Woodturning - Turn a Square Bowl [It's pretty simple]

For my latest woodturning project, I made a simple square bowl out of catalpa wood. Square bowls are one of my specialties - I've made hundreds of them. In this video, I talk through the process and try to provide a basic overview of how I turn them and maybe ease some fears a bit. I mostly use a bowl gouge, but my skew and my bowl scraper each make a brief appearance as well.
This is probably going to be part one of a two part video (assuming part two goes okay). In part two, I plan to embellish the piece. First, I'll sandblast the wood since catalpa is semi ring porous. That will open the grain even more and allow me to dye the wood, then fill the open grain with a contrasting color to achieve a cool effect.
Please note, this is NOT intended to be instructional and is not a project for a beginner. Please do not attempt things that are beyond your skill level or your comfort level. Nothing takes the fun out of woodturning like broken bones or blood loss (trust me). The only rules are: 1) Be careful; 2) Have fun.
Thanks SO much to everyone who has watched and subscribed! I really can't believe how much positive feedback I've received. It's pretty overwhelming to me that so many people enjoy watching me turn stuff in my garage. I'm just some dude who loves to turn wood, trying to keep it simple and on the cheap... and share some tips and ideas along the way. Let me know if you have any questions!
My Etsy and social media links are below. If you're interested in purchasing a piece featured in a video, message me. Thanks again to everyone who has subscribed! Please check out my other videos too!
chadeameswoodworks.etsy.com
/ chadeameswoodworks
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chadeames.com

[@loucinci3922]

Turned out real nice. Thanks for sharing

[@richkeelan1312]

Beautiful bowl can't wait to see part 2 Great job

[@joelspring2487]

Well done Sir! Looking forward to part 2!

[@billrobinson8939]

You sure make it look easy. I'll try it! Thanks for a great video

[@waltervancleave6495]

Think you! Enjoy all of your videos. Look forward to the future videos. The square bowl is very nice. Will look great as a center piece. Best wishes from Ohio. WALTER

[@brucerowan6630]

Excellent video, enjoyed your work.

[@michaelj2439]

Great video and Excellent work!

[@dianeclemmer1344]

Beautiful wood ❤️

[@Sidswoodworkingprojects]

Nice job. I'm gonna have to try one of these.

[@wandapiedra8973]

Gorgeous piece. I enjoy watching your videos. 👍❤️

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thank you!

[@Hamit_HMT]

Nice work. Thank you.

[@mountainviewturning5319]

Great looking bowl 👍

[@albertdawson6814]

Wow very nice piece. Thank you for sharing. Happy New Year

[@sweetlandsheatingcooling9039]

Nice work.

[@grandpaticktock0184]

Excellent job nice project nice explanation and appreciate that the only music is the sound of the tools many blessings

[@StanWatt.]

Nice work!

[@sethwarner2540]

Ha! (11:59) Got pretty good cut, so sanding should go smoothly! Seriously, tho, Great job. I thought, after that crack about sanding going smoothly, you would talk about turning air. I love catalpa wood; it smells almost like motor oil, and will not rot( I use catalpa for other outdoor projects). Im liking and subscribing cuz of your plain style of talking and NO MUSIC.

[@RumahBubutRB]

awesome bowl

[@robohippy]

Nice to see some one who actually is competent with their tools. So many have videos up that barely know how to turn. Like the tape over your pockets.... I turn in shorts without pockets... and a smock... I did do a couple of pieces out of catalpa, and the smell is one that kind of makes me sick/head achy....

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thanks so much for the kind words! I’m glad someone else hates the smell of catalpa. To me it smells like a dirty ashtray. I have been meaning to find some better turning clothes, but that will cut into turning time. Haha. Thanks for watching!

[@HaythamMahmoud2010]

Good job 👍 I think u need more support, U are a clever man 👌👌

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thank you so much! I’ll take all the support I can get... feel free to share my videos and social media! 😉 I appreciate you watching!

[@gerrysmith4493]

Very beautiful job! Excellent job with instructions! I will be subscribing I enjoy your style! Have great blessed day! 😁 Gerry

[@mbahsir]

Very good

[@oficinanasala]

Parabéns belo trabalho

[@bucktownwoodworks7737]

You don’t see many work with Catalpa. Nice.

[@robertcornelius3514]

Awesome grain pattern. I start my sanding at 320. Lol

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Lol. I want to see you start at 320 on green catalpa. 😂

[@teamwild_UK]

I just discovered your channel whilst looking for inspiration. I’ve not done a square platter in a while so I’m now off to give it ago. Am I right in thinking you have tapped up your pockets to stop shavings? That’s genius! Cheers, Ben

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Hey Ben...Haha... yes, that is exactly why I tape my pockets shut sometimes. Thanks for watching!

[@paulgreen2863]

I have thought about doing a square serving plate. I have some red oak 2"x??? I think that will do nicely. Thanks for the video.

[@carsonwells1785]

First time I'd seen you on here. Nice looking work on the bow!. Where does katalpa grow? I've seen two of the trees in 72 years, one in central NH and the other on the MA cape. Both were large, old trees with beautiful blossoms. I look forward to your next video. Thanks for sharing with us.

[@romeovidalrodriguez7754]

Y acá estamos...

[@MayhemZwifting]

Very nice work, great tips thanks. Im going give this a try also. 3500rpm lol

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Good luck!

[@markchoitz443]

nicely done Chad, always a challenge with those corners, I thought the wood was wet but it looked like sanding dust coming off, did you let it dry a while before sanding? sandblasting will be cool.

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

It was very green wood, but I just waited until the surface moisture dried then sanded with a somewhat light touch. I sand a lot of wet wood, so I don't really even think about it. Although, I am waiting for it to dry a bit before sandblasting - I think it's about ready. Thanks for watching!

[@ThePapa1947]

Nice video! I am working on a bowl made from Catalpa right now. I find it an interesting wood. Yours seemed very dark at first compared to what I have. Was yours still a little wet? I picked up a number of pieces and could have gotten lots more but they were still big logs and hard to get out plus they were starting to rot. I did get a winged bowl out of one of the pieces last year. Looking forward to seeing your second part to this one. Take care, Gary

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thanks, Gary! Yes, mine was still pretty wet. I don’t care for the look of the wood, but it takes dye really well and I think I’ve dyed every piece of it I’ve turned. Part 2 should be out in the next day or two. I was surprised at how nice the color and grain fill turned out. Thanks for watching!

[@ThePapa1947]

Chad with me it is the choice of the finish on Catalpa. Oil based poly gives it a nice look. So does shellac..but that said it is not my favorite. Search for "Winged Catalpa bowl if you want to see what I did" My last video was a Dizzy Bowl with 8 or 9 different woods. I like all sorts of turnings and wood.

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

I have a couple more small logs of it, so I’ll have to try one with a natural finish. I almost always use Danish oil or a mix of BLO, poly, and mineral spirits for anything that isn’t dyed. I’m not big on the super glossy look unless it’s a smaller object.

[@joeblow7489]

Very nice, what rpm(s) do you use turning and sanding something like this.

[@steveblight2120]

Hi Chad -- I really like your videos and the stuff you do. I have a chunk of green white oak I'd like to try. When you make your square bowls with green wood, how do you dry them and then deal with cracks and warpage?

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thanks so much, Steve! Square bowls tend to be more forgiving than round bowls when it comes to warping and cracking, but it can certainly still happen. I generally don't mind warping, but most square bowls don't warp as much as round ones. In my experience, straight grained pieces do pretty well drying, but if there's some irregular grain it might be more apt to crack as the tension in the wood changes. Turn it to a consistent thickness (I generally aim for 1/4" to 3/8"). You want to slow down the drying process after the piece is turned - I recommend putting it in a couple of paper grocery bags or wrap it in brown paper from those yard waste bags or something similar. Check on it daily for cracks - they most often happen on the edges where the end grain is and on the bottom where your tenon is. If you leave the tenon on, you might consider sealing it (just the tenon) with some Anchorseal, wood glue, or something similar. This slows the drying of the tenon even more since that's the thickest part of your bowl. CA glue can help stop cracks if you find any. I hope that helps! Some square bowls I dry in paper bags and some I dry without wrapping them at all; you just kinda have to get a feel for it. Thanks for watching!

[@steveblight2120]

@@ChadEamesWoodWorks Thanks for all the great info! I have a square piece of cherry on my lathe right now, just getting ready to roll (or turn, actually)...

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Good luck! I’m sure it will go just fine. 👍

[@engyec]

I tried few times to turn such bowl but they keep on breaking or bacome rounded instead of aquare What wood do you use? What size? Your plate looks amazing!!

[@vernabink2865]

Very interesting. What is the importance of sealing your pockets?

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

It’s just so they don’t fill with shavings.

[@DancingFox6]

When you mounted your bowl on the jam chuck to finish the tenon, it looked close to perfectly centered. One question. How?

[@DancingFox6]

Thank you for your wonderful instruction. I found your videos while searching for tips on turning a square piece. Now a subscriber 😁

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thanks so much! I always use the point of my skew to mark the center of my tenon (or else my tailstock does it for me if I’m using it) then I use that point to hold it against a pad in the headstock when I reverse it. Technically I don’t think it’s a jam chuck; I’m really sorta holding it between centers. It doesn’t always work out perfectly, trust me. 😁 Especially if you let a bowl dry some before reversing it. Did you notice the pad part I’m referring to?

[@jeaniedyer282]

Chad, could you tell me the dimensions of the blank you started with? I definitely want to do one of those square bowls! Good to see and hear you as well! 👏👏

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thanks! The blank was about 9”x9”. For a first try, I highly recommend something in the 5”-6” range. Thanks so much for watching! Let me know if you have any other questions.

[@jeaniedyer282]

@@ChadEamesWoodWorks Thanks Chad. That’s a very good idea!

[@briefcasefullofbacon7291]

WHat lathe are you using?

[@Derkin2005]

Using carbide?

[@dr.skipkazarian5556]

Hi Chad....first, an excellent job on a tough (dangerous) project; second, just curious...are you related to Charles or Ray Eames? Looking forward to your future projects. Best wishes and stay healthy.

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thank you! I don't think I'm related to Charles or Ray Eames, but I am definitely a big fan of their work!

[@jq71]

".... the sanding should go smoothly" :)

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Haha! 😂

[@shed.projects5150]

great piece of work. I think a cordless drill would be a worth while investment though, from a safety point of view.😁

[@Luisppk2812]

What about cutting all straight (many plates) from the log and then using vapor with a concave mold (pressuring)? Using your technique, is too much waste of a log. What do you think?

[@philvinci9740]

love the video but with volume all the way up could barely hear you.

[@MrWacopilot]

You must have stopped at least 500 times. But nice looking bowl

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thank you... what’s wrong with stopping? It’s the best way to check your cuts on a square bowl... since the surface is much harder to see and you sure can’t do it with your fingers like with a round bowl. What’s your approach to square bowls?