Box Elder form for critique

Re: Box Elder form for critique

GeeSeaWhy

>I'm not at all sure about the insert, but I don't think I can make the opening less than an inch and still get in to hollow it (I use the Kelton hollowers mostly). For the same reason, it can't have much of a neck.

G

Re: Box Elder form for critique

Dinyar Chavda

>Hi GCY:

Couple of alternatives to think about.

It just so happens that I have a piece of box elder relatively similar to yours, except that mine has lost its color---which is ok, it still has a lot of curl and shades, plus I left a piece of bark in it (which you an't see in the photo). As you can see, mine tapers to a much smaller base, which I felt was needed, as it was a fairly squat, wide piece of wood--similar to yours.

More alternatives in next messages

Re: Box Elder form for critique

Dinyar Chavda

>In the previous example, the base was tapered to a smaller diameter.

Alternatively, flatten the top, thereby raising it (making it almost horizontal), and then you can leave your current bigger base (in case you need it for stability).

See attached picture, and then final suggestion in next message.

Re: Box Elder form for critique

Dinyar Chavda

>Or finally, see if you can do something whereby you change the proportions of the piece, making it much taller than wider -- rotate it 90degrees, or cut it into two.

Just some things to think about. There is nothing wrong with what you have.

Oh, one final issue. Using a piece of box elder as a test piece can get you disbarred from the AAW! :-)

Dinyar

Re: Box Elder form for critique

GeeSeaWhy

>Thanks for the suggestions Dinyar. Tall and thinner is not possible given the shape of the blank, but reducing the size of the base is a possibility. Stability is not a major concern - the flower holder insert is only about 1" deep, so nobody is going to put a bunch of roses in there.

The other thing I thought about was losing the insert but using a collar of a different wood to reduce the size of the opening and give it more of a neck, but I'm concerned about relative movement of the two species. And I don't want to detract from the colours in the box elder (which will fade eventually, I know).

Graeme