I started developing the design for what I call the “Bowl from a Plank” two and a half-years ago. I wrote about the beginning in a post in 2022. My goal was to design a beautiful bowl that could be carved even by those with limited access to green wood and/or specialty tools and equipment.
I’ve made many bowls of this design since then, while playing with elements such as wood species, paint, and decorative carving. I’ve written about it and taught students in person as they’ve carved it. All of this has reinforced my confidence in the value of the design and accessibility. A beginner can carve a bowl to be proud of, yet the design will continue to be engaging with each attempt, regardless of one’s experience. I know it has been for me.
I made high resolution scans of my paper-and-pencil plans at full scale. The plans are for the bowl itself and for two different tree designs for the handles. Since then, I’ve been working on step-by-step tutorials with hand drawn illustrations and detailed photographs, going into more detail than is possible in an article. Check out the details HERE.
David Fisher, Carving Explorations 
Good day David, I’ve purchased your plans. Thank you very much. Will I be charged again by WordPress? Do I need to unsubscribe from WordPress?
Regards Richard
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Hi Richard. Thanks for purchasing the plans. You will only be charged this one-time fee. You do not need to unsubscribe from WordPress. I think the confusion may be in the word “subscribe” that may be used in some of the messages from WordPress. There is no regular monthly subscription to access my website including the blog. When I sell plans and things, you just make a one-time payment if you want them. That’s all you will be charged.
I hope that clears things up. If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
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Thank you David- the plans look crystal clear, could I ask what size of gouges you recommend? They look like Pfeil ones to my eye?
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oops! Replying to my own comment – just seen you’ve included the sizes! 😉😜😊
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Good eye. Yes, they are the same pair that I recommend in general for bowl carving. Two long bent gouges, one with a steep sweep and one with a more shallow sweep. For a specific recommendation, I suggest a 8L/30 (#8 Long Bent 30mm wide) and a 5L/25. But there’s certainly no need to have those exact gouge sweeps and widths. Pfeil is a very good brand, but there are many others I like too: Two Cherries, Hirsch, Auriou…and also gouges made by good blacksmiths like Jason Lonon, Hans Karlsson, and others. If you can only get one of the two, go with the steeper sweep (the #8). You could get by with just that one, but not so with the shallower sweep.
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Thank you David; I appreciate your detailed response- helpful as ever, checked my mixed bag of tools / ordered the 8L/30 from Classic Handtools over here
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Thanks for selling me some plans, Dave!
I sure wish there was a nice book of these available. I may just need to bust out my bookbinding supplies and make one for myself so it can live on the shelf next to MACFAT and my many other woodworking books.
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Thanks for buying the plans, Dave! I’ll get there sometime on a book, but it probably wouldn’t be practical to have this much detail on a single project as part of a book, nor plans at full size. I appreciate the continued encouragement.
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Many Thanks David!
While living in the woodlands about 40 miles above NYC, I didn’t realize how blessed I was. Quite often we could drive along roads, especially in park lands, and find green wood free for the taking.
After moving to Florida, I’ve found that the wood types I enjoyed in the northeast don’t exist here, and what trees are felled are for the purpose of rapid property development resulting in green wood being carted away almost before it hits the ground.
Your Bowl from a Plank series is just the answer. Having followed earlier blog entries, I won’t pass up this offer.
Thanks,
Bob
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I’ve heard many similar stories, Bob. I’m glad to hear that the BFAP will be helpful to you. Thanks!
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