Author Archives: joel

Here's another project I've been working on using the lathe - a small bowl. I actually started this project several weeks ago, but have been sidetracked by other projects in the meantime. So it isn't really any further along yet than you see here. All I've done so far is rough out the shape of the outside of the bowl. But what I like about these pictures is the before-and-after effect. You can see how much of the wood blank gets turned into shavings even from just this first step. It was fun to do, so far. But I can tell I've got a lot to learn. I kept getting 'catches' with my gouge. I don't know if that's because of my technique, or because my chisel was starting to get dull. I've sharpened all of my chisels since then. So once I start working on this bowl again, I'll have a better idea where the problem was.

I haven't posted anything about it yet, but I think a lot of you have heard about it already, as Sean talks about it constantly. He and I have been building a modular marble machine based on plans from this site. It's taken a long time, and it still isn't finished - but it's definitely in a 'playable' state right now. Next time you're visiting, ask Sean if you can see it. I'm sure he'll be more than happy to oblige!

I've been noodling around on the lathe at night over the last week, and here's what I've made. These are pretty fun to make. They're a good project for someone new to the lathe, because they are pretty easy to make, and I can take one from a raw blank to a finished pen in a single evening. Plus they're a good way to use up some small offcuts of figured wood that I can't really use for anything else.