I thought I’d share my little wood bowl DIY, in case wood carving sounds like something you’d want to try. Here’s what you’ll need and how to carve a wood bowl.
- balsa wood or basswood block - wood carving tool(s) - power sander - vise - sanding sponge or sandpaper - handsaw, pull saw, or power saw - wood finish / sealer - rag and gloves (optional)
The first step is cutting the larger block of balsa down to the approximate size of the bowl you want to make. You can do with a miter saw (or any kind of power saw really) OR a vise and handsaw.
Next, attach the block to a vise, if it isn’t already, and start carving. You can start with carving the inside hole for the bowl or the exterior.
I started with the interior bowl. I used only one chisel for the entire carving process. I know there is a chisel or gouge for every imaginable scenario, but I’m a beginner, and am not going to invest in a ton of tools just yet.
Next, carve pieces off of the sides of the block on all sides until it starts to resemble a circular shape on the exterior.
I did some carving at the top first so I knew how far to go in, before flipping the block over and doing the same on the underside.
Once I had the basic shape I was going for on the exterior and interior, I used a sander to smooth the exterior and shape it a bit more (used 120 grit sandpaper).