Whats the best item you have made ?

[Blister]

How about you post up the item you are most proud of , and why you like it

I will start the ball rolling with this offering

Reasons I like it are as follows

Its made from Elm ( getting rare now ) and includes many different elements
Turning
Colouring
Hand carving
Dremel work
Burning

and can be used as a table center or a wall hanging

Hope you like it

NOW lets see yours :lol: :lol:

 

[user 5053]

A beautiful piece of work Blister. Sadly I don't have pictures of all the things that I made. I made a snooker cue when I was about 16 that was stunning and sadly don't have any picures of it. I made the table as well.

 

[Dodge]

My favourite turned item was an abstract I called "Thing" when I used to do a lot more woodturning.

Basically it was a coolibah root ball, cut in half then inverted so the tap root pointed upwards, the other half of the ball was then turned and mounted on top if the tap root leaving the item finished - To say it was a pig to get a polish is an understatement but I always loved this piece which stands about 18" tall.

 

[Silverbirch]

The best item I've made was a bowl I had been working for several weeks, on and off. It was difficult to turn, a very tough exotic hardwood of some kind. It also featured lots of carving, also very tough to do. Finally, sections of it were painted. By now, it was quite fragile and delicate, but I just needed to return it to the lathe to tidy up one or two edges. Then pow! One careless cut and my "work of art" was no more
I haven't summoned up the willpower to start again, yet, but one day I will.

Ian

 

[stevebuk]

i must say Alan, i really like that piece, i think the colour and grain work well together..

love the 'Thing too' roger, what did you use to shine the bark?

 

[Jonzjob]

Not at all easy unless I can put several pieces up here? I don't have a best, there are several pieces that are best for different reasons.

Dodge, that's a very different and difficult piece you have and I have no idea as to how you got the lovely finish on the bowl?

Allen, your bowl is lovely too, but a bit clinical for me. It doesn't show the flow of the wood in my eyes. A lovely finish though.

Ian, that is sad to hear, but if you work on the idea that anyone who hasn't broken something special probably hasn't really tried anythng special anyway. I know that I've done just that and said 'golly gosh' several times with it! (well, it's better than bleedin 'pineapples' init)

This is just one for me, sorry, three

 

[Dodge]

what did you use to shine the bark?

Acrylic gloss lacquer polished up where I could get to it with burnishing cream on a small buffing wheel with dremell - took bloomin ages

 

[gus3049]

Far from the best but probably my favourite. Very simple little cherry bowl, just minimal decoration on the edge and with the mounting dovetail left on as part of the design (judges please note - I LIKE to see the way a piece was mounted - so there) The finish is getting a bit scuffed but that just adds to the charm for me. It looks like wood not plastic :roll:

I keep my hearing aids in this beside the bed at night. Will need a bigger one when the teeth join them as its only about 120mm diameter. I also use it for loose change at craft fairs and its always the one that gets the most offers. So far I just haven't been able to let it go. Why is it I wonder, that some pieces have this hold on us when we can always make another one.

 

[Jonzjob]

That can't be one you have made Gordon? There's no holes in it :roll: :roll:

I really like that too. Quite charming and I don't blame you for hanging on to it mate. I like the grain pattern in it and I love the fact that it looks like wood =D>

 

[hughie]

Probably this one, Camphor Laurel finished with DO and ***

 

[gus3049]

That can't be one you have made Gordon? There's no holes in it :roll: :roll:

I really like that too. Quite charming and I don't blame you for hanging on to it mate. I like the grain pattern in it and I love the fact that it looks like wood =D>

The only holes I'm dealing with at present were made by little bugs! Got some 'new' armoires from an antique dealer and used half a tin of wax filling the holes. That was after drowning any incumbents with suitable fluid.

I'll be back to purpose made holes quite soon now. ccasion5:

 

[boysie39]

That can't be one you have made Gordon? There's no holes in it :roll: :roll:

I really like that too. Quite charming and I don't blame you for hanging on to it mate. I like the grain pattern in it and I love the fact that it looks like wood =D>

The only holes I'm dealing with at present were made by little bugs! Got some 'new' armoires from an antique dealer and used half a tin of wax filling the holes. That was after drowning any incumbents with suitable fluid.

I'll be back to purpose made holes quite soon now. ccasion5:

Yipee =D> =D> Hip Hip Hooray .

 

[gus3049]

That can't be one you have made Gordon? There's no holes in it :roll: :roll:

I really like that too. Quite charming and I don't blame you for hanging on to it mate. I like the grain pattern in it and I love the fact that it looks like wood =D>

The only holes I'm dealing with at present were made by little bugs! Got some 'new' armoires from an antique dealer and used half a tin of wax filling the holes. That was after drowning any incumbents with suitable fluid.

I'll be back to purpose made holes quite soon now. ccasion5:

Yipee =D> =D> Hip Hip Hooray .

Wow - thanks Eugene, just got to finalise the extraction and we are there. Got the chuck out of storage and fitted it to the lathe in anticipation this afternoon.

 

[nev]

Maybe not the best but one of favourite items was the little car for last years challenge. Its just so cute

Gordon, in light of what Gerry has just done to himself on returning to the lathe, i suggest you take the necessary precautions to keep the back safe. I was thinking of one of these in front of the lathe may help ...

 

[gus3049]

Maybe not the best but one of favourite items was the little car for last years challenge. Its just so cute



Gordon, in light of what Gerry has just done to himself on returning to the lathe, i suggest you take the necessary precautions to keep the back safe. I was thinking of one of these in front of the lathe may help ...

Love it Nev.

I also love your little car. Both my wife and I thought it was great when we first saw it. We seem to have moved Allen's goalposts a bit but I always think that best is the one we LIKE best rather than being the most impressive or technically outstanding.

 

[gasmansteve]

Hi folks
Not posted (or made ) anything for a while but noticed Allen`s post so here`s a pic of my fav piece made some time ago.
Ash bowl with Celtic knot pattern burnt with pyro pen! Very enjoyable piece to make and decorate, Hopefully the pyro compliments the lovely grain!.
Cheers
Steve

 

[boysie39]

Well all I can say is > The Best Is Yet To Come < I hope . The first timber I got when I started to turn was some old Yew
In hindsight it was probley the best piece of Yew I am likely to ever turn . The bloke that gave it to me had it lying in a shed for years and it was dry and perfect for turning (as I know now ). At the time I was just turning whatever I could get me hands on as in spindle stuff.
Anyway I cut this log into 9" lenghts and decided to have a go at making a candlestick , after much guntering and design changes I ended up with my first of many Yew goblets .There by using the much used saying of "let the timber dictate the way it wants to be turned" even though I had never heard this saying before. Jaysus I must be Phisic or sycic or what ever they call it :mrgreen: .
Anyway I never took any pictures because I'm bloody useless at that plus I did'nt have a camera at the time . My Daughters took them and are coming dowm for the weekend and I have asked them to bring them with them so they can be photoed and I will post
I may have improved from those days but to me they were the start of a new way of life for me ,and that is why they will always be lovely and the best for me .

 

[mike s]

the piece I am most proud of is my first turning
it was a pine light pull that I made for my granddad, he treasured it and kept it on the mantelpiece and told every visitor about how proud he was of me.
he died late last year and my light pull was put in his hand when he was laid in the coffin

 

[Jonzjob]

All that I can say to that Mike is that it makes it very obvious that something doesn't have to be complicated to be very special.

You should be very proud.

 

[Melinda_dd]

I think my best piece is the one that gets the most "wow, there's no way you made thats"

So for me, it's got to be the nut cracker soldier.... a lot of you have already seen it.
No technical turning really, but once assembled and painted he really looked the biz to me.
I think it's my best and favorite thing i've made