When you turn multiple bowls from a single block of wood that fit together, it’s called a nest. Under Ali Asadi’s guidance, we’d already turned a nest, but now, just like with the bayonet-locking box, it was important to first forge the necessary tools ourselves and then test them. Why you need different turning hooks will become clear shortly.
It essentially begins the same way as a single bowl: by roughly shaping the outer shape of the bowl. However, because you want to make multiple bowls, you often start with a slightly larger block.
Especially with such a large bowl, we often start by leveling the top so that, when shaping the exterior, the bowl is completely symmetrical and the wood rotates as smoothly as possible. This promotes a smooth exterior finish.
Then comes the trickiest part of a nest. You want the gap between the outer bowl and the next one as narrow as possible. To do this, use a hook tool that has as close to the same curvature as the outer bowl as possible. This allows you to precisely follow the outer wall of the outer bowl, while keeping the center piece (the core, where your mandrel and cord are located) as large as possible. This will become the next bowl!
Once the first bowl is turned, the remaining core can be put onto the lathe and the second bowl can be turned. In principle, you can turn many bowls this way, depending on the size of the piece of wood you start with, the correct shape of the hooks, and your skill.
