How to Carve a Wood Bowl (beginner level)
The process of wood craving was fun and pretty easy. Nothing to be intimidated by, especially when using a soft wood like balsa or basswood. I would not suggest using a hardwood for your first ever project. Much more difficult to carve, at least for a beginner like me.
Anyway! 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.
Yield: 1 wood bowl
Cost: $20-75 (depending on tools)
Equipment
- wood carving tool(s) I only used one tool for all of the carving - a PFEIL "Swiss Made" #7 Gouge, 14mm. But there are tons of different kinds of gouges and chisels available (found a bunch on Amazon).
- power sander I used my orbital sander, but you could use almost any sander....not a belt sander though.
- vise you can use a table vise, bench vise, etc
- handsaw, pull saw, or power saw
Materials
- balsa wood or basswood block I got a block of balsa at a craft store, but you can order it online as well. Bothe balsa and basswood are great woods to use for a beginner bowl project like this because of how soft the woods are.
- sanding sponge or sandpaper (finer grit 120-220)
- wood finish / sealer I like to use Rubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2c because it serves as color and wood protection. Plus its 0% VOC. It does have a smell to it, FYI. But definitely zero VOC.
- rag and gloves (optional)
Instructions
- I should probably preface this by saying that this is my first time carving a wooden bowl. It was an easier project than I thought it would be, and while I'm sure there are better ways to do it, it was fun. Could definitely see getting into this as more of a hobby, with just a few more tools.
- 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. I used a pull saw - this is one I used.
- 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.Because I am only using one tool (and not the one that would be the best match for the inside of bowl, which I believe would be a spoon gouge or a bent gouge), it took more work and it required much more sanding down the line. I'll get to that part later. BUT, it worked! Totally possible to make a bowl like this with just one carving tool.
- 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). And then for the interior of the bowl, I sanded by hand with 120 grit again.I kept the shape relatively organic (not perfectly circular). I like the look and also takes the pressure off of making things perfect your very first time.
- Then I used a fine grit sandpaper (220) for the interior and exterior. And wiped off any debris.
- The final step is to add a wood finish / sealant. As I mentioned in the supply list, I like Rubio. If you use the accelerator, it cures much faster. But it's not required. I didn't use it for this particular piece. Obviously, use whatever finish and/or sealant you would like.
- Once the piece is cured, it's ready to use! Because my bowl is so small, I'm planning to use it in the bathroom for small items - like rings and earrings.