Woodturning - Turn a Square(ish) Bowl from Half of a Log [Green wood turning project]

[@antoniocarlosfaria2381]

Congratulations mister Shad; Your job Was amazing and perfect

[@michaelfelixb1316]

sehr schön gemacht👌👏

[@pizzawarlord9232]

Enjoyed video.

[@HodgePodgeWoodWorks]

Square roots without a calculator..I'm impressed!

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Haha! I’ve always been a bit of a math geek. I have a degree in economics, so that’s pretty mathy. Although if it got much higher than 16 then the calculator would have come out.

[@antoniocarlosfaria2381]

Congratulations

[@jackthompson8019]

Harry turns one mean hollow form. Great job.

[@gregdownunderinOz]

Great video chad. Yes I’d like to be part of a zoom interactive video, they’re great too. I wouldn’t have thought to turn a bowl in this way. Great job. I’m down in Sydney Australia so time for a zoom would need to be considered.

[@joelspring2487]

Beautiful! Well Done Sir!!!

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thanks, Joel!

[@RickTurnsWoodturning]

Beautiful bowl, Chad!

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thank you, Rick!

[@DancingFox6]

Your square turning keeps getting better and better.

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thanks!

[@GigaCahd967]

Great bowl

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thank you!

[@andydavidson4108]

Beautiful piece. Really like the foot detail.

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thank you very much!

[@sweetlandsheatingcooling9039]

Very nice. The interactive demo sounds great!

[@mountainviewturning5319]

Great looking bowl

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thanks 👍

[@danielcross6815]

Great work as usual, my go to guy as I try to learn square edge bowls...is that a Peke air helmet? If so, are you happy with it? I'm considering one as my Trend Airpro may not be getting the job done.

[@richkeelan1312]

Beautiful love the shape , grain and color variations great job Chad can't wait for the demos

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thanks for watching, Rich!

[@wendyheller8390]

Really nice piece, I love how thin you were able to get it. Thank you for sharing!

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thanks for watching!

[@matthesharms9452]

And you turned it from green to bowl all the way? Wow. Great bowl. Aren't you worried it may bend or crack while drying?

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thanks for watching! This type of bowl isn't very prone to cracking, but it can happen. This one did form a couple small cracks that I stopped with CA glue and they blend right in. I usually dry in a paper bag for the first few days which also helps. I like the warping as they dry, but this one didn't move a whole lot. I hope that helps!

[@DougMilleratWoodSpunRound]

Very nice bowl.

[@SilverBack.]

Great work Chad 👍👍👍👍

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thanks 👍

[@billy19461]

Had never seen a bowl like that. You did great. I will definitely try this.

[@JeffSmith-xt4py]

Great looking piece..

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thank you kindly

[@johngriffiths4874]

Wonderful work, great outcome.

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thanks!

[@BrickhouseCraftWorks]

Hey Chad, look forward to the remote demos. This piece turned out awesome! I love that you kept the natural edge. Thanks for sharing, man! - Seth

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thanks, Seth! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@michelefretts1758]

Looks great!

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thanks!

[@matthewschmalz852]

Very nice project!

[@emgiwoodworks]

I like that shape. Gonna try that myself some day soon. Thnx for sharing!

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Go for it!

[@markoutler5139]

I enjoy watching you work. You make it look so effortless and always end up with an outstanding piece.

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thank you so much!

[@denisvienat849]

Vraiment très jolie 👏👏 bravo

[@joelspring2487]

I have to tell you that for some reason this is one of my favorite videos that you have! I have watched it several times. I really like the design and shape and the way it shows off the grain. I just got a couple pieces of maple last week that I will have to try this technique with. Were you able to get your IRDs up and running?

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

I'm glad you enjoy this video! My square bowl videos seem to be the ones that get the most consistent viewing over time. They're fun to make and it's something a little different, I guess. I have not done any IRDs yet, but I do have everything I need to get them going... except the time. 😅

[@faustinianosaraviarodrigue5875]

Excelente trabajo

[@danielcross6815]

Sorry Chad, I noticed in later comments that you confirm it is a Peke...and screw any boo birds, your work and presentation are outstanding.

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thanks so much, Daniel! Yes, it the PowerCap Active helmet from Peke... and yes, I still love it. Thanks for watching!

[@jasonpermenter7621]

Great video Chad. I've always wanted to turn a square-ish bowl. How do you have the pvc pipe attached to the wire shelving for your turning tools?

[@jarmstrong2843]

Just rediscovered your channel. Nice square bowl. I rarely turn green wood and don’t know much about drying after it is turned. I assume since you basically turned out the pith, you did not experience any cracking and some movement in the wood as it dried. Thanks for sharing!

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Square bowls are generally more forgiving during the drying process than round bowls, but they can still crack. Of course, it depends on the species and grain orientation. I use paper bags to slow the drying and that seems to work pretty well in most cases.

[@davemccann7510]

What would be the reason to trig the diagonal rather than just mark and measure the piece of wood? Also what is your reason the find the turning center by measuring in from the sides rather than drawing lines from corner to corner? Not saying your method is right or wrong, just curious as to your reasons for doing it the way you do. Thanks and I did enjoy the video.

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

No reason, Dave. I just wanted to figure out a size that would nearly max out my lathe. Do whatever is easiest or works best for you. But there is actually a reason I mark the center based on the diagonal and the middle of the sides - the piece isn't a true square/rectangle, so the diagonals don't cross at the center of the longer one. Measuring the middle of the sides gives you another "center" to go by. If I had used the intersection of the diagonals, it would not have cleared the lathe bed. I only had about 1/4" clearance when it was mounted. Really, it doesn't matter how you find the center or even IF you find the center, as long as it rotates on the lathe. Thanks for watching!

[@boooshes]

Sometimes I will go ahead and wet sand a green piece like this just after turning, maybe down to 220 or so. Just sand and keep spraying with water so the slurry carries off the 'dust'. No airborne particles and very little to do once dry. Also can be done with oil, like walnut oil. That will slow down the drying a little, but some woods respond great. Need to cover the lathe bed, but it's not a big deal.

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Agreed... I use that method about half the time, but I've found the sanding goes considerably faster if you give it a couple days for the surface moisture to evaporate. Although, I do like being able to apply the oil to the wet bowl sometimes, so the reduced rate of drying will help prevent cracks from forming. That can definitely be advantageous. Thanks for watching and for sharing your tips!

[@kevingeaney7741]

For a square, multiply the side by 1.414 = the diagonal. The diameter of the circle that fits into a square = side of the square.

[@motrebal]

Nice but a bit more explanation of each tool that you use would be nice

[@jhindy4833]

What type of respirator did you use that had power vents on the head? Where did you get it? Thanks and love the video.

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

It's a Powercap respirator from Peke Safety. They're a little pricey, but I absolutely love it. Thanks for watching!

[@jhindy4833]

@@ChadEamesWoodWorks Thanks much. It looks like it not sold in the U.S. so the site you referenced is a good one. This unit looks superior to the Trend which I have been using for a while.

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

I’m in the US and got mine here. The company is also in the US. I think they sell out fast. I still get emails about them, so you might want to check the site again soon.

[@jhindy4833]

@@ChadEamesWoodWorks Did you purchase any accessories? I see they have a bundle package that looks useful.

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

The bundle is definitely the way to go.

[@gregdownunderinOz]

Chad, can you add to your videos the speed you turn at and how much faster the video is. Also if you leave out bits , like sanding . This would be very helpful to me, not a complete newbie but still getting things wrong occasionally.

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Hi Greg... my turning speed is usually 700-1000rpm, sometimes I'll go down to 500 or up to 1200. The video speed is usually 5x-10x and the very repetitive parts get cut short. Sanding is generally about 50% of the actual work, but everyone drops off at the sanding, so most of that gets cut. I hope that helps at least a little bit. Thanks for watching!

[@gregdownunderinOz]

@@ChadEamesWoodWorks g’day again Chad Thanks very much for info.. I have since turned quite a few square and squarish bowls, but now want to turn a very green piece of red iron bark, ( very red timber with a distinctive black hard bark). What I need to know is about the distortion and drying out and cracking. When do you oil or apply finish. Can you post finished bowl after it’s dried out. Thanks Gregory

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

I vary my process depending on the type of wood and how green it still is. You can sand and apply oil before it dries or after. With regard to cracking, the main things are 1) even wall thickness and 2) slow down the drying (I use paper bags). You really just have to experiment and see what works for your process, wood, environment, etc.

[@Alinverse]

Nice work. Nice design, and ultra thin, uniform walls. Nice seat as well. However, curious about checking and distortion after it dries. And, assuming that was water you sprayed after, curious again about logic of ultra-wetting it. Hope you do a follow up to show your results. My guess is that it will have checked and distorted. Hope not !,,

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Thanks for the kind words, Robert. You can see the finished piece on my IG/FB. Square bowls with regular grain don’t distort very much when they dry (varies species to species and other specifics), but I like and welcome the natural distortion even when they do. Checking is a possibility, and this one did check because I dried it aggressively, but I stopped it quickly (maybe you can spot the checks in the pics). There are ways to avoid checking. This wood was part of a tree less than two weeks earlier, so the wood was as wet as it gets; that’s why I don’t hesitate to spray it so much. I’ve turned hundreds of these bowls from many species so I usually know what to expect. Thanks for watching!

[@scottsimpey2965]

Nice bowl. What was the final wall thickness? Do you have any concerns about it cracking where the wood is so freshly cut? That wood has some really nice figure to it.

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

It's 3/16" thick. Yes, I do have some concern about cracking... and it did crack just a bit on each end. I stopped the cracks with CA soon after they formed, so they weren't bad at all. I should have dried it more slowly. Thanks for watching!

[@dr.skipkazarian5556]

Hi Chad.....you've really got a talent for the square edge design bowls....beautiful end product. Curious.....how wet was the stock (at least it looked pretty wet to me). I'm impressed especially with how seemingly aggressive you were yet managed (again) to turn out such of fine piece. Hope all is well and best wishes my friend.

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

Hey, Skip! Thank you! The wood was in a living tree two weeks earlier so it was pretty wet, but not slinging water like some species do.

[@silverlady1118]

Beautiful figuring, I love the shape Some of the camera angles are a bit far away gor a viewer using a mobile device to be able to appreciate the turning ☺ Thank you for sharing

[@gbwildlifeuk8269]

I dont see the need for all the maths when you know the swing of the lathe is 18" and to ensure the blank will fit you measure it! Diagonally or otherwise!

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

I don't see the need to measure it when you have math. :) It doesn't matter how you do it. If you have a better way, go for it! Mine worked perfectly. My main point was to calculate dimensions for blank size that will max out my lathe. I have at least 4 different ways to measure irregular blanks - basic math is just one of them. Thanks for watching!

[@gbwildlifeuk8269]

@@ChadEamesWoodWorksyou dont see the need to measure when you have math? You still have to measure the blank to mark it! For those not at your depths of math its also easier for them to simply measure. I think your math example was more the opportunity to show you can do it, when you dont really need it.

[@ChadEamesWoodWorks]

I must be crazy... Why on earth would I use math or geometry of all things while woodturning?!?! Do you really think I don't know that I can just measure a blank? The point is to get an idea of the dimensions that would max out my lathe. With math, I can figure out a wide range of sizes in seconds. Without math, you'd have to measure, cut, mark centers, and measure again for every single possible size. Sorry, but making YT videos is a losing proposition sometimes... someone is going to comment regardless of math or no. Thanks for watching, regardless (sincerely). I just hope you weren't too distracted by my 15 seconds of math and maybe picked up a useful tip somewhere in the other 20 minutes... that's why I do this.

[@JohnAlanDay]

Chad, curious why the math?