There is a good description of woodturning on Wikipedia so check that out for specific details. Below is a quick description of the steps involved to complete one of my bowl forms.

The Woodturning Process

  When people look at my work, "how long does it take" is the most frequently asked question? It isn’t easy to answer. The actual manufacturing process takes place over a period of months, or even years, and I don’t track the time involved for each individual piece. There are several steps involved, and the time for each can vary significantly. This is the basic process:

Gathering the Wood

I collect a variety of local woods of which there is enormous variety. Trees that are downed in storms, removed for construction purposes or for landscape renewal, or those trimmed by home owners and contractors all become resources. I also collect driftwood on the pacific coast.

Preparing the Blank

Cutting a log into bowls blanks

From a log I cut a bowl blank. This involves using a chain saw, band saw, and/or other cutting tools, to prepare a block that can be mounted on the lathe. Small logs are quickly dealt with but large sections require considerable effort.

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Rough Turning the Form

After mounting the blank, I then rough turn the form. This typically involves shaping the exterior of the bowl, remounting the piece, and then hollowing the interior. A roughed bowl has the general shape of the finished work but substantial thickness is left because the green, or wet, wood warps as it dries. Enough material must be left so that when dry the form can be made circular again. Click here to see my “roughing out” photo essay. Sometimes I’ll turn green wood to its’ finished thickness (click here to view a 50 second video of me doing this), and then allow it to dry. This results in a natural warp of the finished piece.

Curing

Rough turned bowls air drying on shelves

Drying a roughed green bowl required six to twenty-four months in the climate where I live. The roughed forms are often coated with a sealer and boxed up to slow the drying. This precaution limits cracking and checking of the wood. Throughout the drying period I inspect them and often re-stack and re-box them to allow even air circulation.

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Finish-turning the Form

Finish-turning a bowl requires multiple mountings on the lathe too. The first mounting prepares a secure attachment point and begins bringing the outside back to round. The second mounting uses the new attachment point to complete the exterior and refine the shape. The interior is then reduced and the final wall thickness established. The bowl is then reversed for a third mounting so that the bottom can be finished and all previous mounting evidence removed.

Sanding and Finishing

Sanding a finished woodturning on the lathe

Sanding is the final preparation before the finish can be applied. After turning a dry piece it often can be sanded while still spinning on the lathe. A green turned piece can be wet sanded on the machine too but frequently must be hand sanded after it dries for a couple weeks/months.

After removal from the lathe I apply the finish. There are many types of finishes that I use and each has special requirements, but at least two coats are applied. Sometimes six to ten layers are necessary. This may include layers of color, a sealer, and then several clear topcoats. After the finish is dry, I complete the piece with a three step buffing process.

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Surface Enhancements

Using a pyrography pen to detail a bowl’s rim

If additional artistic treatments are desired, such as carving, texturing, pyrography, stitching, laminating, deconstruction, etc., they are woven into various points throughout the above process. Considerable additional time and effort can be spent applying such effects.

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