Timestamps 0:00 Intro and Ebony log milling 10:20 Ebony Segment and blank glue up 13:31 Carving the outside of the bowl 20:15 Applying finish to the outside of the bowl 23:41 Hollowing the inside of bowl 30:38 Applying Finish to the inside of bowl 31:28 Carving the inside of the lid 33:59 Carving the outside of the lid 36:27 Carving the finial 40:09 Applying finish to the lid 40:56 Bowl reveal and contest rules Thank you!
I’m 77 and just getting started. I took down a Black Walnut tree last week and hope to make something in a few years and if not I’ll pass it around to those who can.
Wow that's awesome! I would recommend you turn as much of that walnut as soon as you can. That was a mistake I made when I started and lucked into like 4 trees worth of logs in the space of a couple of months. I still have way more wood than I can turn in an entire year. Now, there are a lot of bigger cracks in the blanks even though they were sealed. This turns into smaller bowls for every blank. Try to turn as many as you can and leave the wall thickness at 10% of the diameter then seal the end grain inside and outside of the bowl. These bowls will then dry faster and crack less (or not at all) than a raw log. There are tons of videos about how to do rough turning and twice turning. The other benefit to this is that turning green/wet wood is really fun. It cuts easily and fast. Good luck and happy turning!
I'm 50 and started last year and the first tree I cut was a black walnut. It was downed in a storm and it was total luck to find such a beautiful wood. I've made several nice bowls so far and have plenty left
Hi, I’m a retired lecturer and new to wood turning - love how you worked the ebony into the structure of the bowl - thanks from Scotland. 🏴🏴🏴
Thank you Michael! Turning is definitely a great activity to do after teaching. Very relaxing compared to the frantic schedule of a teacher. There are a lot of great turners and woods in the UK! I watch a number of them and learn a lot. Enjoy your new hobby!
That thing is HUGE!!! Seems almost more like a rock. It's a beautiful piece of wood. That's the first time I've seen inside a piece of ebony, like that. But the bowl you made belongs in a museum!
You are right! That log was really something else, and the finished bowl is a thing of beauty! I'm really happy with how it turned out. A random person looking at that log all cracked and covered in saw marks and wax would turn away unless you really appreciate what it could be.
I enjoyed your video and story. We are both retired teachers, turned woodturners. I made two videos but found the process distracting. Now I just turn and watch others videos to learn. Thank you, Tom.
I appreciate the comment, Tom! You are absolutely correct about the video process. It takes quite a bit more time to do the project plus the video editing. I quickly realized that turning bowls to sell and turning bowls for videos are 2 different jobs, and doing both takes almost double the time. So I sell a few things but I have decided that the video is the primary "product" now. Once I made that decision, it helped clarify my efforts. I did turn 3 small bowls this week without video for some Christmas gifts and it went soooo fast. It is refreshing to just turn once in a while. I hope you enjoy your retirement and the turning. It's a great change from the "herding cats" feeling that teaching can sometimes be!
My favorite wood, that is amazing. I'm an old guy, back in the day, did some absolutely crazy builds with ivory and gaboon, this in my opinion is the only wood that works. great work. glad i found your channel.
Thanks for watching! I really appreciate the compliment! I have worked with ebony before when I made martial arts practice weapons (bokken, jo, tanto). Back then (15 years ago) I was able to get 4 foot long, solid black pieces of ebony 3" wide and 1.5" thick. I haven't seen anything that big in years so when I saw this log I had to jump on it.
Thank you, Archie! Good luck on your turning journey! You've got some good role models over there in @KerryCorney and @RichardRaffanwoodturning. You should give them a watch.
Thanks for watching! I have to say, I was nervous about starting this channel, but my students really encouraged me to do it! I really hate my recorded voice and I still haven't been able to capture my more normal animated self. I am camera shy and feel like an idiot talking to myself in the shop. I am slowly getting better (I hope/think 🤣) Every video I think about making jokes like I used to with my students but I'm never sure my audience will appreciate them...
❤ This piece is totally amazing. It is compleyly beautiful mahogany and Emmy. Compliment each other beyond words. I wasn't sure about it Bing that the ebony was so light and dark, but once the finish went on. It was just amazing.🎉
Thank you so much! The tenon kind of evolved over the life of the project into what it is. I originally thought I would do 3 tall feet but decided that would be too much.
I have just recently started watching woodturning videos and I am totally fascinated and in awe of many of the finished products. Your bowl is one of them. It is absolutely Beautiful!
That is a gorgeous log of Ebony. I've been doing turning myself now and again and seeing how you make the most out of more expensive stock is really inspiring. Thank you!
Very nice, Jim. At the beginning of the video, I was curious about your end game with the ebony, but you made that apparent in the direction you were going. It is a lovely piece with a beautiful lid and a beautiful bowl; anyone would have an excellent piece in their collection with this beautifully done piece. Well Done, well produced.🤩 Lowell
Thank you Lowell, I appreciate the kind words! That ebony was a challenge, but I’m glad it turned out well! I was really trying to tell the story of the ebony and how important it was to me to honor its rarity as best I could.
Thanks Amy! It’s a lot of fun, and rewarding, when you get a piece that works out! I would love to have a scroll saw but my shop is about maxed out for tools at this point.
Thank you Scott! I have worked with ebony before but I was really blown away when I opened that log up for the first time. So excited to make more projects from it.
Congrats on retirement. I have also tackled bowl turning in my retirement and really enjoy it. Keep up the fantastic work and thanks for sharing your shop and skills with us! Cheers
Thank you Colin! My wife is pretty mad I'm giving this away... But I had that plan from the beginning, so no matter how attached I am to it I gotta stick to the plan. There is so much material in that log that I will be using it for special projects for years to come!
What a beautiful piece! I appreciated the variety of techniques you demonstrated.....particularly the way you milled up a valuable, but oddly shaped piece of wood.
Thank you! It was a long and involved project and I really tried to convey that in the video. The turning was actually a very small percentage of the time I spent on it. You are very correct in that the milling of the log was the most time consuming (mentally) and stressful part of the whole thing! My relief when it worked out and the wood was in good condition, was next level. Thanks for watching!
Very nice bowl! I wasn’t following your explanation or plan until about halfway through, but now it makes sense. Apparently, I’m getting a little slow! LOL! Great work!
I’m glad it finally made sense! To be fair, I changed the plan a couple of times during the video. I spent a number of days on the project so I thought about it quite a bit ini my non-shop time.
Thanks Allan, I'm glad you found the thought process helpful! I had a general idea when I started, but even starting with prepared wood and not logs, the wood kind of guides your thoughts as you go along. I've found the best thing is to just try something and start over if it looks bad. I was super nervous with this one because I REALLY didn't want to ruin it. Good luck with your turning! It is very addicting.
Jim, Masterful job, love it! Keep up the great content, your journey on this medium will do very well. Have never had the good fortune to get a hunk of the Gaboon Ebony, looks like a lot of fun to turn.
Thanks Scott! Ebony really is fun to turn and work with. It's super hard but when you get to sanding and finishing it is soooo smooth. It's a shame the trees are so rare and small.
Interesting to see your though process on cutting up your wood, I like the fixture you used to hold all segments for glue up, I love all the information on your videos, this turning is a beautiful piece of art. Thanks.
Thanks so much! I was really trying to explain my thought process when cutting up the wood and making the bowl. There was a lot more going through my head than made it into the video! It cost so much that my anxiety about cutting it wrong or finding it was full of cracks was really intense. I've had it for over a year before I got the courage to cut it. I made the glue fixture on my CNC machine.
Jim, it’s a beautiful bowl in the Ebony and the mahogany looks fantastic. Great idea for leaving the maple on the bottom and the top portion of the bow matches very well with the bottom half this is the first time watching your videos and I loved it and now I subscribed can’t wait for the next one thank you for a great video
Beautiful piece, Jim. Have just been turning a few months myself, also in retirement. So enjoyable. Have yet to turn ebony but looking forward to it at the earliest opportunity. Looking forward to your future videos.
Many thanks, Peter! Turning is definitely an addicting activity! I find it very soothing. I'm basically self-taught from watching other youtubers. I really think Kent from @TurnAWoodBowl has the best and safest turning instructional videos. You should check him out.
@FRBPturning I watch Kent regularly, yes, he is excellent. Another guy I'm sure you'd like is Mike Holton, very creative and always trying something new. Explains everything as he goes along,
Thank you so much! I've got a few fun projects in mind that I'm looking forward to getting started on! The next 2 videos are already planned in my mind. The second one will be really cool if I can pull it off. Stay tuned!
I loved the video and your teaching along the way. Not to mention the beautiful end result! I’m looking forward to doing the same type of thing when I retire in a few years! Thanks and Merry Christmas!
Thank you! Me too on the log. It was a once in a lifetime thing. The store had to specially request it from his supplier in Africa, and I don't think they could do that today.
Thanks Michael! I didn't do everything perfectly so I'm sure you can see ways to do it better. I know I learned a lot about what NOT to do on this project, but overall very happy with the result.
Very nice bowl and informative, I am new to turning and any videos or instructions is very helpful. Thanks for the TH-cam video. Kevin Radford Rigby Idaho
Nicely done! I like the repetition of the mahogany and ebony. I think I would have suggested a piece of the thin ebony for the base, maybe even an ebonized piece of something to continue the repetition. Lovely bowl just the same.
Thanks, that's a great idea! I may try something like that on the next one. My wife is mad enough that I'm giving this away that I think I'm going to have to make another one to keep pretty soon!
Great video. I really enjoyed your turning. I like the way you will use a line on the piece as a guide and makes it easier to understand what you are doing. Looks like the lid may have taken a while to get one you were happy with. Whatever it took I think the bowl is incredible. Thanks for sharing and have a very Merry Christmas.
Thanks for watching Thom! Merry Christmas to you as well! It definitely helps to mark up the piece to give reference marks when turning. It was a fun challenge to make the lid, and only the 4th one I've ever done so I'm still learning.
Thanks Alan! The journey was exactly what I was trying to convey! The turning was really not that long or difficult. It was really more about honoring this one of a kind log. I will probably tell the whole story of its history the next time I use some in a video. It's long and kind of tragic...
Thank you Jeffrey! I appreciate the support and I'm glad you enjoyed the video! I definitely didn't think making videos would take so much time but it really can be a full time job. If only it paid like one! 🤣
Beautiful work Jim. I have been looking out for a piece of ebony and confess to a degree of envy with what you bought but more what you have managed to make. The nearest I have come with a bit of ebony is to convert a piano key into a pen! I look forward to catching more of your videos and a stimulus to graduate to higher things.
Indeed. I already have more pen blanks than I can use for the next few years from other scraps! That's one reason I want to start using more finials, and maybe some spindle work.
It's so tempting to use a huge chuck for a solid ebony bowl. But the thought of all that $$ in shavings on the floor is too much to bear. It would literally be hundreds of dollars of wood turned into sawdust ☹️Thanks for watching Chris!
Thank you Gavin! It's funny about the inspiration. After I finished the bowl, but while I was working on the video, Tomislav Tomasic posted a project that was extremely similar in form and I thought "hey he stole my idea" lol. He is way more skilled than me though. He is one of my inspirations even though I can't do everything he can. I'm always trying to get better! Thanks for watching!
Thank you Jim! That part of the video was a VERY small sample of the amount of time I spent planning and agonizing over how to make the bowl as big as possible with the absolute minimum of waste. I tend to over analyze things but in this case it worked!
Thanks for watching! I always enjoy hearing from other educators. Good luck on your robotics competitions. I was never involved in those at our school. I taught AP Physics C, AP Calculus AB&BC, Multivariable calculus, Differential equations and an Intro to Engineering class for University of Arizona. I was too busy for the robotics time commitment...
@@FRBPturningwelcome. I’m a retired ME, just volunteered to help the kids. So didn’t have the load of being a teacher too. I think I retired as the coach last season. We’ll see lol.
Thank you Tad! (Any relation to the famous fantasy author?) It's not normal to find such big pieces of ebony and it's very expensive so most people save it for special projects. Even then, most turners are used to scavenging free wood (like me most of the time) so paying for turning stock is not as common as you would think unless you are really selling a lot of high priced work. The hourly wage for turning is not stellar...
This bowl is beautiful. I would really like to start woodturning and general woodwork. I was a fabricator back along and need a new path following thyroid cancer. Would love this bowl as a window centre piece.
Thank you! It's never too late to start. I've only been turning seriously for a couple of years but I spent 20 plus years slowly accumulating tools and skills doing a lot of other woodworking stuff. There are lots of "nice to have" tools that make turning easier. The big thing is the lathe itself, the chisels, and a sharpening system. Don't blow all your money on the lathe because the tools are not super cheap. A good sharpening system is a MUST. You need to sharpen several time just making a single small bowl (depending on the wood), so that should be a big budget priority. I hope your cancer recovery goes well, and good luck on winning the bowl!
Timestamps
0:00 Intro and Ebony log milling
10:20 Ebony Segment and blank glue up
13:31 Carving the outside of the bowl
20:15 Applying finish to the outside of the bowl
23:41 Hollowing the inside of bowl
30:38 Applying Finish to the inside of bowl
31:28 Carving the inside of the lid
33:59 Carving the outside of the lid
36:27 Carving the finial
40:09 Applying finish to the lid
40:56 Bowl reveal and contest rules Thank you!
Best time stamps!..
4:30- Getting first look at those incredible slabs.
7:30- 2nd slice twice as nice!
Beautiful wood, great looking bowl too!
I’m 77 and just getting started. I took down a Black Walnut tree last week and hope to make something in a few years and if not I’ll pass it around to those who can.
Wow that's awesome! I would recommend you turn as much of that walnut as soon as you can. That was a mistake I made when I started and lucked into like 4 trees worth of logs in the space of a couple of months. I still have way more wood than I can turn in an entire year. Now, there are a lot of bigger cracks in the blanks even though they were sealed. This turns into smaller bowls for every blank. Try to turn as many as you can and leave the wall thickness at 10% of the diameter then seal the end grain inside and outside of the bowl. These bowls will then dry faster and crack less (or not at all) than a raw log. There are tons of videos about how to do rough turning and twice turning. The other benefit to this is that turning green/wet wood is really fun. It cuts easily and fast. Good luck and happy turning!
I'm 50 and started last year and the first tree I cut was a black walnut. It was downed in a storm and it was total luck to find such a beautiful wood. I've made several nice bowls so far and have plenty left
Hi, I’m a retired lecturer and new to wood turning - love how you worked the ebony into the structure of the bowl - thanks from Scotland. 🏴🏴🏴
Thank you Michael! Turning is definitely a great activity to do after teaching. Very relaxing compared to the frantic schedule of a teacher. There are a lot of great turners and woods in the UK! I watch a number of them and learn a lot. Enjoy your new hobby!
That thing is HUGE!!! Seems almost more like a rock. It's a beautiful piece of wood. That's the first time I've seen inside a piece of ebony, like that. But the bowl you made belongs in a museum!
You are right! That log was really something else, and the finished bowl is a thing of beauty! I'm really happy with how it turned out. A random person looking at that log all cracked and covered in saw marks and wax would turn away unless you really appreciate what it could be.
I enjoyed your video and story. We are both retired teachers, turned woodturners. I made two videos but found the process distracting. Now I just turn and watch others videos to learn. Thank you, Tom.
I appreciate the comment, Tom! You are absolutely correct about the video process. It takes quite a bit more time to do the project plus the video editing. I quickly realized that turning bowls to sell and turning bowls for videos are 2 different jobs, and doing both takes almost double the time. So I sell a few things but I have decided that the video is the primary "product" now. Once I made that decision, it helped clarify my efforts. I did turn 3 small bowls this week without video for some Christmas gifts and it went soooo fast. It is refreshing to just turn once in a while. I hope you enjoy your retirement and the turning. It's a great change from the "herding cats" feeling that teaching can sometimes be!
My favorite wood, that is amazing. I'm an old guy, back in the day, did some absolutely crazy builds with ivory and gaboon, this in my opinion is the only wood that works. great work. glad i found your channel.
Thanks for watching! I really appreciate the compliment! I have worked with ebony before when I made martial arts practice weapons (bokken, jo, tanto). Back then (15 years ago) I was able to get 4 foot long, solid black pieces of ebony 3" wide and 1.5" thick. I haven't seen anything that big in years so when I saw this log I had to jump on it.
There are lots of pieces to be made in that one log. Great piece of Gaboon Ebony. It contrasts well with the Mahogany and Maple, too. Well done, Jim.
You bet! And that's the plan. Thank you for watching!
Hi, Archie here ,my journey on a lathe is starting and i am in envy at the talent you have Thanks from Australia.
Thank you, Archie! Good luck on your turning journey! You've got some good role models over there in @KerryCorney and @RichardRaffanwoodturning. You should give them a watch.
Jim .. very pleasant propositions and contrast of woods. Liked your clear explanation, not surprising, you were a teacher. Thanx
Robert Jacobs.
Thanks for the kind words Robert, I appreciate you watching!
It's the first time I have seen your channel .the ebony bowl is absolutely beautiful,
Thank you so much Jeffrey!
The bowls is beautiful and your students were right when they suggested you start a TH-cam video channel. Looking forward to seeing more of your work.
Thanks for watching! I have to say, I was nervous about starting this channel, but my students really encouraged me to do it! I really hate my recorded voice and I still haven't been able to capture my more normal animated self. I am camera shy and feel like an idiot talking to myself in the shop. I am slowly getting better (I hope/think 🤣) Every video I think about making jokes like I used to with my students but I'm never sure my audience will appreciate them...
❤ This piece is totally amazing. It is compleyly beautiful mahogany and Emmy. Compliment each other beyond words. I wasn't sure about it Bing that the ebony was so light and dark, but once the finish went on. It was just amazing.🎉
Thanks, I was a little nervous about it too, but I'm glad it turned out well!
The first video I've seen of yours. I think I'll go and binge watch some more. 🤠
Thanks Kieron! Very much appreciated!
...love the shape...and the use of the contrasting woods really sets it off...very well done!...👍
Matt
Thank you, Matt! I really enjoyed turning this one and I'm glad you like it.
A thing of beauty is a joy forever. Happy retirement.
Thank you David! I am indeed loving retirement!
The figure on that ebony is truly magnificent. And you did a wonderful turning job. I love the color and grain contrasts…
Thanks, I appreciate it! I tried to let the wood speak for itself.
My experience with ebony is that it is very expensive but it makes beautiful items with a great polish and shine. Good job.
Exactly! My brain can hardly contain all the ideas I have for this log.
I love that you incorporates the tenon portion into the bowl … I like the added color it gives. I really like the bowl … I would proudly own it!!!
Thank you so much! The tenon kind of evolved over the life of the project into what it is. I originally thought I would do 3 tall feet but decided that would be too much.
I have just recently started watching woodturning videos and I am totally fascinated and in awe of many of the finished products. Your bowl is one of them. It is absolutely Beautiful!
Thank you for the kind words! I'm glad you're enjoying woodturning. It is addicting to do and to watch!
What a beautiful piece of work! The ebony is the show stopper. It makes the piece.
Thank you so much! In my mind ebony was going to be the star and I am very pleased that it didn't disappoint.
That is a gorgeous log of Ebony. I've been doing turning myself now and again and seeing how you make the most out of more expensive stock is really inspiring. Thank you!
Thanks, I really appreciate that!
Very impressive piece of ebony. The bowl is just gorgeous! So glad the yt algorithm worked this morning in my favor. You have a new fan!
Thanks for the kind words! I'm glad you enjoyed the video and I appreciate the support!
Very nice, Jim. At the beginning of the video, I was curious about your end game with the ebony, but you made that apparent in the direction you were going. It is a lovely piece with a beautiful lid and a beautiful bowl; anyone would have an excellent piece in their collection with this beautifully done piece.
Well Done, well produced.🤩
Lowell
Thank you Lowell, I appreciate the kind words! That ebony was a challenge, but I’m glad it turned out well! I was really trying to tell the story of the ebony and how important it was to me to honor its rarity as best I could.
Absolutely beautiful. What an amazing piece of ebony. Congratulations on your retirement.
Thank you! I am glad you like the bowl! I'm very happy to be retired and have more time to make bowls.
I do scroll saw work but I truly love to watch you work the lathe! If my shop was bigger and me a little younger I would definitely give it a go.
Thanks Amy! It’s a lot of fun, and rewarding, when you get a piece that works out! I would love to have a scroll saw but my shop is about maxed out for tools at this point.
Wow. That ebony is gorgeous. Nicely done, Jim.
Thank you Scott! I have worked with ebony before but I was really blown away when I opened that log up for the first time. So excited to make more projects from it.
Nice use of the ebony. Love the contrast of the woods. Looking forward to seeing what you do next.
Thanks! That ebony was really something special.
Great project to get the most bang for your buck. Nice piece!
Thank you! I have to admit, I almost scrapped that finial a number of times. It was really almost not a useable size.
Congrats on retirement. I have also tackled bowl turning in my retirement and really enjoy it. Keep up the fantastic work and thanks for sharing your shop and skills with us! Cheers
Thank you, Marty! I really appreciate the support!
What an amazing piece of wood Beautiful grain and an absolutely fantastic give away for 1 lucky person
Thank you Colin! My wife is pretty mad I'm giving this away... But I had that plan from the beginning, so no matter how attached I am to it I gotta stick to the plan. There is so much material in that log that I will be using it for special projects for years to come!
@FRBPturning it is beautiful wood I don't blame your wife lol
Love the vision and final product! Keeping my fingers crossed for the drawing! Beautiful bowl!
Thank you so much! Good luck on winning. I'm actually excited to give it to someone.
Like the bowl, and really like the contrast between the dark and medium color. Nice work and thanks for sharing..
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it!
What a nice piece of art you did turn using a part of this huge piece of ebony, bravo !
You are very kind. I was happy to be able to make something beautiful out of such a unique piece of wood.
What a beautiful piece! I appreciated the variety of techniques you demonstrated.....particularly the way you milled up a valuable, but oddly shaped piece of wood.
Thank you! It was a long and involved project and I really tried to convey that in the video. The turning was actually a very small percentage of the time I spent on it. You are very correct in that the milling of the log was the most time consuming (mentally) and stressful part of the whole thing! My relief when it worked out and the wood was in good condition, was next level. Thanks for watching!
Beautiful bowl. I’ve been a turner for 15 plus years. I enjoy watching videos such as yours as I learn something new every time. Thank you. Phil
Thank you so much, Phil! I really appreciate the kind words. It's very meaningful to have another turner appreciate my work.
Nice use of the Ebony. Love the contrasting woods. Looking forward to seeing the rest of your work. Would love to have that bowl..
Thanks! I'm glad you like it. Stay tuned! If you comment on my recent videos your chances of winning go up! 😉
Very nice bowl! I wasn’t following your explanation or plan until about halfway through, but now it makes sense. Apparently, I’m getting a little slow! LOL! Great work!
I’m glad it finally made sense! To be fair, I changed the plan a couple of times during the video. I spent a number of days on the project so I thought about it quite a bit ini my non-shop time.
Really enjoyed watching you create this project. Listening to the thought process really helps me as a new turner. Beautiful lidded bowl!
Thanks Allan, I'm glad you found the thought process helpful! I had a general idea when I started, but even starting with prepared wood and not logs, the wood kind of guides your thoughts as you go along. I've found the best thing is to just try something and start over if it looks bad. I was super nervous with this one because I REALLY didn't want to ruin it. Good luck with your turning! It is very addicting.
Jim, Masterful job, love it! Keep up the great content, your journey on this medium will do very well. Have never had the good fortune to get a hunk of the Gaboon Ebony, looks like a lot of fun to turn.
Thanks Scott! Ebony really is fun to turn and work with. It's super hard but when you get to sanding and finishing it is soooo smooth. It's a shame the trees are so rare and small.
Beautiful. Always enjoy watching an artist at their craft
Thank you!
Enjoyed the video - the contrasting colors of the wood make it special.
Thanks Andrew!
Interesting to see your though process on cutting up your wood, I like the fixture you used to hold all segments for glue up, I love all the information on your videos, this turning is a beautiful piece of art. Thanks.
Thanks so much! I was really trying to explain my thought process when cutting up the wood and making the bowl. There was a lot more going through my head than made it into the video! It cost so much that my anxiety about cutting it wrong or finding it was full of cracks was really intense. I've had it for over a year before I got the courage to cut it. I made the glue fixture on my CNC machine.
Love the color contrasts in this covered bowl.
Thank you!
Beautiful wood. Great project. Good luck to everyone.
Thank you!
Jim, it’s a beautiful bowl in the Ebony and the mahogany looks fantastic. Great idea for leaving the maple on the bottom and the top portion of the bow matches very well with the bottom half this is the first time watching your videos and I loved it and now I subscribed can’t wait for the next one thank you for a great video
Thank you Robert for the kind words and welcome to the channel!
Bowl is very beautiful. Great use of different wood
Thank you!
Beautiful work. Thanks for sharing your retirement journey.
Thank you so much Kalin! I really appreciate it!
Wow, what a fantastic piece of ebony! It turned out great!!
I'm glad you liked the bowl! I was really lucky to get such a unique piece of wood!
Ooooh that first cut off!! Jewelry, Pens......lots of possibilities!
Indeed! I was like a kid on Christmas morning when I saw that first cut off! Thanks for watching!
Really nice contrast with ebony and mahagony. Loved it.
Thank you!
I love watching chuks of wood turn into these beautiful works of art.
Thank you, it's very satisfying to watch the wood transform!
Love the bowl! The scooped curve is a beautiful touch.
Thanks for watching and for the kind words Richard!
Absolutely beautiful piece I really love the different colours of wood that you used to their full advantage.
Thank you very much!
Beautiful piece, Jim. Have just been turning a few months myself, also in retirement. So enjoyable. Have yet to turn ebony but looking forward to it at the earliest opportunity. Looking forward to your future videos.
Many thanks, Peter! Turning is definitely an addicting activity! I find it very soothing. I'm basically self-taught from watching other youtubers. I really think Kent from @TurnAWoodBowl has the best and safest turning instructional videos. You should check him out.
@FRBPturning I watch Kent regularly, yes, he is excellent. Another guy I'm sure you'd like is Mike Holton, very creative and always trying something new. Explains everything as he goes along,
Lovely and unusual design, Jim! i look forward to seeing what else you create.
Thank you so much! I've got a few fun projects in mind that I'm looking forward to getting started on! The next 2 videos are already planned in my mind. The second one will be really cool if I can pull it off. Stay tuned!
Beautiful work, thank you for showing us the project.
I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!
Beautiful. You really brought out the beauty inside the wood.
Thanks so much Deborah! That's exactly what I was hoping for!
Beautiful bowl, excellent workmanship
Thanks so much! I really enjoyed making this one!
I loved the video and your teaching along the way. Not to mention the beautiful end result! I’m looking forward to doing the same type of thing when I retire in a few years! Thanks and Merry Christmas!
Thanks Craig! I hope you enjoy it when you get there!
What a nice turning. Keep up the great work. Doing some of my own these days in my retirement. Lots of fun.
R
Thanks 👍It's a great way to keep busy.
What a beautiful bowl. Love the choice of woods.
Thanks so much! I think the contrasting woods really pop!
killer bowl... first time iv seen ebony in a chunk that big.
Thank you! Me too on the log. It was a once in a lifetime thing. The store had to specially request it from his supplier in Africa, and I don't think they could do that today.
Absolutely a beautiful piece of art
Thank you I really appreciate it!
Beautiful lidded bowl, really enjoyed watching the video, it has given me a few ideas.
Thanks Michael! I didn't do everything perfectly so I'm sure you can see ways to do it better. I know I learned a lot about what NOT to do on this project, but overall very happy with the result.
Beautiful work! Here’s to continuing improvement.
Thanks for watching and for the encouragement Vance!
Nice result and amazing chunk of ebony
Thank you Michael!
Thanks for sharing your bowl making. The bowl is so beautiful!
Thank you, I'm glad you like it!
EsgVery nice Jim. I really like your dialog, and the bowl. Keep it up!
Thank you Edward! I appreciate the kind words!
Beautiful project and very generous giveaway bowl! I’m new to your channel and find your work very engaging!
Thank you Amy! My wife thinks I'm stupid for giving this one away...
Hi Jim. I just came across your channel this morning and enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! I'm glad you found it and thanks for watching!
Awesome turning. Can’t wait to try it myself. Thank you for the great videos.
Thanks Jessie! I'm sure you will find some ways to do it a little better. I know I will do things a bit differently next time!
Very nice bowl and informative, I am new to turning and any videos or instructions is very helpful. Thanks for the TH-cam video.
Kevin Radford
Rigby Idaho
Thank you Kevin! Much appreciated!
Nicely done! I like the repetition of the mahogany and ebony. I think I would have suggested a piece of the thin ebony for the base, maybe even an ebonized piece of something to continue the repetition. Lovely bowl just the same.
Thanks, that's a great idea! I may try something like that on the next one. My wife is mad enough that I'm giving this away that I think I'm going to have to make another one to keep pretty soon!
Nice job Jim! Looks really nice with the different woods!
Thank you John! Cheers!
Beautiful and inspiring project.
Thanks so much Jerald! I had a lot of fun making it.
Love this.Keep turning Jim
Thanks Jane! That's the plan!
Great video. I really enjoyed your turning. I like the way you will use a line on the piece as a guide and makes it easier to understand what you are doing. Looks like the lid may have taken a while to get one you were happy with. Whatever it took I think the bowl is incredible. Thanks for sharing and have a very Merry Christmas.
Thanks for watching Thom! Merry Christmas to you as well! It definitely helps to mark up the piece to give reference marks when turning. It was a fun challenge to make the lid, and only the 4th one I've ever done so I'm still learning.
Beautiful piece of wood. Nice choice of how to use it. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks John! I'm going to be very deliberate about every last piece of this log. I don't think I'll see another like it again.
Beautiful work with a beautiful piece of wood!
Thanks so much! I think this is my best bowl yet!
enjoyed watch the video, and your journey with this beautiful looking wood.
Thanks Alan! The journey was exactly what I was trying to convey! The turning was really not that long or difficult. It was really more about honoring this one of a kind log. I will probably tell the whole story of its history the next time I use some in a video. It's long and kind of tragic...
Enjoy your retirement and next full time jobby lol. Congrats on making 1000 and good luck making it to 2000. And have a merry Christmas
Thank you Jeffrey! I appreciate the support and I'm glad you enjoyed the video! I definitely didn't think making videos would take so much time but it really can be a full time job. If only it paid like one! 🤣
Beautiful work Jim. I have been looking out for a piece of ebony and confess to a degree of envy with what you bought but more what you have managed to make. The nearest I have come with a bit of ebony is to convert a piano key into a pen! I look forward to catching more of your videos and a stimulus to graduate to higher things.
Thank you Peter! You can definitely find small pieces but nothing like what I lucked into unless you are an importer/dealer probably.
Very enjoyable video. Thanks for sharing.
I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching David!
You could make a bunch of pen blanks with that first cut off. Beautiful wood.
Indeed. I already have more pen blanks than I can use for the next few years from other scraps! That's one reason I want to start using more finials, and maybe some spindle work.
Love to see a big solid bowl out of that lot :)
Nice work!
It's so tempting to use a huge chuck for a solid ebony bowl. But the thought of all that $$ in shavings on the floor is too much to bear. It would literally be hundreds of dollars of wood turned into sawdust ☹️Thanks for watching Chris!
This is brilliant Jim - well done. Good inspiration.
Thank you Gavin! It's funny about the inspiration. After I finished the bowl, but while I was working on the video, Tomislav Tomasic posted a project that was extremely similar in form and I thought "hey he stole my idea" lol. He is way more skilled than me though. He is one of my inspirations even though I can't do everything he can. I'm always trying to get better! Thanks for watching!
@@FRBPturning Yeah I follow him as well - good info always.
Very nice combination of woods! It was interesting how you thought out the segmented ring from your thin leftovers.
Thank you Jim! That part of the video was a VERY small sample of the amount of time I spent planning and agonizing over how to make the bowl as big as possible with the absolute minimum of waste. I tend to over analyze things but in this case it worked!
Enjoyed watching your video. Absolutely gorgeous wood. Merry Christmas. Stay safe.
Thank you so much! Merry Christmas to you as well!
Great work! Thanks for sharing your talents.
Thanks, I really appreciate you watching!
Beautiful work. Beautiful wood. I’m a high school robotics coach myself.
Thanks for watching! I always enjoy hearing from other educators. Good luck on your robotics competitions. I was never involved in those at our school. I taught AP Physics C, AP Calculus AB&BC, Multivariable calculus, Differential equations and an Intro to Engineering class for University of Arizona. I was too busy for the robotics time commitment...
@@FRBPturningwelcome. I’m a retired ME, just volunteered to help the kids. So didn’t have the load of being a teacher too. I think I retired as the coach last season. We’ll see lol.
Absolutely beautiful.
Thank you so much!
Beautiful work Jim
Enjoy your retirement
Thanks so much! I'm enjoying retirement so far but I still can't seem to find the time for everything I want to do! I have too many hobbies...
Great match between the ebony and mahogany. Just getting back to turning myself after a quite long hiatus
Thanks! It's good to hear that you're back to turning, welcome back!
Wow! I've never seen ebony turned before!
Thank you Tad! (Any relation to the famous fantasy author?) It's not normal to find such big pieces of ebony and it's very expensive so most people save it for special projects. Even then, most turners are used to scavenging free wood (like me most of the time) so paying for turning stock is not as common as you would think unless you are really selling a lot of high priced work. The hourly wage for turning is not stellar...
Beautiful bowl and wood, great job
Thank you very much!
Beautiful bowl! The board piece you cut could make an awesome (but expensive) bowl from a board.
Very true! I actually had an idea as I was falling asleep the other night. It's going to be super cool!
Very beautifull Colors of woods
Thank you!
Toll gemacht und sieht sehr schön aus 👏👌
Thank you, and thanks for watching!
Amazing wood and bowl
Thanks!
This bowl is beautiful. I would really like to start woodturning and general woodwork. I was a fabricator back along and need a new path following thyroid cancer. Would love this bowl as a window centre piece.
Thank you! It's never too late to start. I've only been turning seriously for a couple of years but I spent 20 plus years slowly accumulating tools and skills doing a lot of other woodworking stuff. There are lots of "nice to have" tools that make turning easier. The big thing is the lathe itself, the chisels, and a sharpening system. Don't blow all your money on the lathe because the tools are not super cheap. A good sharpening system is a MUST. You need to sharpen several time just making a single small bowl (depending on the wood), so that should be a big budget priority. I hope your cancer recovery goes well, and good luck on winning the bowl!
@ thank you 🙏