Something a little different

Up to your museum quality standard...

Rodney Jenkins

>but I'll take a pass on the gold leaf.

That looks like it was turned by someone with a death wish.

Excellent form and finish. Excellent photography as well.

Re: Something a little different

Jonathan Spool

>Very classy. I like the contrast between the natural element of the burl against the "man made" element of the gold leaf interior.

Re: Something a little different

Tom Sweeney - Coatesville, PA

>Hey Mike pretty cool turning. I've looked a couple of times now & decided I like the gold leaf - but it didn't hit me right away (that I liked it) maybe if you run into something like this again try a jet black finish instead of the gold leaf?????

Also I'm wondering if a turning with voids that large might look even nicer if it was thick instead of thin. I really like it as is & any turner can certainly appreciate the skill needed to succesfuly turn it without it going KERPOW - just wondering is all (never having attempted anything like this myself).

BTW with a little imagination it looks like a 3D globe looking through Africa in the front to Australia in the back - OK maybe I've had too much coffee today :-)

Anyhow - - fine job as usual!

Re: Up to your museum quality standard...

George Van

>Hi Mike,

I really like the turning. I can�t believe you held it together. I like the voids and rugged openings. I myself would prefer a natural interior since the form is so rugged. Keep them coming, I always enjoy drooling over your work.

George

Re: Something a little different

John Lucas

>Mike

Good job. I'll bet putting the gold leaf in there was intersting. John

A question for you-

steve antonucci

>First, I'm very impressed- someday when woodturners are "celebrities", you'll get a bright yellow Powermaric jersey. I can see it now- speed turning, Ironman turning, ... but I digress.

My question- When you picked up the original block, was this your goal, or was it just what turned out? I've spent a lot of time trying to go thin through small holes, and ended up with a few "shattered dreams".

Also, with all of the bark, and voids, did you use a steady rest? I think the world would like to know the technical details of your work (lathe speed, tools, etc.)

Steve

Re: A question for you-

Mike Schwing from Maryland

>Heh, heh, well maybe not the world...

No steady rest was used, in fact, I don't have one. I did intentionally start the blank out with the void in the top, drilled a 1/2 hole and figured most of the bark, if not all, would fall out as it got thin. I did plan on some holes in the sides but hoped that more of the bark would stay on. None of it did, and then when I realized how much of the interior would be seen, decided to gold leaf it vs. sanding smooth that void rich interior.

The reason, and probably the only reason, that a 1/16" wall thickness was achievable was because of those voids. I could see exactly what was going on, and didn't have rely solely on the laser.

BTW, I have come to prefer setting the laser dot right on the cutting edge and achieving wall thickness that way rather than moving it the same distance as the wall thickness desired. It may not be the best way but I seem to be liking it better.

Probably this piece would have looked better a little less glossy, but I had intended to practice a gloss finish on it from the start.

Did I answer your questions? It is kind of weird answering them since I'm usually asking them instead.

Re: Something a little different

Jennifer@Indy.USA

>Mike...that is C-R-A-Z-Y!

I didn't know you were a dare devil!

Nice one.....The constant thickness or thinness, I should say, is amazing.

Very nice job.

Jen

Re: Something a little different

Jim Rutten

>But then what is the continent on the top? (too much Diet Dr. Pepper (caffeinated of course))

yep- one more...

steve antonucci

>did you scrap most of the interior out and then shearscrape out most of the ridges?

I'v also found that thin walls with voids are a lot more stable than open forms and don't require additional support. But they don't much care for catches...

Steve

Re: yep- one more...

Mike Schwing from Maryland

>Steve, I use the Kelton hollowers mounted in the Kelton rig. I first hollowed it out to about 1/4" rough. Then I honed the cutter and put a fresh burr on it with the Veritas burr tool, and stepped down the rest, starting from the top, to final thickness. A freshly sharpened and burred Kelton hollower will leave a remarkably smooth finish. There are one or two ridges I'm not proud of, but for the most part the gold leaf was added to mask them, and worked to draw your eye away from them.