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Chas,
That could bw where I was going wrong. I worked from each end to the middle and when it started bending I had visions of a lot of work going to waste so stopped. Next time I'll follow your way and let you know how it went. I have quite a lot of this mahogany and was going to use it to practice my spindle work with.

Paul,

As I'm 6'5" anything that stops me bending is welcome. Not sure it could cope when I smack the egg on the head though :lol:

I'll keep an eye out for those blades. The sound agood idea and would certainly be useful parting off right close to the chuck.

Pete
 
Hi Pete.

Sorry I should have explained myself better about the hacksaw blade. As Paul said they are the ones that are used on the machine powered hacksaw. They are quite stiff, and I have had up to 4" over the rest so they are certainly easy to use.

When you make them I normally grind the the teeth off gently, then grind one end into the parting tool profile. I don't use a handle of any kind, couldn't be bothered, but you could cover the handle part of the blade if you so wished. Will try and photo my blade so you can see what I mean.


The big blade is 400mm L x 30mm wide x 1.8mm thick so it must have been about 450mm when I started. The smaller blade I made from a metal cutting bandsaw blade, it does bend a little but I only use it on very small pieces.


This is the shape I normally work with, (ignore the burning, I was in a hurry last time I used it) :oops:

All the best
 
Chas:
I download any big stuff at work so I will add that one to my collection of videos.

Thanks Tam, that's really useful. I'll have a hunt for some blades or an eqivalent. :D

Pete
 
Had a productive day.

This is from a piece of log rescued from a stream, No idea what wood. Moss flying everywhere when turning.
2" high weedpot
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SWMBO not so keen, asked "what happened to it."

Another experiment in mahogany. Sort of gobletty thing 4" high. Pleased with the thickness of the bowl again. Using the fingernail gouge and think I have the hang of it at last.


Been asked to make a fruit bowl for someone. Hope they like this. 12" across, 2 1/2" deep, again wood unknown
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If anyone can identify the woods I use I'd be grateful. Only trouble with scavenging wood, often can't tell what it is.

Crticisms welcome but remember that some of the wierd designs are experiments in technique :roll:

Pete
 
Pete;

A comment on the last item, the fruit bowl for someone else.

I personally think you have overdone the decoration around the rim, for something that may get a lot of handling it may get rather grubby in the recesses.

Also it may not be easy to handle when full of fruit if say wanting to move from sideboard to table.

I find people go for a bowl with a little wider rim more often than not:

_________ _______ click on image for larger view

_________

Having said that I'm sure your personal input will be much appreciated.
 
Thanks Chas, I see your point about the recesses and the rim. I'll have another look at it. I deliberately made it fairly thick for strength and there may be enough to adapt it.

Keep the suggestions coming....firm believer in brain-picking

Pete
 
Nice pieces Pete,especially as they are scavenged woods.
I like the weed pot,makes it look like it's an old piece of pottery that sa just been unearthed,with the usual pieces missing.
I turned a bowl in the week using the Plumb or whatever it is and that had a piece of rot near the core which i broke away to leave it missing,swmbo thinks it looks good,so thats that.
How deep have you done the bowl in the middle,looks like you could go deeper perhaps.Nice looking wood,WEII.Thats a new one i think Chas.
Not sure about the goblety thing,looks uneven somehow.
But as i have said before,i don't really like being a critique of other peoples work :!: :!:
Keep em coming.
Paul.J.
 
Paul.J":1wij1qxs said:
...snip...But as i have said before,i don't really like being a critique of other peoples work
Paul.J.

Something I am not always comfortable with either, but I think if you try and analyze the piece in your own mind it helps with your own perceptions for future projects, and having done that sometimes you feel that you indeed have something to contribute.
 
Paul.J":3o2njrfn said:
Not sure about the goblety thing,looks uneven somehow.

Keep em coming.
Paul.J.


Bad photography. Is this better?


Thanks Paul. The little pot was made with an amphora in mind. I have got quite hooked on these little things, quick and easy to make, use up all the scraps and can often look reallty effective.
Here's a couple more from today


Wood from a log found in a stream again, 9" high. Pig to dig out, fortunately have a ring tool. Had to stop at the rim when I saw the light shining through. The top is actually the same dia. as the belly (2.5") but doesn't look it in the pics.


Another weed pot from scraps. Again a mossy piece of wood my grandkids found for me. 3" tall.


Any wood ID welcome as well as critique.

Pete
 
Very nice Pete.
We took the kids down to our local country park last week,and there were loads of broken branches etc in piles.Looked like that lots of the trees had just been pruned and some recently felled.
Seeing what you are doing Pete i think we might be regular visitors.
Are you turning these pieces green :?:
Paul.J.
 
CHJ":22gqgvs7 said:
Paul.J":22gqgvs7 said:
...snip...But as i have said before,i don't really like being a critique of other peoples work
Paul.J.

Something I am not always comfortable with either, but I think if you try and analyze the piece in your own mind it helps with your own perceptions for future projects, and having done that sometimes you feel that you indeed have something to contribute.

IMHO sensible criticism is just another way of picking someone else's brains. We all approach turning from different angles and se things differently. Chas's comment about my fruit bowl for example, something I hadn't thought of and now know to consider. I truly appreciate any comments that make me think in a different way about what I am trying to do. I recognise that design wise my taste isn't always someone elses but as someone who has only had a lathe for 3 months I look forward to comments from those in the forum who have a lot more knowledge and experience so don't be shy Paul. :lol:

By the way Paul. I turn the small things green, one was soaking wet from a stream and covered in moss. By the time I had finished turning it was bone dry. I find that I can tell if it is too rotten by the feel of it. Bigger stuff I have in storage painted with PVA glue. A lot already has splits by the time I find it and I have to chop off the worst. It's really great though being able to take rubbish and make something that others like. Trouble is even my grandchildren of 5 & 6 have brought me bits of wood and wanted things. Hence the little twig pots.

Pete
 
Hey Pete, I've got this bit of wood, could you make something with it for me?

This bit of wood turned out to be a 31/2" cube of oak with a ginormous knot and more cracks than a northern comedian. Stupid me says, "I'll have a go but I don't make any promises."

This is what she's getting.


The base is about 1/4" thick. Just as well theres a hole from the side right through to the bottom in the middle of that knot.

Pete
 
Nice one Pete.
Looks like that piece of Holly i turned some time ago,the one with the BIG split in.SWMBO still likes it though :D
Hope this one stays o.k.
Paul.J.
 
Cracking job Pete; satisfied the customer, kept it together, gained a little more experience.


Anybody got any thoughts about a rustic piece like this regards fors and againsts filling the voids or leaving "as is" ?
 
CHJ wrote
Anybody got any thoughts about a rustic piece like this regards fors and againsts filling the voids or leaving "as is" ?
I think with the type of wood me and Pete use,and others i suppose we just have to make the best of what we've got,as we are still learning and practicing.
I think in this instance it should be left to do what ever it does.It is a natural piece,and should make the most of the defects.
The piece i referred too is still moving and still splitting in different places,which to me and SWMBO like.
Other people have commented on it more than the other pieces i have turned.So it is of more interest i suppose.
Looks like most of the wood i've cut will end up like it too :(
Paul.J.
 
Anybody got any thoughts about a rustic piece like this regards fors and againsts filling the voids or leaving "as is" ?

When I have pieces with 'rustic' defects I usually plan what I'm going to make dependant on the defect.

A piece of timber with a defect as above would probably have been made into a piece of 'rotten' fruit, and the cracks left open. In fact that particular piece would have made a good 'rotten' pear.

If it's a big piece of timber I will often make a feature by cutting it away even more, scorching the edges then finishing the turning. Or if there are a few defects I would fill with contrasting or highlighting colour/metal fillings.

Then as a final resort, if I can't figure what I could do to make it look good, it would be in the scrap bin. I don't bother turning bits that a are too badly gone any more. My usual criteria is 'will it look good' when finished.

Which has not really answered your question Chas. but as I often say 'beauty - eyes - beholder' and so on. It is also whether you figure it is worth trying to make something out of a piece of timber that may be too far gone.
 
The person I made this for was really enthusiastic about it thank goodness.

Like Tam I had a good look at the wood to see what could bw done with it. I couldn't do much shaping as the cracks went right into the wood. I am not very good at getting the shape with fruit (need to practice) and she wanted something that showed the character of the wood so I doid this oxy shape. Personally I like the rustic look and fortunately so does the cusstomer.

Pete
 
Good stuff Pete... the customer is happy and you've had a bit of fun on the learning curve... sounds like a good recipe to me :wink:
 
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