I’ve been a furniture maker for over 20 years, but I am new to woodturning and after picking up an old lathe from a school that was replacing it, I have been enjoying teaching myself how to turn simple bowls.
For this tutorial I have 3 pieces of holly from North Wales which I would like to make 3 small bowls from. These bowls will be gifts that I can give to my family or friends, great to keep small items safe like jewellery. They will look great sat on the side of a dresser or next to a sink on the windowsill.


(before and after shots)
Products and tools required:
- Bandsaw
- Lathe
- Pencil for marking.
- 1/2” roughing gouge
- 1/2” bowl gouge
- 80 + 120 grit sandpaper
- Ronseal worktop oil #
- Cotton rag
STEP 1
To begin I use a bandsaw to make one side of the holly flat. This flat surface will help me fit a mounting plate to the wood, which will then allow me to attach it to the lathe so I can start shaping the wood.

STEP 2
Once the flat edge is prepared, I draw rough circles onto the holly. Using the bandsaw, I cut along these lines to create rough, circular blanks. The more round they are the easier it will be to start machining.

STEP 3
Now the holly is cut into “rounds” I will attach the mounting plate, I do this by drilling a pilot hole which I can screw the mounting plate into. It’s quick and easy and strong enough to secure a piece of wood this size as it rotates on the lathe.




Step 4
Using the lathe, I begin shaping the exterior of the bowl with my gouges. These come in all shapes and sizes and they all have different uses. Some I am still learning! There are many techniques to follow. I have watched many demonstrations on YouTube and I’ve also had a brief lesson with a seasoned Pro. I love shaping the bowl. I don’t really consider the shape, this I find just happens during the making process.


Step 5
For this bowl, I decide to have a rounded bottom and to leave a thick piece of holly on the base so it is weighted and therefore will always want to roll into an upright position. This is beginning to look like a fab little bowl!


STEP 6
I leave a section protruding from the base, which allows me to turn the wood around the clamp back into position so I can start hollowing out the inside.

STEP 7
There’s some great figure running through the grain of this holly which creates a lovely pattern. I remove from the lathe and sand the base so that it removes any marks that have been made by the clamping process.

STEP 8
The final step is finishing the bowl by applying a drop of Ronseal Worktop oil. The oil not only enhances the natural colour and grain of the wood but also seals and protects the wood making it really durable too. The oil is also food safe so you could even fill it with nuts or olives! I always prefer to buy my oils, stains, varnishes and paints in a tin. If I don’t use the whole tin, any leftover is well preserved in a metal container and the contents stay fresh for my next project. Also, the cans, once completely empty, can be easily recycled and as metal is infinitely recyclable, I might get it back again in the future as another can or as something else.
I’m pleased with this one and I hope you will be too!



