Lidded form

[loz]

Hi Mark,

Are these forms, ( and the Chilli box etc ) usable items ? - They have the look of usable items, but the lid/finial kinda warns away and look fragile. are the lids/finial ( handle ? ) rigid enough for general usage ?

Or are these artistic only forms ?

Wanted to ask but almost afraid too - hope i don't cause a crazy debate.

Thanks

Loz

 

[Paul.J]

Mark S wrote

How you make them is in a previous woodturning mag.

Which Number mag is i t Mark,i can't seem to find it but i'm sure i have it :?

 

[mark sanger]

Hi Mark,

Are these forms, ( and the Chilli box etc ) usable items ? - They have the look of usable items, but the lid/finial kinda warns away and look fragile. are the lids/finial ( handle ? ) rigid enough for general usage ?

Or are these artistic only forms ?

Wanted to ask but almost afraid too - hope i don't cause a crazy debate.

Thanks

Loz

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Me make work that has a use, come on,next you'll get me doing production turning, don't have the repeatability for that

The finials are not fragile as they have a 3mm wood screw going through the lid into the finial.

However if you wanted to use it as to take the lid off of a baked bean can then I expect it would break.

No my work is not utility but purely aesthetic as with any other picture, sculpture etc.

Although I do make boxes which while they will hold things are again designed more for the aesthetic appeal than for use.

I have found that if something has a use then generally I can not realise the correct amount of return for it. As people just want it to put things in and do not hold it with as much respect.

After all if you want to buy something purely for the aesthetics then you have to really like it and if you like it you will pay for it. That's mize thoughts on it any how.

Of course people will pay good money for usable items too but utility wood does not hold as much value in the creative market.

 

[mark sanger]

Mark S wrote

How you make them is in a previous woodturning mag.

Which Number mag is i t Mark,i can't seem to find it but i'm sure i have it :?

Not going to tell you or you'll make them better than me.

I will have a look for you and get back to you once I come in for the next cuppa.

 

[loz]

Thanks Mark,

 

[mark sanger]

but to clarify the lid and finial lift off but the main insert is glued in.

I suppose you could use it as a posh incense stick holder



John


The mag number for the scorch one I did on a plinth is WT 208

 

[Paul.J]

Mark S wrote

Not going to tell you or you'll make them better than me.

Now that would be something to see :lol:
Still can't find it :? :roll:

 

[gasmansteve]

Dare I say its quite a `spiritual` form Mark?. Like the idea offsetting the handle to one side of the lid
Steve

 

[mark sanger]

Hi

John

It is Christmas 2009 issue. 208 and has picture of a bowl on the front which is being heavily scorched.

Steve

Thanks. I started offsetting the lids with my chilli forms as it adds a bit of asymmetry which alters the interest. I have just roughed some more out today and am lettign them settle in the airing cupboard ( it is well seasoned wood but I always do this just to make sure any movement and moisture is gone.).

So hopefully some new ones will be on the way in a week or so.

 

[Paul.J]

Who's John :?: :lol:
What you got in your tea :lol:

 

[mark sanger]

Who's John :?: :lol:
What you got in your tea :lol:

Oops I don't know, nothing in my coffee it is the aspartame in my Pepsi that does it.

 

[Paul.J]

Found it now Mark
Would you believe it got mixed in with some other mags,woodwork ones :lol:
It would have to be that one :?
Still not sure though how a spalted or nicely grained piece would still line up :?

 

[mark sanger]

Found it now Mark
Would you believe it got mixed in with some other mags,woodwork ones :lol:
It would have to be that one :?
Still not sure though how a spalted or nicely grained piece would still line up :?

Hi Paul

Glad you found it.

You should not have too much trouble with lining the grain up. You are taking a slice from the end and the grain runs all the way through this ( which I know you appreciate), but it depends how much change there is through the slice you take. so as long as you do not remove too much width with a parting tool you should get a good match.

Also don;t forget it is not like a box where you look at the cut from the side. You look at this from end on. So the amount of grain deviation over 2 mm is not a lot.

I use a 2mm parting tool for this.

Here is a spalted one I did earlier and as you can see the grain lines up.


Hope this shows what can be done with the spalted wood

 

[Paul.J]

Thanks for that Mark
When i get round to trying one of these i will be asking for more advice no doubt

 

[duncanh]

A great looking piece Mark. I have quite a few of similar form and I really like it.

I was wondering - are you working with dry wood? I mostly hollow wet (or sometimes slightly damp) wood and the odd time that I've taken a slice off the end to make a lid the slice had dished considerably when drying. This dishing has been enough that I didn't bother using the slice. I tend to work with whole logs, sometimes drilling out the pith in the base to drill and fill it again later once it's dry.

Any suggestions?

Duncan

 

[mark sanger]

A great looking piece Mark. I have quite a few of similar form and I really like it.

I was wondering - are you working with dry wood? I mostly hollow wet (or sometimes slightly damp) wood and the odd time that I've taken a slice off the end to make a lid the slice had dished considerably when drying. This dishing has been enough that I didn't bother using the slice. I tend to work with whole logs, sometimes drilling out the pith in the base to drill and fill it again later once it's dry.

Any suggestions?

Duncan

Hi Duncan.

Thank you for y our comments.

Are you using end/parallel grain logs or cross grain as these are end grain.

Mostly these pieces are made from seasoned wood up to 100 mm square.

However you can use and I do use part seasoned cut out of a log but not with the pith included/ quarter sawn so to speak.

What I do when the wood is not fully seasoned is to take a thick slice from the end about half an inch. To do this a part in nearest to the form body to a dia to suit my chuck, normally 55mm. Then I slice this off.

I then rough and hollow the form so that the wall thickness is about 10mm. If the wood has been cut out of the log away from the pith the amount of movement you will get

Once the main form has seasoned you can finish turn it.

Then you can put the lid part between centres using a friction drive to true up the spigot end and base. Reverse it into the chuck and finish the front and take it to dia.

Then reverse again and take the spigot off. A bit of moving about but it is worth it, and only takes a few seconds with a flat friction drive.


Hope this helps.

 

[duncanh]

Are you using end/parallel grain logs or cross grain as these are end grain.

...

Hope this helps.

Pretty much always end grain and mostly from a full log/branch. Most are at least 12cm diameter. Latest one (currently on the lathe) is about 16 I think. I'll try another and take a thicker slice off the end (plenty to play with as it's close to 35cm).

Thanks

Duncan

 

[mark sanger]

Are you using end/parallel grain logs or cross grain as these are end grain.

...

Hope this helps.

Pretty much always end grain and mostly from a full log/branch. Most are at least 12cm diameter. Latest one (currently on the lathe) is about 16 I think. I'll try another and take a thicker slice off the end (plenty to play with as it's close to 35cm).

Thanks

Duncan

I think you will struggle taking a slice from end grain with the pith included. As it will normally crack. Bt if you drill out the hole a little smaller to start with, getting rid of the pith then it may not be such a problem.

You could try the alternative of using a log of say oak scorching the outside and then inserting a contrasting cross grain section.

The other option is to soak the pith with thin superglue but this can stain the grain.

 

[duncanh]

I think you will struggle taking a slice from end grain with the pith included. As it will normally crack. Bt if you drill out the hole a little smaller to start with, getting rid of the pith then it may not be such a problem.

You could try the alternative of using a log of say oak scorching the outside and then inserting a contrasting cross grain section.

The other option is to soak the pith with thin superglue but this can stain the grain.

I forgot to say - last time (and probably in future as well) I drilled out the pith on the slice. I wasn't going for the off-set effect of the lid, rather a central hole with a raised lip. I've plenty of logs to go at and the new Sorby Medium Ultima to test so I may well be doing lots of experimenting...

 

[wizer]

Duncan, what made you chose the Ultima over the Munro? Out of Interest.