Turning wooden bowls on a lathe is an age old method which has been practised for millennia. Using a woodturning lathe to turn a bowl is an example of using a sustainable resource for creating utility bowls.
Wooden salad bowls look great on the table and are tactile to use and pass around. Paul turns each bowl by hand then individually finishes them with a natural food safe finish made from plant oils and waxes.
Timber selection
Paul generally uses locally grown timber for salad bowls and often carries out the whole process from tree to bowl. Handling the entire process from start to finish allows Paul to have complete control over the size, grain orientation and characteristics of the bowl. This results in a superior bespoke bowl of a quality unmatched by mass produced alternatives.
Paul individually turns each bowl from a single piece of wood so there are no joints or glue like those found in lower quality alternatives. Any of the turned wooden salad bowls is also suitable for use as a fruit bowl or even purely as an ornament.
Selecting your bowl
Salad or fruit bowls are available to order in a size and wood of your choice. However, woodturning has its constraints with regard to the use of wood so please allow plenty of time when ordering. If you see something you like, check the woodturning shop page for current stock or enquire for prices and availability. Stock will vary depending on timber availability.
Salad bowl finish
The oil finish will withstand moisture and gentle washing (by hand – not in the dishwasher!). It is advisable to periodically reapply some oil to maintain the finish if the bowl is looking dry. Many oils found in the kitchen are suitable, such as grape oil, olive oil, sunflower oil etc. However, it is best not to use basic vegetable oil as this tends not to last. Some hardware stores are able to supply salad bowl finish which may be more durable than oils from the kitchen.
The salad bowls in my woodturning shop are available from stock.