Training the Mind’s Eye

This weekend, I turned a large bowl from a piece of spalted maple. It wasn’t a complex shape—almost none of my bowls ever are. I’m not much for ornamentation. I prefer that the shape looks as organic as possible and that the bowl can serve a purpose. I’m not quite sure why I’ve settled on these design decisions, but I come back to them over and over again. In his book “Ellsworth on Woodturning,” here’s what David Ellsworth has to say about what begins to resonate with us over time as woodturners (and woodworkers!):

“If you want to learn to design a bowl, make a dozen bowls and see which ones you like. After fifty bowls, you’ll make more you like and fewer you’re uncertain of or don’t like. With additional confidence in the skill of turning, you progressively train your mind’s eye as to what shapes appeal to you. The most important part of the bowl is making the bowl. The bowl itself is always secondary.”

I’ve probably only turned a couple hundred bowls over the last 20 years, but I’ve developed a style, of sorts, that continues to please me. It’s greatly satisfying to see the shape take form and be happy with it, no matter how simple it is. I know by eye, and by feel and in my gut when the bowl is done. It checks those intangible but very real “boxes” of personal taste.

Chris Marshall, Woodworker’s Journal

Gluing Sub-Assemblies

In this episode, Ian and Lily finish up the ash table project. You’ll learn the process of how to glue up the base parts and how to check that everything is square.

Waterborne Wood Finish Basics

Finishes that clean up with water are often referred to as “water-based”, which is a little misleading. From a technical standpoint, “waterborne” is a much more fitting term.

Modern Farmhouse Dining Table

This substantial, handsome table will usher in many decades of holidays to come, thanks to sturdy Beadlock loose-tenon joinery.

Making a Keepsake Box

“Good things come in small packages,” the saying goes. In this case, the small box itself is a good thing (and a great gift).

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