How We Make Our Bowls: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Bowl Turning

Intro

Bowls are one of the primary products we make here at Woodchuck Woodworks, and each one is unique because of the process it goes through. In this post, I'll walk you through how we make the handmade wood bowls you see on our site, and I'll toss in a few tips for folks who might be getting into bowl turning themselves. This is more of a general overview; I'll dive deeper into specific steps in future posts.

Twice-Turned Bowls

This is our go-to method for turning bowls. It's cost-effective, flexible, and honestly, more fun. There's something satisfying about those long, smooth shavings curling off the gouge.

Starting with the Tree

It all begins with a tree. Where we get our wood varies, but most of it is harvested locally from fallen trees that would otherwise be used for firewood. It is surprising the hidden gems you will find just lying there rotting or waiting to be burned.

Cutting Bowl Blanks

First step: cut the logs into sections using a chainsaw. I usually go with 20-inch lengths to give myself more flexibility when milling and to avoid defects. This is also the capacity of my lathe and length of my chainsaw bar. Then I slab the logs into two big sections and two quarter-sawn pieces on either side of the pith.

Once that's done, I move to the bandsaw and cut the slabs into round blanks. This helps balance the grain and weight and gives me a better idea of the bowl's final dimensions. I'll often seal the end grain of the quarter-sawn pieces and let them air dry for spindle turning later.

Mounting on the Lathe and Roughing Out the Bowl

This part needs to happen pretty quickly after milling. Some wood species can start cracking within hours. If you can't get to it right away, toss the blank in a plastic shopping bag to slow down moisture loss.

There are a couple ways to mount the blank:

• Drill a 3/8" hole in the center and use a worm screw in the chuck. Quick and easy for shaping the outside.
• Mount between a spur center and live center. This lets you balance the grain better and usually gives you a more symmetrical bowl, but it's a little trickier to work around the tailstock.

Once it's mounted, I check for balance, set the tool rest, and make sure it's clear of the blank. Safety tip: always stand to the side when you turn the lathe on. Start slow... especially with larger blanks, then increase speed gradually as it balances out.

After shaping the outside, I flip the bowl and either clamp down on a tenon or expand the chuck jaws into a recess on the bottom. Then I hollow out the inside until the wall thickness is about 10–12% of the bowl's diameter. For example, a 10" bowl would have wallsaround 1" to 1¼" thick.

Drying the Bowl Blank

There are lots of ways to dry blanks... microwaves, ovens, alcohol soak, but I stick with the slow and simple method: air drying. Sealing the end grain helps the bowl dry more evenly and reduces cracking. After a couple months, most species are stable enough for the second turning.

Finish Turning (Second Turning)

This is where the bowl gets turned to its final dimensions. First, I flip the bowl around and remount it—usually by clamping onto the tenon or expanding the chuck into the recess. Sometimes I need to true up the tenon or recess, but most of the time it's close enough to go ahead and finish.

I start by refining the outside profile, taking off as little material as possible to keep the bowl size up. Then I move on to turning the inside of the bowl. The goal here is to get consistent wall thickness throughout—doesn't have to be a specific number, just needs to be even all the way around. That helps reduce the chance of warping or cracking down the road.

Sanding and Applying Finish

Sanding isn't glamorous—in fact, it's pretty boring—but it's essential. If you're good with your chisels, it goes quicker, so it pays to practice. I use a drill with a 2" sanding disc and hand-sand where needed. Once it's smooth, I apply walnut oil to saturate the wood, then melt beeswax at high speed to add a protective layer.

Turning the Bottom

Last step: flip the bowl again and mount it using jumbo jaws or a jam chuck (especially for natural edge bowls). I turn the bottom so it sits flat, making sure the outer rim is the furthest point out so it doesn't rock.

Once-Turned Bowls

Once-turned bowls are exactly what they sound like; grab a block of wood, throw it on the lathe, turn it, sand it, finish it. Some folks do this with wet wood and let it warp, which can look cool. Personally, I prefer a more balanced and symmetrical look, so I only once-turn bowls that are already dry or purchased pre-dried.

Wrapping It Up

Both methods have their place, but I lean toward twice-turned bowls. There's more progression, more control, and it feels more like art than assembly. If you've got questions, feel free to reach out. Like I said, I'll be posting more detailed breakdowns of each step soon.

Thanks for reading!