Category Archives: bowls

Curves and Chamfers

Posted on February 2, 2021 by Dave Fisher

When a bowl is almost finished, with over 99% of the wood to be removed already on the shop floor, I’m always amazed at what a difference those final few cuts can make. Most of those final cuts could be … Continue reading →

Posted in bird bowls, bowls, tools, Uncategorized, walnut | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

Inshave

Posted on January 20, 2021 by Dave Fisher

Last weekend, I was hollowing a big deep bowl from a cherry log. After the adze work, I reached for a tool I use from time to time to fine tune the form of a large hollow. I’ve seen tools … Continue reading →

Posted in books, bowls, cherry, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

With Flutes on the Side

Posted on December 6, 2020 by Dave Fisher

I tried a new fluting pattern by going from foot to rim on the side of this cherry bowl. I sketched some lines on in pencil as a general guide for the carving. Then I worked from the center to … Continue reading →

Posted in bowls, patterns, Uncategorized | 9 Comments

Two Foot Two

Posted on October 16, 2020 by Dave Fisher

That’s the length of this cherry bowl, so it will need a big table. It’s rare that I make bowls that long. This one began as one of my demonstration pieces for the the recent adze article in Fine Woodworking … Continue reading →

Posted in bowls, cherry, Uncategorized | Tagged | 4 Comments

Dealing with Interlocked Grain

Posted on August 18, 2020 by Dave Fisher

Trees do funny things.  This cherry was taken down a few months ago in a friend’s yard.  This section has a 4 1/2″ radius and 55 growth rings.  We tend to think of the fibers going straight up the trunk … Continue reading →

Posted in bowls, cherry, figure, finding wood, green woodworking, holding, trees, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 15 Comments

Breakfast for Five

Posted on July 26, 2020 by Dave Fisher

About two years ago, I wrote a post about busting up a big cherry log into various bowl blanks.  This experimental piece came from either the billet labeled A or B, so it has vertical grain (had I sawn it … Continue reading →

Posted in bowls, cherry, layout, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

An Egg Today

Posted on July 9, 2020 by Dave Fisher

“Better an egg today than a hen tomorrow.”  –traditional proverb Each piece of tree comes with it’s own history and quirks.  I look closely and start thinking about possibilities.  Usually this will result in a variation on some design I’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in bowls, cherry, patterns, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 14 Comments

Little Hens

Posted on June 8, 2020 by Dave Fisher

The walnut rooftop chickens I roughed out back in the spring are waiting for me.  Meanwhile, a friend took down a cherry tree in his yard and I used a piece to make a pair of mini versions.  It gave … Continue reading →

Posted in bird bowls, bowls, cherry, green woodworking, holding, layout, patterns, sketch, tools, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 16 Comments

Back to the Hens

Posted on April 17, 2020 by Dave Fisher

I remember first seeing The Serenity Prayer on a trivet that hung on my grandmother’s kitchen wall: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know … Continue reading →

Posted in bird bowls, bowls, holding, layout, Uncategorized, walnut | Tagged , , | 14 Comments

Making the Best of It

Posted on March 29, 2020 by Dave Fisher

Limits encourage creativity.  This is evident in many aspects of life, such as when a resourceful home cook manages to create a splendid meal from the few things left in the cupboard.  Or when an aging athlete expertly adapts his … Continue reading →

Posted in bowls, carving, finding wood, layout, Lettering, trees, Uncategorized | Tagged | 26 Comments