Work for Critique

[davegw]

Ok folks really opening myself up for this one.

Its my first attempt at a little different turning, this was a square block labeled as "Tulipwood" which I was told was Magnolia?

I've since looked up Tulipwood and it was described as Poplar, this is not poplar!

anyway back to the turning, I used pretty much standard tools, Bowl Gauge, Flat Scraper, round end Scraper, Dovetail tool, on a Sorby SupaNova2 chuck

It's finished through the grits then with some of the white nylon stuff (the name of which I can never remember), friction polish, and hard liberion Wax

It hasn't finished as well as I hoped.

Hope you don't hate it too much

and here's a link to the photoset (I don't know how to link from the thumbnails) http://www.flickr.com/photos/11113012@N04/sets/72157606557314850/

 

[cornucopia]

well it does look like brazilian tulipwood to me, which is very expensive.

it looks like a valiant effort at a very difficult shape, proportions wise i would have prefered to see a slightly smaller bowl giving a more gentle slope to the outer wings.

 

[davegw]

it was about £17 for a 4x4" block so I guess you could describe that as expensive.

And I know what you mean about the wings, but knowing how much it cost I didn't want to waste any of it :wink:

 

[cornucopia]

it was about £17 for a 4x4" block so I guess you could describe that as expensive.

And I know what you mean about the wings, but knowing how much it cost I didn't want to waste any of it :wink:

:lol: :lol: know you've said that it all makes perfect sense :roll:

 

[Paul.J]

Different looking shape Dave,one which i haven't tried meself yet :roll: and lovely looking piece of timber,but i think if it were me i would have just turned a normal simple bowl,with this wood,which would have shown the grain off just as well.
Trying this difficult shape too i would have practiced first on some cheaper timber till i was happy with what i was doing.
I would also have tried to get the gouge marks out too which still look deep,correct me if i'm wrong.
Keep em coming

 

[PowerTool]

Hi Dave - like the shape,find it visually appealing;lovely looking piece of timber,and finish looks great
As Paul said,a bit more practice on removing the gouge marks,but "practice" is what it's all about - I often give the gouge a quick sharpen,and try to make a light pass at a reasonably high speed to get as good a finish as possible before going on to abrasives.
Tulip (American poplar) is a quite soft,light-coloured timber,often with green streaks in it.
Poplar (in the UK) is a soft,light-coloured timber,normally with no particular grain/colour variation,and often very soft and "wooly".

Good luck with your next piece,and please share it with us

Andrew

 

[NickWelford]

Hi Dave

I think the wings should be thinner, and more defined where they leave the body of the bowl - in other words, the same thin thickness right through the wing.

Great effort, but I think I might have tried this with a cheaper cut. I haven't worked up the nerve to try it at all yet......

 

[gary foxton]

dave if u are gonna buy wood ,please dont compromise on shape to save money

 

[davegw]

dave if u are gonna buy wood ,please dont compromise on shape to save money

Sorry Gary, not sure what you mean? I joked about not wasting wood,but to be honest this is the shape I was looking for.

Taking everything everyone has said here I might do the next one differently, but I am relatively happy with this one as a first attempt.

I genuinely like the shape, believe me I wouldn't have let it out of the workshop if I didn't however much the wood cost.

 

[robo hippy]

Dave,
That is a piece of Brazillion Tulip wood, not even close to the tulip popolar. Very hard, sands to a glow, and very expensive.
robo hippy

 

[CHJ]

Lovely piece of timber, always brings out the jealous streak in me when I see it being used, pity it is so expensive to import.

I too would have liked to see the 'skirt' turned a little thinner and the bowl shape more defined to sit within the wings to remove the 'this was a square blank' look.
Something nearer to this is what I have in mind (within the limits of the piece of wood anyway).

Don't know if the photo' is accentuating it but it looks as though there are still a few tool or sanding marks visible, form is a matter of personal preference but quality of finish is something that has to be acknowledged by everyone if done well.

Keep them coming, if nothing else it forces us all to try and meet the challenge of practising what we preach.

Here's some more info. on TULIPWOOD, (Dalbergia decipularis)

 

[CHJ]

Welcome to the forum robo hippy, any chance of a pointer to some of your work?

 

[davegw]

Lovely piece of timber, always brings out the jealous streak in me when I see it being used, pity it is so expensive to import.

I have to say it was a real pleasure to turn, except when I remembered who much I'd paid for it and then I got nervous.

I too would have liked to see the 'skirt' turned a little thinner and the bowl shape more defined to sit within the wings to remove the 'this was a square blank' look.
Something nearer to this is what I have in mind (within the limits of the piece of wood anyway).

That was the kind of shape that inspired me (if that's not to strong a word) but once I got it on the lathe it started to feel very different, also I got nervous (there is a theme here)

Don't know if the photo' is accentuating it but it looks as though there are still a few tool or sanding marks visible, form is a matter of personal preference but quality of finish is something that has to be acknowledged by everyone if done well.

Yes, I confess the finish isn't as good as I would like, I was less than happy with the tool marks, and looking back I think stopping for a couple of hours (or even days) would have let me come back with a different perspective, to be honest it was a long day, I was nervous of the wood, I was tired and I let that lower my standards.

Keep them coming, if nothing else it forces us all to try and meet the challenge of practising what we preach.

I will! :lol: :lol:


Thanks for the comments Chas.

 

[CHJ]

Thanks for the comments Chas.

You're welcome, hope they did not come across as all negative, I just tried to voice my personal immediate thoughts as aiming points.