still having mind block!!

[spinks]

Hi all, its been a while since i posted anything but new job and summer have been keeping me busy! Anyway, I still have moments of confusion when it comes to my turning. I am relatively ok when it comes to simple bowls and lidded boxes but I am experiencing difficulty getting my head round hollow forms (like that gorgeous coloured vase KimG has shown us) what would the blank be like, is it end grain or side grain.....and if its side grain where the heckery do I get a side grain blank big enough to make an 8" vase? What I really need I guess is a photo of the blank before any work has commenced and a photo afterwards of the finished article so I can finally get my head round it!


Please help me get my head straight hahaha

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

I have almost perpetual mind block. :lol:
If I have an idea of what I want to turn, then I can go looking for some suitable wood. Otherwise, the game's a bogey. If I look at a lump of timber, it doesn't seem to "speak to me."
I've been asked to do a gumball machine, so have a suitable blank slowly drying - all waxed up and packed in wet shavings inside a brown paper bag. (fingers crossed)
I need to invest in some kind of hollowing tools to try the hollow form stuff.

 

[nev]

I think most taller forms are from end grain (branches and trunks), and if you want larger than usual blanks you probably need to harvest them yourself, or pay a premium for them at shows etc.

 

[kjmc1957]

Hi Spinks

go onto You Tube, i'm at work, it's blocked so I can't get you the links, but just look for vids by Mark Hancock and Mark Sanger, or just put in Wood turning Hollow Forms, it's amazing what you can learn.

 

[Bodrighy]

You don't need huge pieces of wood to turn hollow forms, dried logs are ideal for example and the size of thr log will dictate the size of the form. Start with small ones like these, they are only 3" tall and wide and made from hawthorn branches. No special tools either for this small, a spindle gouge and a home made hook tool from a big allen key was all I needed for this size.