First turning for a couple of weeks.

[johnny.t.]

Well today i made it out to the shed for the first time in a couple of weeks, after having the flu(the full on in bed variety ) and then all this crimbo business, it was good to get amongst the shavings again.
I've aquired lots more spalted sycamore and thought I'd better have a bit of a bash at some of it .


I love the colours in this wood but it is a bit soft here and there. It's finished in hard wax and measures around 7 1/2" x 4". Let me know what you think

Cheers JT

 

[PowerTool]

Like the smooth,flowing curve - I think a simple shape helps show off figured timber better.You've certainly got some nice sycamore,and it suits the glossy finish.
Depending on intended use,when I've had slightly soft pieces before,I've used melamine lacquer to give it a reasonably hard surface.

Andrew

 

[CHJ]

Go along with Andrews comment re: simple form for figured wood, even plain sanding sealer, a few coats soaked well in, can make a big difference to the stamina of the finished item if the melamine option is getting a little expensive.

Looks like you will be busy converting all the sycamore before it goes too far.

 

[Paul.J]

Lovely looking piece JT.
Nice shape and looks well finished

 

[cornucopia]

I echo the above comments - excellent smooth curve

somtimes with these types of curve i like to add a couple of small groves just below the rim or 1/3 rd the way up the vase/bowl form- these can be left as plain groves or burnt with a cheese wire.

 

[johnny.t.]

Thanks for comments , I need to get lots more finishes and bits and bobs in the new year as to be honest all I have so far is wax sticks and danish oil .
Anyway I'm carrying on through the heap of spalted sycamore and attempted a more spherical hollow form, not perfectly ball like but not too far out.....

Its had only one coat of oil thus far and needs several more.Its 6 1/2" wide.
I've also turned my first ever plate, 10 1/2" wide and finished with a good covering of wax buffed to a high shine.


JT

 

[CHJ]

Like the Platter very much JT, simple form once again shows off the wood features well.

 

[PowerTool]

A pair of very beautiful turnings,but as Chas said,the platter is something special

Andrew

 

[THOMASB]

Hi johnny. t. Snap I too have been layed up with a bug started Xmas Eve
Great to be back on the lathe beautiful wood both the bowl and the platter look great. Keep up the good work. And Happy New Year to you.
:roll:

 

[cornucopia]

i like both forms- althogh my only preference on the platter would have been to create a stop start between the rim and the bowl- this could be a tiny burn line or a slight undercut whih creates a shadow or a bead, anything to stop teh rim from blending in with the bowl is my own take.

 

[johnny.t.]

Thanks for your replies , ThomasB, hope your feeling better, bit grim getting it christmas eve.
George, I see what you mean,a much steeper angle between rim and bowl. Where would you burn a line? on the inside edge of the rim? and how would you go about burning a line on the face of a plate?

Cheers JT

 

[Paul.J]

Two very nice looking pieces JT
I like the ball hollowing.
How did you cut and finish the bottom off :?:

 

[cornucopia]

Thanks for your replies , ThomasB, hope your feeling better, bit grim getting it christmas eve.
George, I see what you mean,a much steeper angle between rim and bowl. Where would you burn a line? on the inside edge of the rim? and how would you go about burning a line on the face of a plate?

Cheers JT

if you create a sharp edge/corner the with the piece running as fast as is safe- hold a piece of dense wood against this sharp edge and press firmly- some woods work better than others but eventually you willl see smoke and get a burn line. another way is to use a permanent marker and with the help of the tool rest and create a line.

 

[TEP]

Mornin' JT. Love the bowl at the beginning of the thread. Gorgeous shape and colour, that is some really nice Sycamore you have got there.

Also like the hollow 'ball' although I would have put some small marks around the opening, even just a couple of lines. I also agree that the plate would look better with a demarcation between the centre and the rim. Only my opinion of course :roll: .

Also you asked about burning a line on a flat surface. Use the point of a skew, or some other tool to make a slight line where you want the decoration to be. Then use the edge of a piece of Formica pressed into the line, it will burn a dark mark. You can use a piece of hard wood but the wood tends to burn and lose it's pointed shape very quickly.

Just make sure you take the sharp edges off the Formica before using in case you cut your hand.

Good luck with the rest of the Sycamore.

PS. George obviously types faster than I can. :lol:

 

[johnny.t.]

Thanks George and Tam
PaulJ I did the bottom by mounting the ball in a doughnut chuck. It was an absolute pig to line up true because of the tiny opening and took a good 15 mins of adjusting and swearing before I got it in square :roll: :lol: I might make another back plate for the doughnut chuck with a cone in the centre to help line this sort of thing up in the future, although my axminster lathe makes it awkward because the motor sticks out forward in the way of the ends of the threaded rod used to hold the doughnut together(meaning I'm going to end up with loads of bits of rod at different lenghts to suit different sized projects :x )

Cheers JT

 

[johnny.t.]

Well I had another crack at a platter today, I made the sides of the bowl part much steeper and for that matter deeper.I tried to burn a little mark on the inner edge of the rim but the wood must have moved a tiny bit and I had a good line in parts and barely any in others so rather than persevere and ruin it I chickened out and sanded it away . I did however burn a little bit of decoration into the centre of the foot......



My lighting for the pics is too overhead to show shadow around the edge of the bowl part but it is there honest governor :wink:

cheers JT

 

[cornucopia]

much better j.t-- maybe you'd get on better with the black pen method

 

[johnny.t.]

Thanks for the tips George, I like it much better than my first The black pen would feel like cheating to me :?

cheers JT

 

[cornucopia]

anything which acheives the desired results j.t is fine by me
jimmy clewes use's pen's on his work.

 

[TEP]

I agree, there ain't no such thing as cheating. If it works safely use/do it. I know your only talking about pens at the moment, but there is all sorts of different ways to achieve the same end result in turning.

And folks will only know how you did it if you tell them :wink: