The client’s request was clear: “Can you make me a wooden bread bowl like the one I saw in a lunchroom? It needs to be 12 inches wide.” He sent me this picture.
Before embarking on this adventure, I researched how to make a tapered bowl. I found two methods on YouTube: birdsmouth joinery en splayed miter joints. Inspired by this, I chose a design with an equal number of tapered and straight pieces. Luckily, I remembered my high school math lessons, so the design wasn’t too difficult.
The complexity lay in the execution: which machines do I need, and how do I cut all those wedge-shaped blocks to the exact same size? After some experimentation, I opted for the sliding saw for the straight sections and the bandsaw with a special template for the tapered sections.
The client agreed with my suggestions for a more elegant shape and two types of wood. I’m very pleased with the result.
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