Real wood

[gus3049]

At the risk of annoying the purists, I am drifting further and further away from the 'plastic' look for wood. A large part of my training in musical instrument making was getting a 'perfect' finish on the wood and polishing it to look like glass.

I was in the restaurant that shows some of my work on Friday and amongst my things they have quite a few antique items. Chatting to the other diners, I asked a few which they preferred. Almost to a man (and two women), they said they preferred the antiques. When pressed, they assured me that it wasn't the shape or the design but the finish they preferred. OK I know they had suffered the ravages of time and all that but there is something about the 'patina' that actually says its hand made wood rather than a factory produced, polished item. There is something about the smoothness achieved by years of handling that no amount of polishing seems to achieve. I realise that they probably started out highly finished but I'm impatient. (I first typed inpatient - Freudian slip? :lol: )

This week, amongst the more complex pieces, I have turned a few bowls. Just oiled with wet and dry paper and wax applied.

I mean no criticism of those who see the gloss as desirable, just telling it as I feel right now. A table full is attached. The left row is the elm that has already appeared here and the right row is walnut, all as big as the lathe will take without turning the headstock. The nearest one is 369mm in diameter which was fun, given that the lathe centre is 185mm over the bed!! Thank you bandsaw.

 

[Jonzjob]

Now you are talking my langue Gordon! If wood was meant to be black/green/blue/silver/etc. it would have come out of a plastics mould. OK for some, but not my style..

Those bowls are lovely, some more than others in my eye because I like lightness but even the heavier ones look good!

 

[gus3049]

Now you are talking my langue Gordon! If wood was meant to be black/green/blue/silver/etc. it would have come out of a plastics mould. OK for some, but not my style..

Those bowls are lovely, some more than others in my eye because I like lightness but even the heavier ones look good!

Ah Rats, I meant to colour the rim on that big one too. I must admit that your comment sounds a bit like "if God meant us to fly he would have given us wings"

I seem to be a bit schizophrenic here but when it comes to colour and carving and texturing, we are talking a different beast altogether. Wood is just the medium for the artistic statement. I know you've seen the little form I did for Colin and Phil's thread and you said you sort of liked it you thought but that was before it got finished.

How about now? At least the outside is still as nature intended Sort of

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

I don't like the plastic look finishes myself. To me they make the wood look fake.

Im not into colouring unless its an artistic piece like a sculpture. I quite like the form above.

 

[Wood spoiler]

I do understand what you are saying .....

Two little sayings come to mind " the devil is in the detail" and "horses for courses"

I came to the craft through a love and appreciation of the tactile nature of wood, the lovely patterns that the material provides us and the accessibility/ability to have a go.

I agree with John's view, I want to see the wood colour and grain come through, or what is the point of using wood.

I don't mind a bit of colour as long as the " honesty" of seeing the wood remains.

But ... Looking at both objects and furniture, in the majority of cases I like a nice well polished wood where all the grain shines through, but in my study I chose oak furniture with an oiled finish and in my dining room it is bright shiny mahogany and the lounge bright shiny cherry

Ho hum life is full of contradictions.

My shed continues to have oils, wax and buffing system!

Ps love the bowls

 

[Jonzjob]

Gordon, I have never said that if big g meant us to fly etc. but I beieve that big g did mean us to fly, that's why he gave us the R.A.F. Polititions are obviously athiests though the way they are destroying it (hammer) (hammer)

Your 'egg' is quite something and I can appreciate the work and skill in doing it, but to me the colour on the inner part makes it look a bit like something that you could have retrieved from one of your chooks

The shape, the texture, but I am afraid not the colour for me. Sorry mate.

I do like the bowls though, as I said already my boy even!

 

[gus3049]

The shape, the texture, but I am afraid not the colour for me. Sorry mate.

Vive la difference. 8)

 

[myturn]

I think your coloured, carved wotnot is not very aesthetically pleasing ... albeit an impressive display of woodturning skills.

I agree that not all finishes need to be shiny. Sometimes I just scrape smooth, lightly sand and then apply a light coat of paste wax which soon dulls down to a satin or matt finish. It all depends on the wood, the shape and how I feel at the time.

My classical guitar is not varnished, just oiled. Some say varnish affects the sound, I don't know or care if it does or not, it just feels nice. :mrgreen:

I'm not a fan of colouring wood, it might as well be plastic or ceramic if you do that.

On the other hand I do like your bowls, in particular the large one with the textured rim. I've just made one very similar and love the contrast in textures between the bowl and the rim. I would not dream of colouring it.

What did you use to texture it? I just used the end of my spindle gouge moved quickly across the surface to create a ringed effect as I don't have any texturing tools yet.

 

[gus3049]

I think your coloured, carved wotnot is not very aesthetically pleasing ... albeit an impressive display of woodturning skills.

My classical guitar is not varnished, just oiled. Some say varnish affects the sound, I don't know or care if it does or not, it just feels nice. :mrgreen:

On the other hand I do like your bowls, in particular the large one with the textured rim. I've just made one very similar and love the contrast in textures between the bowl and the rim. I would not dream of colouring it.

What did you use to texture it? I just used the end of my spindle gouge moved quickly across the surface to create a ringed effect as I don't have any texturing tools yet.

Hi Mick,

As with Jonzjob, its a good job we don't all like the same things or life would be very boring indeed. People who disagree with me can't help being wrong after all.

The guitar argument has raged as long as there have been guitars. In my experience, a very hard finish raises the sensitivity and volume of the instrument but makes the sound a fraction harder. So it has to be made allowing for the finish that is going to be applied. If its lacquer, I make the top slightly thicker to help keep it mellow whilst keeping response. As always, there is a balance to be found.

The texture on the big bowl is done with the airtool with the Dremel small metal burr. Rather than my usual dimples, I just randomly skated over the surface. It produces interesting patterns that, should be of that mind. look REALLY REALLY good with a colour applied.

 

[Jonzjob]

Here's a couple of nice coloured bowls. Various sizes too

http://www.calibowl.com/home.html

:twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

 

[gus3049]

Here's a couple of nice coloured bowls. Various sizes too

http://www.calibowl.com/home.html

:twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Very tasteful. Real plastic too. How many have you ordered?

 

[Spindle]

Hi

Most of the items I produce are just Danish oiled and waxed - personal choice, as I'm not a fan of high gloss finishes. I believe repeated waxing over time will continue to enhance the finish and patina.

Regards Mick

 

[Jonzjob]

Here's a couple of nice coloured bowls. Various sizes too

http://www.calibowl.com/home.html

:twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Very tasteful. Real plastic too. How many have you ordered?

Plastic! :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

And there were eye thinkin they were wuuud?

Well, stripe my socks with charcole :?

 

[hughie]

What I find with wood turning and finishes is the that different parts of the world have different tastes. For instance in North America often the preferred finish is gloss and high gloss at that. Here in Australia we have a multitude of ethnicities and I find some groups want and demand gloss. There is acertian section of the population that will have only matt or 'natural' look.

This then tends to direct me often to the choice of finishes. For myself I vacilate back and forwards [ probably has to do with a my stint in North America ] But when I do go for gloss its something like danish oil which requires buffing and gives me a good hand rubbed patina look.

Hope this helps

 

[Sawyer]

I was in the restaurant that shows some of my work on Friday and amongst my things they have quite a few antique items. Chatting to the other diners, I asked a few which they preferred. Almost to a man (and two women), they said they preferred the antiques. When pressed, they assured me that it wasn't the shape or the design but the finish they preferred. OK I know they had suffered the ravages of time and all that but there is something about the 'patina' that actually says its hand made wood rather than a factory produced, polished item. There is something about the smoothness achieved by years of handling that no amount of polishing seems to achieve.

Ah yes, patina. The work of a lot of so-called antique restorers in France annoys me. The approach seems to be, take an old piece of furniture, strip the finish entirely, down to bare wood (generally leaving some mechanical sanding marks in the process), then re-polish, giving the appearance of having been made yesterday.
Perhaps even worse, paint it white, as advocated by various trendy 'home' magazines' articles advising how to 'rejuvenate tired old furniture'.
Argggh! (hammer)

Finish wise, personally I prefer a natural, tactile finish, but I suppose a really well done, glassy french polish is quite impressive in its own right. Don't like sprayed lacquer much.

 

[gus3049]

It seems that, on this subject too, there as many opinions as there are people. All keeps the pot bubbling I guess

 

[Jonzjob]

Sawyer, you forgot the small bunches of pin holes to imitate likkle worm 'oles! Also the French prefer a mucky brown to white, both in furniture and decoration #-o #-o #-o