# Finishing the bottom of a bowl



## Dvoigt (Dec 6, 2007)

So I realized that the flat jaws that I have will only hold a bowl that is 5" in dia. Is there a different way to hold the front of a larger bowl so I can sand and clean up the base?

Thanks!!


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## Gary Beasley (Jan 21, 2009)

Cole jaws are a start, as well as vacuum chucks and a few other improvs.
I posted an adaptaion for my mini cole here: http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f6/cole-jaw-adaptions-9218/


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## slatron25 (Dec 18, 2007)

I use a donut chuck.


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## Jeff4woodturning (Feb 1, 2009)

i use my vacuum chuck and a donut chuck, donut chucks works on bowls and hollow forms


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

DV,
You can also turn a piece of scrap to match the curve of the inside of the bowl. Turn a tenon to fit your chuck on the other side. Put some double-sided tape on it and carefully place your bowl with the aid of a tailcenter. The tailcenter will hold the bowl in place to allow you to take some light cuts and clean up and/or reshape your base. You will be left with a small nub supporting the tailcenter. you can then take the bowl off the lathe and use a sharp carving tool to take off the nub. A little bit of sanding and you're done. 
The scrap can be a chunk of 2 x 6 for example. You are not trying to fill the whole inside of the bowl. You are just trying to support it enough to put the tailcenter to it and not have the inside of the bowl contact the chuck.
Mike Hawkins


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

Go here to the tips pages and look up reverse turning bowls. I have put information on a whole lot of different ways to do it. You can find one that will work for you and your lathe. If you have any questions feel free to ask. 
http://www.cumberlandwoodturners.com/htm/tips.htm


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## kgn (Jan 12, 2009)

John, thanks for all the reverse turning tips on your link...I have made some of these on my own, but have some new ideas now.

To Mike H.: I appreciate the fact that you show a picture of yourself wearing a face mask...I was sporadic in my use of one until visiting this site. I use it all the time now. Hope everyone else does too. My next goal is some sort of dust hood at the head stock with lots of vacuum. Kirby


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## grybeard22 (Nov 19, 2009)

good morning to all 
im kinda a newbie as i just found the forum but not new to the vortex..ive been turnin for about 10 yrs mostly as a hobby
happen to catch this post so thought i would throw in my 2 cents here also ...if u have a drill disc sanding pad with the velco on it ...throw it in a jacobs chuck on the headstock ...slide this into the center of the reversed bowl ..center it with the tailstock and this will allow u to clean up the bottom leaving just a little nub to sand off ..if u run this at low speed it works very well 

just my 2 cents worth
bob


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

I use a rubber sink stopper placed over the chuck to drive my bowls when I use the method mentioned above.


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## donwatt (Oct 11, 2009)

The reverse chucking systems a more trouble than they are worth so i go with a block of wood mounted to a faceplate with the end turned to fit the bottom of the bowl. The initial start of the turning process should be between centers such that you make the mounting tenon on the tailstock end so that when you reach the point where you are finishing the base you already have a center point. After the bowl is finished except for the base dismount the bowl, mount the face plate and check the fit between the bowl bottom and the drive block.
Use some foam packing material between the bowl bottom and the drive block than bring the tailstock center up to the center point in the mounting tenon and snug it up. Turn away the tenon and form the base while leaving about a 3/4" nubbin until the base is formed then carefully cut the nubbin in a cone shapeto maybe 1/4" diameter at the base.


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## PTownSubbie (Mar 6, 2009)

You can make a donut chuck pretty easily.

I have seen one guy jam chuck it with the tail stock and then use a chisel to take off the last little bit.

I have found some links below.

Put out by our good friend John Lucas. :yes:

http://www.ptwoodturners.org/Tips and Handouts/Methods and Jigs for Reverse Turning Bowls.pdf


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