One year on.

[PowerTool]

Yes,this weekend is the first birthday of my CCBL lathe,so had decided a bit since it would be an appropriate time to end "Wet Saturday afternoon",and start another thread.

Inspired by a suggestion from my ex-wife (who's pub currently has a display of some of my work,spent some of this morning making this :-

Spalted beech,approx.280mm diameter,25mm high,finished in aerosol lacquer.
The shape is a beech leaf,veins cut (charred) with a mini-drill.Platter is much thicker than I would normally have made,but I wanted the stem to be reasonably substantial so hopefully it won't get broken off.
Not sure if I like it or not :?

Also,some lemons to go in my fruit bowl :-

Pau amarello,approx.45mm diameter,70mm long,finished in lemon oil.

And a small bowl from home-cured plum :-

120mm diameter,50mm high,finished in lemon oil.

Then went to see my mate with the incredibly large garden,to pick up some silver birch for a new base for a stuffed mongoose (another of my ex-wifes little projects for me..) when I saw this hiding in a pile of assorted timber :-

Laburnum - been after some for ages

Andrew

 

[TEP]

Hi Andrew. I'm gonna jump in the deep end. I don't like the leaf far too thick, yet I can see what your saying about the stem. IMO I have never seen a nice turned leaf yet, but have seen some gorgeous carved ones. I think it's the only way to go if you want a nice leaf shape.

Don't waste the Laburnum, one of my favorite woods of all time to turn, and love the colours it can go from chocolate brown in the middle of a old tree to the pale green of a young tree, and all the ones in between. Enjoy!

 

[PowerTool]

Hi Andrew. I'm gonna jump in the deep end. I don't like the leaf far too thick, yet I can see what your saying about the stem. IMO I have never seen a nice turned leaf yet, but have seen some gorgeous carved ones. I think it's the only way to go if you want a nice leaf shape.

I think I'll join you in the deep end,as it doesn't really work for me either.Though I would try it,but think I might buy ask Santa for some carving chisels for Christmas instead :wink:

Andrew

 

[Anonymous]

I like the leaf idea Andrew... it's all in the beholder's eye and for me the basic shape doesn't communicate 'leaf', the veins are a little too overpowering... a look at artist's impression of leaves reveals that not all of the veins are shown (I'm thinking 'brick wall' ... not an adverse comment but alluding to the fact that walls are rarely, if ever, sketched to show every brick and course).

I've made my feelings clear, on another thread, about long threads... shame your previous work is now only accessible via a search

I reckon it's good for those putting a tentative foot on the slippery slpoe to see skills progression over time...

Maybe you could have simply changed the 'old' thread title to Sunny Sundays :lol:

 

[Paul.J]

Well happy birthday to the CCBL Andrew.
Shame that you have finished the WSA thread as i think it is good as Graham says to see a newbies work progress which obviously yours as
First time i've saw a LEAF so can't really comment but can see the idea.
Fruits looking good and i like the Plum
Nice photos too
Paul.J.

 

[CHJ]

A change to see something different being tackled Andrew, says he who does bowls to death :lol:
I too think it is a little thick and veins a little too prominent, perhaps you could have got away with an attached stem of thicker proportions as they are rarely the same colour and continue along the back spine in most cases.

Still it might be just what someone wants and you won't know unless you put it up for consideration.

A great example of thinking outside the box so to speak though.

 

[Bodrighy]

I love the idea of the leaf, I might have a go and payng heed to the advice re thickness and the veins make one a bit thinner and get SWMBO to have a go at the veins with her pyro pen. If it doesn't work out then, I can always blame her (as if I'd dare)

Needless to say I like the natural edge bowl. Can I suggest thatif you haven't already shove a bit of superglue into those cracks or it might split right down.

Happy anniversary

Pete

 

[santiniuk]

Well the fruit bowl and fruit is brilliant to me. The colours just work so well.
That collection is something I definately hope to get the skills one day to do.

The natural edge bowl would look great anywhere.

Not so sure on the leaf. I like the shape but I think it's the veins that are a bit 'overpowering' to me.

But saying that It's great to see something different. As novice its good to see the variation of things to be done.

Can I ask how many hours of work would you estimate the bowl and fruit has taken ?

Another question. Is the CCBL your first lathe or have you got your skills to this level in a year ?

Thanks

Shaun

 

[TEP]

Hi Andrew, sorry it was only negative comments earlier, I got dragged away. Feel that I should give some comment on the rest you put up.

Really like the fruit, it's not as easy as some think to turn good shaped fruit you seem to have hit the mark. Good job.

(Still don't like the leaf though) :roll:

 

[Bodrighy]

it's not as easy as some think to turn good shaped fruit you seem to have hit the mark. Good job.

Tell me about it. I am seriously thinking of taking some of my efforts to the Tate gallery as examples of surrealist sculpture (hammer) ....could make a fortune perhaps :lol:

Pete

 

[PowerTool]

Well,thanks for all the comments.(For anyone new reading this here's my previous thread)

Hi Andrew, sorry it was only negative comments earlier

No problem,Tam - comments were taken as being honest and not negative in fact,as someone said

Also I may not be the best turner around, but I quite like getting other members reactions to my work. I realise that it seems that there are also only the same few members patting each other on the back at each post, but the posts are there for anyone to have a go at. I think I am old and ugly enough to take any criticism on the chin. Which is the main reason I upload my posts to my own thread.

- I agree completely

Can I ask how many hours of work would you estimate the bowl and fruit has taken ?

Another question. Is the CCBL your first lathe or have you got your skills to this level in a year ?

Hi Shaun - the bowl was probably about 1 1/2 hrs,and the fruit probably 20-30 minutes for each piece.
The CCBL is my second lathe - I had a Clarke (Machine Mart) one for about 8 months before that (previous woodturning was at school,20 years before..)

Still it might be just what someone wants and you won't know unless you put it up for consideration.

Oddly enough,been snapped up by a friend of the ex-wifes,who has a cake shop - wants it as a cake stand,and have been offered display space in her shop

I love the idea of the leaf, I might have a go and payng heed to the advice re thickness and the veins make one a bit thinner and get SWMBO to have a go at the veins with her pyro pen. If it doesn't work out then, I can always blame her (as if I'd dare)

That's why I still posted it - the idea is good,but I didn't actually like the finished piece (It's what Graham calls "a learning piece" :lol: )

Once again,thanks to all

Andrew

 

[CHJ]

Still it might be just what someone wants and you won't know unless you put it up for consideration.

Oddly enough,been snapped up by a friend of the ex-wifes,who has a cake shop - wants it as a cake stand,and have been offered display space in her shop
Andrew

Well done, the main thing was that it was 'different enough' to attract someones attention.

 

[Anonymous]

At this rate of turnover Andrew, you'll be casting your eyes over a VB36 :wink:

 

[Blister]

Andrew , thanks for the new thread , I went straight to it

Love the Fruit / Bowl , nice shapes and colours

Also like the natural edge bowl a lot , this is something I want to try soon

Whats the easiest type of wood to try on ? and would you suggest trying green or seasoned timber ?

I will pass on the leaf , not my thing , but its a first for you so well done

Once again thanks for the new thread

Allen

 

[PowerTool]

Whats the easiest type of wood to try on ? and would you suggest trying green or seasoned timber ?

Allen

Depends what you have,or can get.Green timber is easier to work,but seasoned timber will give better results (have done a few in holly that I thought was dry,but the sapwood has shrunk away from the bark in places,so obviously wasn't quite dry enough - the plum was part-seasoned,but has been very stable)

Top tips - 1) Find a timber with fairly smooth bark 2) Make all your cuts from the bark edge in - if you cut outwards,you run the risk of pushing the bark off the timber.

Andrew

 

[PowerTool]

Been busy with lots of other things this weekend,but managed to make a couple of pieces for work colleagues yesterday morning:-

Purpleheart,200mm diameter,50mm high,waxed - destined as a Christmas present for a workmates wife (purple is her favourite colour,apparently..)

Plum,140mm diameter,65mm high,finished in lemon oil.This one is a present for another workmates parents (the donors of the original plum tree)

Then got some time in the shop this afternoon - had a go at the obligatory snowman from an offcut of tulip wood :wink:

Work in progress - still needs decorating.

And then started making some mushrooms from some yew branches:-

This one is 120mm high,70mm diameter - which seems a bit big,but it does do this :-

Then made some smaller ones,but it was a bit dark for taking pictures outside by then :lol:

Andrew

 

[TEP]

Hi Andrew, xmas come but once a year. Then your up to your eyes in it!

Nice purpleheart bowl, but sorry to say I'm not too keen on the plum. Sides too straight for me.

Toadstool box, seen that somewhere before. Very novel! Not as good as the one I saw though :twisted: :lol:

 

[PowerTool]

sorry to say I'm not too keen on the plum. Sides too straight for me.

You're right,Tam - I much prefer this one:-

so will give him a choice tomorrow and see which one a non-turner goes for.

Toadstool box, seen that somewhere before. Very novel! Not as good as the one I saw though :twisted: :lol:

Right again....

xmas come but once a year. Then your up to your eyes in it!

Yep,three out of three - have orders to make one of these:-

with a matching pair of these:-

And another platter,but bigger (22" diameter - never turned anything that big before.. :shock: )

And have a two-storey garage for matchbox-sized cars to make - don't know how to make one of those on the lathe :lol: ;might have to venture out into "flatland" (where those non-spinny people live 8) )

Andrew

 

[TEP]

Don't worry about turning the big platter Andrew, big's easy, small is hard, you need delicate tool control or it breaks. Big you can just go for it. :lol:

Like the chalice shape, looks just right! Wanna see the two together though! :wink:

 

[Jenx]

:shock: EDIT : Oops sorry, I forgot.. I'm not meant to post piccys, even a copied one of the lovely chalice above.. sorry ! :shock: :wink:

Hi Andrew ...
Hope its ok for a complete novice to pass comment ... I really like that goblet/chalice piece, it looks just great :wink:
As mentioned already - a 'matching pair' together will be really nice.

I've finally gotten started myself... I 'know' I should just be practicing on old bits of pine etc.. and I 'sort of' am, but I "broke the rules" and made a bowl out of maple for my daughter, which I was well-chuffed with, and a table lamp out of sycamore, which has worked out well too - albeit that it too started out life as a bowl, until I looked at it upsides down and it looked far more like a base for a light, than it ever did a bowl ! ha ha ha .. but I guess thats 'learning'
In order to redeem myself, I have been doing the obligatory snowmen and xmas trees in pine for practice too though ! :wink:

Lovin' every minute of it so far.... I'm beginning to understand this 'slippery slope' of which everyone speaks !.

Great Goblet though.. put a piccy up of the pair, once your done !

Cheers :lol: 8)