Ideas please

Re: Ideas please

David Galloway

>Mike, I suggest you put some sealer on the pieces, store them, and wait for a while for your skill set to get up to speed. My sense is you are turning a lot. You should be ready to turn them soon enough. Maybe it will serve as a impetus to work harder on your skill aquisition.

Another idea that I have seen is a person will take such a fabulous piece of wood to a lesson or a workshop and allow the teacher to assist you in the turning. I saw some amazing bowls and vessels turned at John C. Campbell by novices who were assisted by able teachers. Just a thought.

David Galloway

Re: Ideas please

John U - Charlotte, NC

>What about a collaborative effort? Since you have more than one of these pieces of wood, consider teaming up with another artist that has different skills, and do two "matching" pieces, one for each of you to keep. Use it as a teaching/learning effort, and learn the skills the other artist has to offer ---- not necessarily turning, but perhaps another art media like pottery, clay, metal, stained glass, etc.

Re: Ideas please

Russ Fairfield

>Seal the end grain, put them in a plastic bag, write the date on them, and open in 1, 3, or 5 years when your skills are up to the wood. Trash Compactor bags are good for this because they are thicker. The bag will prevent it from over-drying and possibly cracking, and there is a good chance that there may be some spalting if there is any moisture in the wood.

If you give the wood away today you will always regret having done that, guaranteed. If you give it away later, you will be doing it for better reasons than "don't know how".

Re: Ideas please

Bill Grumbine, Kutztown PA

>Hi Mike

Put some in storage and bring them to the Five Barns Picnic for sale or trade.

Bill

Re: Ideas please

Doug Trembath

>Mike, if I wanted to be funny I'd just say send them to me! Then again, I'm not known for my sense of humor.

Keep 'em!!!!!

I've been collecting some blanks just like that for years, and now occasionally I'll pull one out, and find I was right. They do make incredible pieces. That satisfaction goes a long way in my house. In an area like ours, PA / MD, I'd hesitate to put it in a plastic bag, as it's been my experience that they not only spalt, but rot in no time. I coat them with Anchorseal a couple of times, put them on my wood shelf, and agonize over when I am finally going to give them a try. The one I'm most waiting for is a 6" X 6" piece of Macassar Ebony I want to hollow.

After watching the evolution of your turning here on WC, I'd say your progress has been outstanding, so it probably won't be all that long before you find you're ready.

Just keep turning, it'll come.

Doug Trembath

Studio in the Woods

Re: Ideas please

Guy

>I hate seeing a fellow human agonizing about a problem. Just pack them all up and send them to me and I'll find something to do with them :) :) Guy

Re: Ideas please

Arch

>Hi Mike,

A beautiful woman needs very little ornamentation to have universal appeal. Likewise a georgeous piece of timber doesn't need to compete with form, design, ornamentation or somebody's golden rule.

Solid conic sections, blocks, cylinders etc. can show off the wood instead of competing with your skills; a lily is pretty without guilding. You are more likely to need ideas for your bland timbers. Your present skills are sure more than adequate to

bring out the beauty and make drop-dead georgeous pieces from your stash. Make them _NOW. You don't need to compete with your timber, save that for the plain Janes.

There are many exceptions, but a pretty good test of a woodturner is when form and design of his/her work is appreciated before flash and ornamention is noticed.

So why am I saving all this timber that's too good for me to mess up? To heck with the rules of turning. I don't even follow my own. Best, Arch