Stigmorgan
Established Member
Got the torso turned and finished today, also from green oak so hopefully it won't distort too much, will be applying oil repeatedly to minimise the shrinkage/cracking, I plan to use a dowel to attach the two pieces but it will only be glued into the bottom so that the pieces can easily be separated if need be.
Now I know the proportions are a little "stretched" and it's not quite what I had in mind but I do like it.
The torso is maybe a little too long, I'm in two minds whether I want to reduce it by an inch but then it might look too short and I won't be able to fix it, will leave that desicion for after I've finished the hat, here's where I need your opinions, I'm thinking the hat rim needs to be wider than the shoulders but how much? I'm thinking of doing the hat from green wood so that I can make the rim super thin and let it go wavy as it dries, still not sure what wood to use or how deep/solid to make the purple colouration, either a solid colour painted on or a thinner coat that will hilight the grain, alternatively I may even do both and have them changeable.
Next is the shape of the hat, I'm thinking the main body as a half sphere with the rim either being straight out or curved down, straight would show off the distortion more and be easier to make very very thin.
Your thoughts and critique?
Now I know the proportions are a little "stretched" and it's not quite what I had in mind but I do like it.
The torso is maybe a little too long, I'm in two minds whether I want to reduce it by an inch but then it might look too short and I won't be able to fix it, will leave that desicion for after I've finished the hat, here's where I need your opinions, I'm thinking the hat rim needs to be wider than the shoulders but how much? I'm thinking of doing the hat from green wood so that I can make the rim super thin and let it go wavy as it dries, still not sure what wood to use or how deep/solid to make the purple colouration, either a solid colour painted on or a thinner coat that will hilight the grain, alternatively I may even do both and have them changeable.
Next is the shape of the hat, I'm thinking the main body as a half sphere with the rim either being straight out or curved down, straight would show off the distortion more and be easier to make very very thin.
Your thoughts and critique?
I like one a lot more than the other but I'd like to hear your opinions, the upside down bowl style has a wall thickness of 1.5mm and the cartwheel style has 2.5mm thickness, I want brave enough to try going any thinner. Next will be to colour them purple, I'll keep oiling the body daily for a few more weeks to slow the drying, being cold out there is helping slow this too I think, hopefully it won't move too much more after that, then I'll attach the 2 halves of body with a dowel so that they can be separated and adjusted if they move too much, not too sure how I'm going to attached the hat yet, I might look at small magnets so that the hats can be changed over.
though I don't consider it 'perfect' -- have you thought about using two or three sheets of veneer (glued together) which might allow you to incorporate a 'wavy' profile - potentially a more natural look of a floppy brim? I'm sure it is well within your ability to simply turn a 'crown' to which you could glue the 'brim'.
