Greetings, space cadets!
Including drink breaks and sharpening a scraper it took about four hours to hollow this 140mm diameter dish. I had already finished the outside of the dish previously, in similar, slow fashion.
You are probably wondering how it took so long.
Here’s why.
If I had raced the clock, I could have knocked this out in a fraction of the time. I can make safe, predictable cuts, using few tools. When finished, I would have learned virtually nothing.
So, what I actually did was use this opportunity to learn, experiment, and mess about.
I used many tools, raised and lowered the rest and the handles of the tools, opened and closed the flutes, presented the cutting edge differently etc. I pushed some of the cuts to the point of failure, deliberately. By doing this I provided myself with information which I can then use for comparison. I trust that muscle memory will hold onto the best cuts.
I was particularly pleased about the use of a piece of a plastic shopping bag. A disc of plastic bag is put inside the mortise, this prevents the jaws of the chuck from marring the wood or the stain. My mortise is only three mm deep, I made certain I had the correct undercut before proceeding.
My finish cuts were at max speed and I remounted the piece several times. At no point did the piece vibrate or require any retightening. The mortise shows no signs of damage. I was very careful to listen and watch for vibration, I also diligently stood aside each time I started the lathe.
The rim of the dish shows stain has bled along the pores of the timber. I instantly thought of French polish when I saw this. Before staining, a spit coat of thin polish at the rim would seal the pores whilst still allowing the liming wax to penetrate. The polish could then be sanded from the surface and the stain applied with minimal bleeding to the rim.
Each time I turn, I can see I am progressing nicely. This is bowl 2 (dish form for easy access), for keys, coins etc.
I am firmly in the tortoise camp. Going slowly is producing rapid improvement for me. My main interest, spindle turning, is now showing good improvement and increasing speed despite making little effort to go fast.
What do you think?
Tortoise or hare, both approaches can work.