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To cut a bowl blank from a log, cut a log section a little longer than its diameter, split or saw it lengthwise through the center to remove the pith, flatten the split face, mark the largest circle that fits, and cut it round with a bandsaw or by trimming the corners with a saw. Then either mount it right away or seal the end grain so it does not crack while you wait.
Free wood from a fallen tree is one of the best things about bowl turning. This guide covers safety, the tools you need, a step-by-step process, how blank orientation changes the bowl, and how to cut bowl blanks without a bandsaw. If you would rather carve a bowl than turn it, see our best wood carving discs for angle grinders.
Safety first
Cutting logs is often more dangerous than turning them.
- Chainsaws: read your chainsaw maker's manual and wear the protective gear it specifies. Work on the ground or a low, stable sawbuck, not on a log you are holding.
- Bandsaws: a round log can roll into the blade. Never cut a log on its round side without a cradle or a sled that stops it rolling. Cut a flat face first.
- Inspect the wood. The AAW says turning stock should be sound, without cracks, splits, checks or ring shake. WEN's lathe manual adds nails and other embedded objects; yard trees often hide nails, wire and fence staples.
- At the lathe, follow our wood lathe safety rules: face shield, lowest speed and stand out of the line of fire.
What you need
- A chainsaw or bow saw to cross-cut the log, and to rip it through the pith.
- A bandsaw (optional) to round the blank.
- A wedge and sledge or splitting maul, if you split rather than saw.
- A compass, a circle template or a string and nail to mark the circle.
- An end-grain sealer, such as Anchorseal, if you will store blanks.
- A hand plane, power plane or sander to flatten the mounting face.
How to cut a bowl blank from a log, step by step
- Choose the log. Look for sound wood without big cracks or rot. Our best wood for lathe turning guide covers species.
- Cross-cut a section. Cut a length a little longer than the log's diameter so you can square up checked ends. Trim off any end checks already present.
- Locate the pith. It is the center of the growth rings, often slightly off-center. Mark a line through it across the end grain.
- Split or rip through the pith. Splitting with a wedge follows the grain and is fast; ripping with a chainsaw gives a flatter face. Either way you get two half-logs. Our how to dry wood for turning guide explains why the pith is a common crack line.
- Remove the pith strip. Trim a thin slice off each split face so no pith remains in the blank.
- Flatten the split face. This face will mount against the faceplate or become the rim. It must not rock.
- Mark the circle. Draw the largest circle that fits on the flat face. Keep the circle's center as the blank's turning center.
- Cut it round. On a bandsaw, rest the flat face on the table so the blank cannot roll and cut to the line. Without a bandsaw, see below.
- Seal or turn. Turn it right away, or brush sealer on all end grain the same day if it will wait.
Bowl blank orientation: bark up or bark down?
How you orient the half-log on the lathe changes the bowl.
| Orientation | Rim | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Bark side up (bark becomes the rim) | Follows the outside of the tree | Natural-edge or "live edge" bowls; rim height varies |
| Bark side down (split face becomes the rim) | Flat, from the split face | Deeper bowl from the same blank; rings form "smiles" across the bowl |
Decide before you drill faceplate holes or cut a tenon, because you mount on the face opposite the rim. For a natural-edge bowl, leave the bark on the rim side and mount between centers first so you can adjust the blank until the rim is level.
How to cut bowl blanks without a bandsaw
You do not need a bandsaw to make a usable blank.
- Mark the circle on the flat face.
- Cut the corners off with a handsaw or chainsaw, making straight cuts tangent to the circle. Four cuts turn a square into an octagon; eight more get close to round.
- Mount it securely, on a faceplate or between centers, with the tailstock brought up.
- Start at the lowest speed and stand to the side.
- True it round with light cuts before raising speed.
A polygon blank is heavier on its corners, so expect some vibration until it is round. WEN's lathe manual advises rough cutting the workpiece as close as possible to the finished shape before mounting it, and the closer to round, the smoother it runs; see our wood lathe vibration guide.
Sizing the blank for your lathe
- Diameter: keep it under your lathe's swing over the tool rest base, not just the swing over the bed. A 12-inch midi usually handles a blank of about 10 to 11 inches; check by rotating the blank by hand before switching on.
- Thickness: a deeper blank needs a longer reach with the tool. For first bowls, a blank around 3 to 4 inches thick is easier to manage.
- Weight: wet wood is heavy. Start with smaller blanks until you know how your lathe handles them.
Wet or dry: what to do after cutting
- Turn it now: green wood cuts easily. Many turners rough-turn the bowl to an even wall, let it dry, and final-turn it later.
- Store it: seal all end grain the same day, store off the ground in the shade, and check it periodically.
- Buy instead: kiln-dried blanks skip this step; see our wood blanks for turning picks.
Mounting the blank
Most turners mount a fresh blank on a faceplate or between centers for roughing, then cut a tenon and move to a chuck. Our faceplate turning guide covers screws and mounting, and our wood bowl turning guide takes you through the whole bowl.
Common mistakes
- Leaving the pith in. It is the most likely place for a crack.
- Cutting a round log on a bandsaw without support. It can roll and grab the blade.
- Mounting on an uneven face. The blank rocks and works loose.
- Waiting weeks without sealing. End checks grow into the blank.
- Oversizing the blank for the lathe's swing over the banjo.
- Missing hidden metal in yard trees.
FAQ
How do you cut a bowl blank from a log?
Cut the log to a length a little longer than its diameter, split or saw it lengthwise through the center to remove the pith, flatten the split face, mark the largest circle that fits, cut it round on a bandsaw or trim the corners with a saw, then seal the end grain if you will not turn it right away.
Why do you remove the pith from a bowl blank?
The pith, the center of the tree, is a common crack line as wood dries, because wood shrinks unevenly around it. Halving the log through the pith removes the most crack-prone wood and gives you two bowl blanks.
Can you cut bowl blanks without a bandsaw?
Yes. Mark a circle on the flat face and trim the corners off with a handsaw or chainsaw, making several straight cuts to form a polygon. Mount it with the tailstock up, and true it round at the lathe's lowest speed. A rounder blank vibrates less.
Which way should a bowl blank face, bark up or down?
Both work. With the bark side as the bowl's rim, you get a natural-edge bowl or a rim that follows the growth rings. With the bark side as the base and the split face as the rim, you get a deeper bowl from the same half-log. Decide before you mount the faceplate or cut a tenon.
How long should I wait to turn a bowl blank after cutting?
You can turn it right away. Many turners rough-turn green blanks to an even wall, let them dry and then final-turn. If you store blanks, seal all end grain the day you cut them.
Next steps
Seal any blanks you cannot turn this week, then follow our wood bowl turning guide for the first one.