How to Turn a Natural Edge Bowl

A Natural Edge Bowl is a bowl that has its rim that is the bark side of the tree.

The first step of course is to find a tree with beautiful wood and bark. A log is cut to desired length usually about 12". The log is cut into 2 pieces right down the center of the log through the pith. A bowl can be turned on a wood lathe from each piece of the log. I use a Drill Press and 3 1/8" Forstner bit to drill a flat wood surface through the bark to mount the 3" faceplate. Shown to left is one half of a log mounted on the lathe with a faceplate. This half log will be now turned in a counter clockwise direction by the lathe at about 1000 revolutions per minute.

A tool rest is put in front of the half log and a handheld tool called a gouge is held against the fast revolving wood to shape the outside of the bowl shown to the left.

Note the shape of the "bowl bottom". It is shaped to fit into a vise like lathe holding tool called a "chuck". The chuck holds the wood so that the inside of the bowl can be hollowed.

With the wood reversed and held in the chuck, the tool rest is brought up close to the wood. Again the wood lathe is turned on and the wood again spinning fast. The gouge is held against the wood and moved to hollow the inside of the bowl.

In hollowing the inside of the bowl care is taken to cut the bark carefully so it stays on the edge of the bowl. Re-sharpening the gouge is necessary as this thin bark wants badly to break off during this part of the turning.

At this point in the turning process the tool rest is removed and the inside of the bowl is finish sanded if the wood is dry. If the wood is wet, remove the bowl from the lathe and allow to dry for a few days to a week. Be sure the bowl is turned to about ¼” wall thickness so it will dry fast.

When dry remount in the chuck and power sand smooth before the next step.

Now a new kind of chuck is used to reverse turn the bowl. This chuck is called a “vacuum chuck”. It holds the bowl with a strong vacuum coming from a vacuum pump attached to the left side of the rotating lathe shaft. The vacuum chuck has a foam rubber lip that sucks the bowl tightly to its opening. Now the bottom of the bowl, called the foot, can be finish shaped and the outside of the bowl can be finish sanded.

The picture to the left shows the bowl foot finish shaped and the outside of the bowl sanded.

This is a finished bowl made from Iron Bark Eucalyptus.