Large Diameter shallow bowl help

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Cwalker935

Cwalker935

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I have been asked to make something out of 2 barstool seats. Each seat is about 15" in diameter and 1 7/8 inches thick. This is for a young woman who has lived a life filled with tragedy. Father paralyzed when she was 1, father murders mother when she was 6, raised by grand parents, etc. A story that could easily have been a soap opera. Unfortunately a true story. I was very close to her mother- a cousin. The barstools were originally made by her grandfather and represent good memories. So I want to do the best I can. The seats are made from red oak. I am thinking about doing a large shallow bowl and have glued one of the pieces to a waste block for turning. I am shooting for a simple classy piece.

Any thoughts or photos of a nicely shaped shallow bowl? Any other suggestions?

Your help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
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Buy a piece of round marble from craftsupplies.com (or something similar) and make a serving tray out of it. Put the marble in the middle as cheese cutting board and then make a shallow dish around the outside of it to hold the crackers....
 
Here's what I'm talking about:

(and No, I can't take credit for making this :smile: )
 

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Red oak is not a good wood for a bowl. The tyloses are open and the end grain is like soda straws. White oak is the opposite and holds liquids well.

If red oak, think trays and things to hold dryer items.
 
I haven't made one yet but I plan on doing so when I have more time. A friend of mine has made some and they seem to sell pretty well at shows.

If you do a search, you can get real fancy with them but I prefer the clean, simple ones myself....
 
KenV said:
Red oak is not a good wood for a bowl. The tyloses are open and the end grain is like soda straws. White oak is the opposite and holds liquids well.

If red oak, think trays and things to hold dryer items.
Click to expand...

Ken is right about the red oak, it is so porous that it's difficult to hold in a vacuum chuck but it does have a beautiful grain... when you sand add a little walnut oil to the wood as you sand and the slurry made from the sanding and the oil will fill the wood nicely.... the walnut oil will dry and harden and makes a nice finish.... I tried this with a Royal Paulonia tree bowl (also called a Princess tree) and had good success with filling the wood.

You can buy Walnut oil in the grocer's store in the cooking oil section or order from Dr. Woodshop one of his finishing oil... both will work... Dr.'s oil is refined specifically for wood turners.
 
I think some decorative rather than utilitarian would be a better keepsake. The clock or picture frames ideas are great. Perhaps you could even maintain the original OD and possibly the face of the bar stools in your design.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. Despite some of your warnings about Red oak, I have to make 1 bowl as a centerpiece for her table. It will be ornamental and not used for food. I have almost finished it and will post a photo when done. I am pleased with how it is turning out.

I am still trying to decide what to do with the second piece.
 
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