@lew @HandyDan @Gerald  Beautiful artistry being shown here, thanks for the pics and backgrounds of the work.

A beautiful piece of art, Gerald!

This idea came from Mimi. The Manzanita root was laying on my lathe waiting to become something but I was out of ideas. Mimi was in nursing for 40 years so it's not surprising when she returned from getting stuff from the basement freezer and said- "that piece of wood looks like a heart". 

 

 

Full disclosure here- I forgot to take a picture of the original root before starting. Photoshopped a picture to bring it back to the original look.

 

After turning-

 

 

The lid removed-

 

The finial was made from an ebony piano key. The lid had major faults and blew apart while creating. Used tinted Alumilite resin to repair/fill.

 

 

The lid was made from a different  chunk of manzanita that had a darker color.

 

 

I called this one "Hidden In My Heart".

 

Wow! That is so very nice

I'm jonesin' for some more of the big M.  There's a good chance I will be seeing my dealer in the next couple weeks. I'll check his supply of root balls and burls.

 

 

Love the contrast of the natural and new finished surfaces.  Makes me think of gem stones and geodes. 

WOW! Beautiful Lew.  BTW your Photoshop skills ain't too shabby either.

1 hour ago, Grandpadave52 said:

WOW! Beautiful Lew.  BTW your Photoshop skills ain't too shabby either.

Still learning. Lots of YouTube watching. 

yes Lew do like that one

 

 

This one has a bit of an unusual story. The bowl part is cherry. A club member brought it in and said anyone who wanted it could take it as he was having problems turning it. Needless to say it was larger when I got it.

 

Thought it was a little plain so added a lid and pedestal. Thought a twist was cool so did that. Now to the failed part. I wanted an open twist for the finial but just could not get that right. So did the finial as seen with twist and Inlace Turquoise inlay. Have never been extremely happy with this one but that is how it developed.

That's pretty cool Gerald. Great recovery and save. 

Some great work guys, was wondering when those small pin holes start showing up why not fill them with a colored resin/epoxy to stabilize the piece and then finish turning?

3 hours ago, Pat Meeuwissen said:

Some great work guys, was wondering when those small pin holes start showing up why not fill them with a colored resin/epoxy to stabilize the piece and then finish turning?

Great question Pat!

 

For me, some of the holes, small or large, add to the uniqueness of the piece, so they don't get filled. But if the turning will be something the may be a container for things like candy/food then I will use resin for a filler.

 really like it, @Gerald

On 3/31/2022 at 3:48 PM, lew said:

I called this one "Emerging From The Chrysalis"

 

I knew someone who would have paid high dollars for that. I'd have gladly laid a stack of crisp Yankee dollars on your bench for her. But alas, she is in the next life. Perhaps emerged yet again or just enjoying a new job in heaven.

As @Gerald pointed out, not all of our mental designs come to fruition when the piece is finally turned. As is often the case, the wood decides to change our plans.

 

This chunk of ash seemed perfect for a vase, but after turning, this crack became more evident.

 

 

The addition of dutchmen seemed to be a workable solution

 

The crack had other plans and continued to weaken the piece. In hindsight (which is always 20/20) mixed media materials did not enhance the the look.

 

 

 

The copper wire was just the wrong choice.

 

 

 

Edited April 5, 20224 yr by lew

2 hours ago, lew said:

The copper wire was just the wrong choice.

Gotta agree with you on this one Lew. However the Dutchman really turned out great plus was the perfect choice. So what was the final fate for this piece?

Have to agree there are just so many cracks that a piece can stand. I have a walnut bowl jst finished that has several cracks but the bottom flame saved it. Adding finish today I hope

3 hours ago, lew said:

The copper wire was just the wrong choice.

 

Maybe not the wrong choice, but there are options. Lighter gauge wire and more of a stitches pattern. 

 

 

On 4/1/2022 at 11:42 PM, Gerald said:

a friend in NOLA who had cut a burl off a live oak

The two golf clubs nearby, which downed most of the trees as they redesign into one club? I noticed a pile of huge stumpy scraps just outside the gate [it is all fenced with signage]. All the burls and oddly-shaped joints. Someone knew someone on the inside to get that pile.

 

Beautiful work, everyone! And extra credit for the brass pin save, Dan! 

Unknown at this point, but I cleaned up a bit of the last curb find. Wow, nice tight grain. This would carve into a good fiddle or mandolin top. Enough for several one-piece mando tops. Another of the larger pieces is wider grained but very heavy - a good sign. For now, they go into safekeeping - the basement on sawhorses. Expanding my laundry sorting bucket table. 

 

47 minutes ago, Dovetail said:

Unknown at this point, but I cleaned up a bit of the last curb find. Wow, nice tight grain. This would carve into a good fiddle or mandolin top. Enough for several one-piece mando tops. Another of the larger pieces is wider grained but very heavy - a good sign. For now, they go into safekeeping - the basement on sawhorses. Expanding my laundry sorting bucket table. 

 

That is really nice, even, tight grain! Do instrument tops have vertical grain like that??