a little hypercritical 😂

[@foreverturningpeterkipfer5468]

Ohhh Lisa how I feel your pain. I've lost count of how many bowl bottoms I've gone through, especially on that last ' may was well/I just want to get' cut. That being said, some of my best turnings have resulted from just that. As I use to tell my students, there was a no mistake in woodworking, just an opportunity to make it your own. Loved the video, you've got yourself a new subscriber.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thank you so much Peter - I’m learning to embrace unanticipated design changes 😂

[@jimhiguera1774]

Good job on recovering the bowl looks great !

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Jim, it was a frustrating end but I’m glad I saved it, even if I’m it thrilled with it aesthetically 🙄

[@alinmayerthorpe7801]

Lovely bowl Lisa and a very nice fix, having made a few funnels it is nice to see I am not the only one! Nice finish on your bowl and I look forward to your next project, thanks! Cheers Al

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Al! I think we all make funnels now and then, but it sure is frustrating! I checked the thickness 6 or 7 times along the way and did not think I was going to have an issue. Doh! 😂

[@davidmorgan7522]

Very nice funnel! I'm glad you showed us how to do that cause none of us has ever done that! LOL! Great job! Thanks for sharing. Take care, Dave

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi David, it was a lovely funnel wasn’t it!? I’m in good company 😁

[@davewerrett1242]

We the amateurs love it when you make mistakes because we can learn from them. Also what to look for during our turnings.

[@LisaRamlow]

I’m an amateur too! 😁

[@g.leebihm2588]

The bowl turned out great, nice save. I’ve only been turning for about three months now and find that finishing the inside bottom of a bowl is my biggest challenge.

[@LisaRamlow]

Yes me too and I’m almost at 2 years now!

[@margiesteininger3344]

i have seen many woodturning videos - love to watch it. most put a non skid pad inside the bowl when you turn it to do the bottom. keeps it more stable.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Margie, thanks for stopping by! I did use a piece of shelf liner between the jam chuck and the inside of the bowl, but it’s clear so it may not have been obvious. I had a thicker one that was black and was leaving a mark so I switched to this rug gripper from IKEA.

[@juanmontalva8379]

Lindo trabajo, a pesar de las dificultades supo salir adelante, hermosa pieza.... felicidades a la distancia. 👍💪

[@LisaRamlow]

Thank you Juan! 😊

[@prsearls]

I went through the bottom of my last bowl. It was my fault for not checking its thickness. I was trying to even out the inside bottom with my "bottom feeder" gouge, one I haven't used enough to develop the skill and feel to use it confidently. We all learn from our mistakes and their work arounds. You have a pretty grain in this one. I admire your persistence; mine will probably end up in my burn pit next spring. My neighbor across the street had several large, old popular trees removed a few weeks ago. I considered getting some pieces but I already have more cherry and sugar maple than I'll probably turn since I'm just a hobbyist.

[@LisaRamlow]

I still don’t have a good feel for the bottom feeder gouge and am mostly using my negative rake scraper. And I still make the bottoms way too thin way too often 😂

[@Woodturningwithbarry]

Lovely little bowl

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Barry! I’m glad I saved it even if I’m not totally happy with the “fix” 🙃

[@davidrosenkrantz4854]

I did the same thing a couple of weeks ago. It never went completely thru the recess in my plater, so I put a piece of tape on the inside then turned the bowl upside down . Then I filled the recess with epoxy. Turned out really well with just a little sanding.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi David! Resin was my thinking for the beech bowl I made into a funnel, as it was still a bit wet and went oval so re-turning it wasn’t really an option. But resin doesn’t really like moisture either so it’s still sitting on the counter with a hole in the bottom 😂

[@ThomsSimpleLife]

Congratulations on the 5K Lisa, well deserved. I'm sneakin' up on 1K myself. Hope the upward trend continues. I saw your arms just drop when the "bottom fell out", so to speak. Great fix Lisa.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hey Thom! There was a pretty long string of expletives uttered along with the arm drop 😬 Congrats on nearing 1k, I hit the sub button 👍

[@ThomsSimpleLife]

@@LisaRamlow Thank you Lisa. Do you collect stickers from fellow youtuber's?

[@LisaRamlow]

I still need to order stickers (and biz cards!) but am planning to do sticker swaps - keep an eye out!

[@oldmanwoodcraft]

Wow Lisa what a coolness .I would kick it, throw it in the trash and only then look for a solution. It came out very nice and the wood is beautiful. Well done great save .Cheers Ahron

[@LisaRamlow]

Oh Ahron I uttered a pretty long string of expletives when I went through the bottom, but I figured it would be a good opportunity to try a repair technique. Would’ve been happy enough if I’d lined the damn grain up! 🙄

[@helenburke9507]

Gorgeous piece!!!!!!

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks!

[@jackthompson8019]

Great recovery Lisa. I think that you should do a lidded box for your give away. I would love to have one of your turnings.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Jack, thanks for watching. Another vote for a lidded box - check! 😃

[@wakelywanderer12]

An old timer once told me “There’s no such thing as mistakes, just cheap tuition.” He wasn’t talking about wood turning but it often applies. Some projects are good learning experiences.

[@LisaRamlow]

Yep, good advice. I am embracing the “design change opportunity” philosophy 😂

[@georgepauselli769]

Very nice piece sanding drives me nuts stay safe X

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi George! Sanding is no fun but is definitely necessary. If I don’t record the sanding I can at least turn on the music and that helps! 😃

[@SilverBack.]

A large ish lidded bowl, You stuck with it well done 👍👍

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Douglas!

[@richkeelan1312]

Great looking bowl hated to see that mishap but nice save nice grain great job

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Rich. Keeps me humble, that’s for damn sure! 😂

[@dustycornerscalgary2208]

Welcome to the funnel club Lisa ,great save stay safe

[@LisaRamlow]

Damn funnel club! 😂

[@WoodScamp]

Hey Lisa, a brilliant recovery into a lovely lightweight bowl to be proud of! Lost count of how many times I've misjudged the depth of a hollow form and sent it spinning from the lathe. Nice work! Chris

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Chris - I know I’m in good company 😊

[@kenharper616]

Love your videos. Thanks for sharing.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thank you Ken 😊

[@MayhemZwifting]

Im making some of the same mistakes, i would of blown that bowl up. Thinner than i can go. Nice piece in the end. Good turning techniques used. Keep them coming!

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Trev! I was afraid i was gonna blow it up, but instead just blew through the bottom! 😂

[@markhall1510]

Nice job, Poplar has surprisingly nice grain patterns. I can never get the bowls that thin.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Mark! I should STOP getting bowls this thin!😂

[@pambozkurt5277]

Great save. It is a pretty piece of wood. I think a bowl would be a nice 5K giveaway!

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Pam! It was definitely a labor of love for this little bowl but I am persistent if nothing else 😂

[@trurex007lee7]

Nice bowl. I think a lidded box would be unique give away.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thank you - vote for box, check 😃

[@noahcount7132]

It's fortunate that you saved this delightfully figured poplar bowl by grafting the elm bottom to it, Lisa. It would have been a shame to hide the natural beauty of the wood beneath a coat of paint.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Noah, this piece grew on me 😁

[@johnvaluk1401]

Very nice Lisa, ehh it happens, but you recovered and carried on. I don’t turn wood but knowing me if I did that the bowl would have been thrown across the shop!!

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi John, thanks for stopping by! Yeah, I may or may not have uttered a long string of obscenities 😬

[@marilynbergevin836]

Sorry about going through the bottom. But it makes me feel better as a rookie turner I have cut through the bottom of 3 of my 5 first bowls. Yours turned out great. I am going to fix one of my bowls as you did with gluing a block on the bottom. Thanks for sharing the mistakes and how to fix the scary results of the learning curve.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Marilyn! Don’t worry, you’re in good company in the Woodturner’s Funnel Club! 😂 I’ve watched even seasoned pros misjudge what they’ve got left so I’m learning to look at is as another design opportunity 😃🤣

[@kennethlabbe1574]

I actually liked the idea of using a different species of wood after you turned off the bottom of the bowl. Plus so what the grain DIDNT “match”. Yours was great. Let everyone else match the grain. Anyone can do that! Nice work👍

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Kenneth! Thanks for the kind words - I am definitely my own worst critic!

[@bobpede4647]

Thanks for giving me a chuckle over my morning coffee.I've worked with poplar quite a bit and run into similar tear out issues.Never went thru the bottom like that[Yet].Nice save.Who says poplar doesn't make nice bowls?

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Bob! Poplar can definitely be pretty - I saw someone in a FB group who had gotten some rainbow poplar from a sawmill and it’s really cool! I was really surprised at how nice the grain was on this little bowl 😊

[@asingardenof]

Little imperfections give our creations character, and while as creators we only notice the flaws others can appreciate the whole more than we can. Or something. Either way, I'm glad you saved it from the firewood pile, the bowl looks great, and it's an important step on your way to being the turner you hope to be.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thank you Greg, much appreciated. I have slightly unrealistic expectations of myself pretty much across the board so it’s good for me to screw up pretty good once in a while and remind myself that I’m still learning. And that even seasoned turners make funnels occasionally-part of the deal I guess. 🙃

[@cookiescoop6065]

That turned out very nice. Now that's the second one that u had to put a new bottom in .never give up I like that .✌

[@LisaRamlow]

Ha, well it’s the first I’ve *actually* put a new bottom in - the beech bowl was a little wet and went oval so I don’t really have enough left to turn. It’s sitting on the counter with a hole in its bottom 😂

[@harryrisso7445]

I am a little late watching, very, very nice. Forget the paint!!

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Harry, it grew on me 😁

[@allyncross6973]

Hey Lisa, I am a relatively new subscriber to your channel having watched 1 or 2 of your other videos. This piece came out beautifully. I love the way you repaired your "funnel". That was a very slick idea and even if the grain is a bit off it looks good. Yall have a wonderful day.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks so much! This piece grew on me, and it was one of the first pieces that sold at a relatively upscale gallery, so I guess I did alright 😁

[@arthurslaughter4122]

Nice save. I can't say how many funnels I have managed to turn. It can be very frustrating. For repairing that I usually turn a short tenon on my repair piece that extends into the inside of the bowl and go from there.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Arthur! Damn that Funnel Club - I’m gonna have to get a shirt now!

[@clivefelgate9802]

We have all had those moments. That's part of the great joy of turning. What's really fun is finding a way out of the mire and finishing with something honest. Congrats on the growth of the channel. As to a giveaway, a simple pieces box would be a nice keepsake. Keep safe and well👍👍

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Clive! I’m glad I finished it, even though I’m super excited about the bottom 😬

[@johnmarkelewicz5495]

It turned out great Lisa! My heart sunk too when you funneled it, been there done that! But it's a learning experience for sure.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks John. I’m a frequent member of the funnel club - gonna have to get me one of those shirts! 🙄

[@emgiwoodworks]

What a great video Lisa! It appears that you have exactly the same problem finishing Poplar that I encountered, only you are better able to express them. The poplar I find over here often has knots in it making for hard & soft areas. That is difficult to grind. Unbelievable how you managed to go through that bottom! But you managed a great save, really well done. But still I believe we are at least together now in the opinion that Poplar is an underestimated species for turning? At least there are not many video's featuring it. I gave some of mine to Frank (TheTinyWorkshop), he said he will give it a go shortly.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hey Leo! I use poplar all the time, but kiln dried board stock as one of the other Bear Track girls (well both of them really but Lori is mostly doing the author/illustrator thing now and not so much art) is a 2D wildlife artist and I make all the frames for her originals. Cabinet grade poplar is clear of knots and paints really nicely. You can see Marie’s work at www.marierust.com I surely thought I had plenty left in the bottom but apparently I took a few too many passes trying to get rid of the ridges 🤬 But I will be in the lookout for more poplar to try. It was stringy when wet but this actually turned pretty nicely.

[@BAILEYWOODWORKS]

Awesome alliteration achieved!

[@LisaRamlow]

🙃 thanks for noticing and playing along 😁

[@tatdexter2334]

Nice save!

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks! This piece grew on me 😁

[@nighteagle317]

Oh no! The bottom is one of my trouble spots too. Glad you stayed with it. It looks good to me! Oh, for your giveaway, maybe make a box. Cheers, Paige C.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Paige! I know a lot of turners struggle with the bottom so I’m in good company but it is frustrating to know *what* you’re supposed to do and *how* you’re supposed to do it and still not be able to do it consistently! Need more practice on that part for sure. Thanks for watching 😃

[@oscara8111]

Still stunning and every mistake you make makes you a better turner.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thank you Oscar, I think mistakes are often the best way to learn - and sometimes you figure out something really cool by thinking outside the box....errr, bowl? 😂

[@leohandycraft]

Karya yg indah kawan..👍👍

[@bradwiebelhaus7065]

Nice bowl.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Brad 😊

[@markhall1510]

Nice recovery!!

[@LisaRamlow]

😬😁

[@victorprimack8569]

Lisa first beautiful piece. Second I recently watched a video with either Mark Sillay or David Ellsworth, both skilled turners, working on a club lathe at a demonstration. They were having the same problems with the lines you complain about. On this particular video there was also a converter on the headstock and that seemed, in the pros opinion to be the source of the problem. You seem very competent with your tools it might just be you lathe that’s the problem. They also mentioned to be sure your Morse taper was clean when using drive centers with that function. Hope it helps your too good a turner to be doubting yourself.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Victor! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment. In the time since I made this video, I have gone exclusively to the SuperNova2 chuck, which is a direct thread for my spindle, or a glue block and I do think that has helped. I also have been grinding the heel of the bevel back some and that seems to help make sure I’m not “bruising” the wood by pushing against it. I still have an issue with weird lines occasionally but it isn’t nearly as bad. My technique is improving as well and that never hurts 😁

[@billy19461]

Inside doesn’t bother me in the least. That’s a pretty bowl! Great video.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Billy. I’m definitely my own worst critic but I’m working on that! 😁

[@billy19461]

@@LisaRamlow Yea most of us are our worst critic. I find it really hard to forgive myself or to look over flaws that only I see.

[@dougrobins8291]

My first funnel was a 8" Purpleheart platter. I was devastated, but recovered by making a granadillo plug. The two wood colors complement each other (this coming from a guy who thinks the Wimbleton purple/green colors are great) :-)

[@LisaRamlow]

Gah! That’s a bummer but am glad you were able to save it

[@DiemenDesign]

Good job, sanding is most people's pet hate, lol. I like this piece, it's shape and grain is quite nice. I find Macrocarpa Pine to be a little problematic sometimes, like you had with this with marks appearing and such. I've found when sanding, if I soak in Methylated Spirits/Denatured Alcohol to open up the grain and raise the knapp, let that flash off completely, then rub in 1 pound Cut Shellac, leave that for a while so the alcohol dries up completely, this stiffens the fibre's, as well as helps with bringing out the Chattoyance in the grain.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks for the tips. I use denatured alcohol after sanding to help get rid of some of the dust and then out a coat of 1# shellac as a sealer/sanding sealer but unless the wood is really punky I don’t normally sand the shellac back - it seems to just clog up the sand paper. Do you find this too?

[@DiemenDesign]

I do, esp. if I don't let the Shellac fully harden.

[@joannecrombie6184]

Have you ever done a wood and resin bowl. This bowl is lovely!

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Joanne, thanks so much. And yes, I’ve done several wood and resin bowls, lidded boxes, hybrid egg...lots of goodies on the channel 😊

[@butthedd0233]

Nice save.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Tony 😃

[@RWAllen-oq9bj]

"One of a Kind" bowl... Nice...

[@LisaRamlow]

Thank you! The longer I’m away from it the more I like it. gonna see if I can come across more of that poplar/aspen. 😊

[@RWAllen-oq9bj]

@@LisaRamlow My father in law was a bit of a wood hobbyist. He would sell things as "Crafty Howard". He had a store owner that would place his products for customers to see. One of them was some sort of shelf. He said he messed them up, when he first made them, so he came up with a "nickname" for them. "Shoddy", but he used a different word. Turned out to be one of his Best Sellers.

[@vernsteinbrecker3759]

Nice save

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Vern!

[@robohippy]

Well, I watched it a couple of times to see if I could figure out the 'ring' problems on the outside and inside. With the inside, it is simple, you are getting bruising from the heel of the bevel on your gouge. I grind 1/2 to 3/4 of that bevel off. On a concave surface, if a sharp heel is rubbing the wood as you go down the inside, that sharp heel leaves bruises and broken fiber that some times even sanding through to the other side of the bowl doesn't seem to remove them. Grind that off and that should make a big difference. After seeing some one in our club do it, I have taken to doing the entry cut with the flutes more vertical. Sounds like it should be an immediate catch, but it doesn't seem to happen, and I don't know why. A note with that 'wing' cut, I have seen a lot of turners use it inside a bowl, and it seems to work very well. The note of caution is that if you roll it over too far towards the side of the bowl, and then come off the bevel, you can get some spectacular catches. For going across the bottom, I say that 'your steering wheel is loose'. So, going through the transition, you are doing a pivoting cut, very similar to what you do when you start to nibble off the outside corners of a rough bowl blank. When you start to go across the bottom, it is critical to keep your gouge angle consistent. It is a very gradual pivoting cut across the bottom, or if you are making a platter and want a flat bottom, if you have a 70 degree bevel on your gouge, then the gouge handle stays at 70 degrees, if that makes sense. We tend to look at the shavings coming off and change angles if the shaving gets wider or narrower. I think this comes more from going down the side of the bowl. If you have a slight hump, start before it and take a very narrow shaving at the beginning, and let it get a bit wider, then it tapers off again. You do this by keeping that handle angle/steering wheel going in the same direction, if that makes sense. I did do a video about that. For the outside of the bowl, I am not sure. For me, I would have finish turned it before I reversed it. This is easier to do if you have the headstock down at the end of the lathe. Not sure if you have the mobility kit on that Laguna, but who ever designed that one has no bowl turning experience at that end of the lathe.... Harumpfff! Since that wood is fairly dry, you should get very clean cuts, and then when you reverse it, about all you have to do is some light shear scraping. There is a possibility that the lines were from tear out, but those don't run all the way around the bowl. Bruises do. You may have been clamping down too hard on the gouge, and pushing too hard on the bevel. Two quotes I use, neither original, "The bevel should rub the wood, but the wood should not know it.' Difficult to learn, and not instinctive, well, not for most of us. The other quote is from an old black and white Hollywood movie about Cyrano de Bergerac, a famous swordsman. He disarms his student and then says, "Hold the sword as you would a bird. Too loose and it flies away. Too tight and you kill it." I had been using it for a while and a guest on the Roy Underhill show used it when talking about hammers.... These two compliment each other. If you have too tight of a grip and too much bevel pressure, the bumping you feel as you go down the side of a bowl, from end grain/side grain and against the grain and with the grain, it gets much worse. Relax the grip and the bump gets to be far less. Oh, It looks like your tenon is very precise. The shoulder and the sides seem to be more accurate if you use a very gentle NRS cut or even a standard scraper cut. Not quite so good with a gouge. If you are good, you can get less than 1/16 inch run out, which is plus/minus 1/32 inch. I do make sure about how much wood I have between the chuck jaws and the bottom of the bowl before I do finish cuts. I generally plan to leave it a bit thicker than I actually need, unless I am turning Madrone, which needs to be pretty exact because it loves to crack. I did one video on 'finding the bottom of the bowl'. That has saved me a number of times. I do try to guess, but I like to know exactly how much room I have. Stuart and Mike seem to know, but I think they have done more bowls than I have. Very nice piece, and you did manage to save it. I seldom get bottoms too thin, but have cored through the bottoms a few times, and my chucks bear the marks....

[@LisaRamlow]

I’m definitely making progress with the gouges - I did grind the heel back and that helps, and I’m working on getting a feel for gliding the bevel. I think you are right about the lines coming from pushing too hard and burnishing and/or bruising the wood, a few other have mentioned that as a possibility and since I’ve started using the scrapers for finishing cuts I’m not having that issue so I’m sure it’s a tool control thing. The other thing I’ve done for the last several pieces is put the 50mm jaws on my SuperNova2 and eliminating the spindle adapter. It isn’t always an issue but I think it may amplify any existing wobble or runout issues. Will add another chuck to my list, and am thinking hard about getting a Vicmarc VM120, though they seem to be sold out at the moment. I like the SuperNova2 fine and would be ok with another one of those as well, so we’ll just see how it goes. I’ve watched your video on the bottom multiple times. Hell, I’ve watched ALL of them multiple times over the 2 years I’ve been turning - I was waffling between getting a fluteless gouge or a bottom bowl gouge. I got the latter from Doug Thompson, but I’ve not been able to get a feel for it yet and it basically sits in my tool rack just lookin’ at me. The gouge I seem to prefer at the moment is the 60deg bevel fingernail grind that came on my Thompson 5/8 gouge, though I think I’m bringing the wings back further every time I sharpen it and it may end up being a swept-back wing grind before too long. I have 2 ground at 55deg with the long wings and 1 40/40 grind I ordered from Cindy Drozda but I find the 60deg in my hand most often. And I’m getting better with that going across the bottom - I think I’ve been trying to steer it with my left hand rather than guide with my right. But it’s definitely coming along and the scrapers are becoming a big part of my process 😁 I do need to make one of the simple wire thickness gauges you have for the walls and learn to stop taking that “one last pass to clean this up a little bit” - usually ends in disaster and much cussing 🙄

[@robohippy]

The tendency when going across the bottom is to use both hands to push. One of those eye openers for me was Stuart Batty commenting that when you use both hands to push your gouge across the bottom, you get more waves. I use the fluteless gouge if I am only trying to take off 1/16 or so, If I am going down 1/8 or more, I have several. I have a couple of 'detail' gouges, or spindle detail gouges which have a ) shape nose and the 70 degree bevel. They work well because you can go up to a really high shear/slice angle. I have one of Doug's U flutes that is ground to 60 degrees, and 40 degree sweep. I also have some old half round fluted gouges that I did the same thing to. Funny thing is that switching tools some times seems to work, and not because of sharpness..... Just because.

[@johnreedy7037]

Great video Lisa! Thanks for sharing the issues you had with this one, it lets beginners like me see that even experienced turners can make mistakes, and I get to learn ways to fix them! For your giveaway how about a nice pair of candlesticks or tea light candle holders?

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi John, I’m glad you’re enjoying the videos. I figure I should show all the things, good or bad and maybe my mistakes will help someone else. Hadn’t thought about candle holders, will definitely give that some thought! Thanks for watching 😊

[@mpart_woodlathe-stuff]

Noticed today the title reminds me of one of those verb tenses I learned about in French class ... "Painte Pour Peut'etre Plus Parfait" perhaps ?

[@LisaRamlow]

I didn’t take French in school. In fact, I didn’t take any foreign language as it wasn’t required and I was taking college prep classes for engineering, so calculus and physics, etc. I wish I’d taken Spanish as that stuff is so much easier to learn where you’re younger!

[@mpart_woodlathe-stuff]

@@LisaRamlow Only thing French did for me was to pass out of taking it in college - 'twas an old fashioned engineering school ... but I never did well in either calc or physics. Ugh.

[@LisaRamlow]

I went to GMI, which started as General Motors Institute, then changed names to GMI, then changed to Kettering, which I think it still is. Didn’t finish cuz I was 18 and knew everything 🙄

[@mpart_woodlathe-stuff]

@@LisaRamlow Yeah me too. 10 yrs to go from Mech Engr student to BA psych degree.

[@k9insomniac783]

The price of your bow gouge could buy 5 sets of gouges that I currently own lol. I’m a beginner and bought a harbor freight set for cheap before I spent good money on good gouges. I figured if I could turn something nice with cheap tools and decided to stick with wood turning, then I would invest in better equipment. Your work is far superior to my work. I enjoyed your video and look forward to the others I’ve not seen yet.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi there! I’m glad you’re enjoying the videos. I started with a couple of carbides and then bought some entry level gouges. Only recently have begun upgrading to really nice tools since I finally figured out I want to be a Woodturner when I grow up! 😂 Anyway, starting out without blowing a huge wad of cash is smart and you’ll figure out from the cheaper tools which ones and sizes you like so when you do splurge on a nice one, it’ll get used. I definitely have my favorites 😁

[@jontoolman]

Thanks for sharing. Turning willow seems similar to your poplar.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Jon! I have a bunch of willow waiting for me at a friend’s house - huge tree so I should be able to get some good sized bowls from that, and I think that will work nicely for some paint/ink embellishments 👍

[@larrystanley3886]

like ive always said i enjoy your vidiios . but when i see you fough turning you make it look so easy. iknow its yout experinse but it seems yout tools are very sharp, im a newbi in the process of buying my own shoulg i go with the more expensive tools or should i wait till i get more expierince. sorry for bugging you so much and my bad spelling. thanks for your time

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Larry! As I’m gaining experience I’ve been slowly upgrading my traditional tools to Thompson but I started with cheaper tools. I don’t recommend buying a complete “set” of tools as they usually come with things you won’t use much. I have an old cheap set of Craftsman spindle turning tools (spindle tools commonly have a flat tang rather than a round bar and should never be used on bowls or on pieces that are mounted on the lathe in that orientation so you have side grain, then end grain, then side grain…the tangs are not strong enough to handle the forces of the end grain. These type gouges should only be used on blanks mounted in the spindle orientation where the side grain runs parallel with the bed ways). Anyway I started with the regular beech handled Hurricane bowl gouges and have been really happy with them. They hold an edge pretty well and are decent tools to start with. What you’re turning (primarily bowls, or spindles, or pens, etc) will dictate the tools you should look for although I recommend waiting on buying spindle gouges since a bowl gouge can be used on spindles and any other blank. How big is your lathe? If you’re doing smaller bowls a 1/2” bowl gouge and maybe a 3/8” would be sufficient. You’ll also need a parting gauge of some sort. I do use carbide tools for some things so those are options too but I prefer the traditional tools for most of my work. Check out the Hurricane tools - you can get them on Amazon or from The Woodturning Store - this is the set I have www.thewoodturningstore.com/hurricane-three-piece-bowl-gouge-set-3-8-1-2-5-8-high-speed-steel-w-handles/ How are you sharpening?