How to make 'uneven' wood bowls

[Cubsfan]

I see at a lot of places pretty cool looking wood bowls which are in non-circular shapes. This is the closest picture I could find to what I'm talking about: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/uima...WoodBowlLo.jpg

The ones that I've seen are too deep to have been made in anyway by a router (that I can think of) and they're too non-circular to be made on a lathe (that I know of). Anyway, can anyone enlighten me to how these are made? I'd love to make a few of them.

Thanks!

Another picture of the type of thing I'm thinking about: http://shop.thehungersite.com/store/...mage/34519.gif

[LinuxRandal]

I would think you could start with rough shaping on the bandsaw, then hand gouge it out (no lathe). (at least looking at the second one)

I also have read about steam bent bowls, but I don't know what all is involved. (I avoid that subject, due to some projects I would like to do with steam bending, aka not enough time)

[jking]

Some of what you've seen might be turned when the wood is green. As the wood dries it will warp.

[phi1l]

the Last 2 are probably one of those small trim routers and some sort of jig that tracks a curve. Possibly based on one of those elipse cutting jigs,

The first is probably one of those flexible shaft rotary carving tools. Still a lot of work though & messy .. somthing I think you would want to do outside

[Martin]

making uneven bowls or hats

look for one of the websites which show the turning procedure and curing of Western Stetson style hats.

I believe the artist turns the hats from green wood and soaks the wood overnight if he isn't finished. Finally, he molds or "blocks" the hat form then slowly dries the project over a period of several months.

[Hoakie]

The second two are what you would get if you turned and log from the bark-in. It is typically called a natural-edge bowl and is easily accomplished on the lathe. The smaller the diameter of the blank, the more oval it will look.

The first pick could be partial lathe and partial carving.

[gerti]

The last two are turned green on the lathe, pretty common stuff.

The first one is a little harder to tell, but I think it was turned green as well. Distortions like that are not uncommon. But it may well be the result of some combined technologies.

[ironhat]

Huh, I thought that the second pair were cut from the side of a log from the angle of the bark. Stood up the back could be done on a bandsaw and the inside carved or routed. Now you know why I don't do bowels.

[Cubsfan]

Thanks for the help everyone! I just wasn't sure how to do those. I did see a tool at woodcraft that kinda looked like a big dremel tool, and I wasn't sure if that was how they were done.