What's on your lathe...?

OK, Barry, good idea...

Here's my contribution.  It's not fresh off the lathe, but it's freshly finished, after some design considerations.

This was a failed coring attempt (dry hybrid elm).  I decided to keep the coring mark (it didn't get very far in before catching) as a design feature for the rim.

I then hollowed it normally -- to chips, not a saved core.  A little color (TransTint dyes) and a gold band (enamel paint) -- I'm pleased with the result.  

Of course, I call it: "I Don't Core".  (I have since purchased the Hunter Korpro.)

C&C encouraged.

Re: OK, Barry, good idea...

Gary:  Very nice.  I like the rim - even if it is the result of a mishap - I make enough of them I have taken to call them opportunities 😁!  The gold band is a nice touch, and I also like the way you left the base lighter than the body of the bowl - makes the body appear to float on the base.  Your elm appears a bit lighter in colour than the blanks I had.  I really like the grain, and turning really seems to set it off.  Well done!

Be safe and stay well.

Barry

thank you, Barry...

...for your thoughtful and detailed comments.  Nice job of C&C.  

Addressing your comments:

My one regret is that I didn't balance the grain pattern on the inside -- I roughed it about ten years ago, and the deed was done.  I know better.  

I like smaller, Asian-style feet on my bowls and cups, and I like to see color contrast on both top and bottom.  I find that the Golden Ratio factor of 0.38 x diameter provides a bowl that looks good and is still reasonably stable for most uses.  Agreed on the float -- that's very much on purpose.

I experimented with a variety of products to get the gold, and my best test result was Testors enamel, just like I used on plastic airplane models 70 years ago.  But it has to be done with the correct size brush for a single, firm stroke to avoid visual unevenness.  

I've had varying results with the hybrid elm blanks I got from a club friend 10-15 years ago.  Years ago, I finished one with oil, and it turned dark orange.  I was not happy!  I won't touch elm with oil ever again.  I did the inside of this one with Deft CWF GBL diluted by 30% with lacquer thinner -- brushed on and quickly wiped dry with a paper towel. Hand rubbed to my standard Abralon 4000 sheen.  The bottom was sanded to 800 grit and lightly airbrushed with a color I'm fond of that starts like a reddish purple but goes to this sienna shade with the application of a very quick, light coat of Watco Danish wiped on and immediately off. Then lightly Abraloned for the sheen but not enough to remove the color.  Yes, I know it's an "oil", but it just gives me the color change I want for this.  It doesn't soak into the wood, and it doesn't lift the alcohol-based dye.  Signed with Dremel engraver.

Re: thanks Gary!

Thanks for providing details on your finishing process.  The results speak for themselves.  I didn't find the off center grain pattern offensive at all, in fact the contrast with the round shape increases the tension of the piece  and adds interest - IMHO anyway!

Finishing is still the bane of my existence (or in this case woodworking) be it flat work or round.  I really need to work on this and in an effort to do so I'm building an inventory of items to experiment on.

Again, my compliments on the piece and thanks for providing details on the design process and finish - more things to contemplate in planning my next work.  Now, who's up next....

Be safe and stay well.

Barry

Re: What's on your lathe...?

Nice work , Barry! The ripple pattern on that lid works well. 

As for what has been on my lathe, a couple of gardening tool prototypes, as I needed something to use quickly. Funnily enough, these were inspired by prominent no-dig gardener and Youtuber, Charles Dowding from England.

I fell in love with a copper garden trowel that one of his friends had made for him from a piece of water pipe. Got in a little bead practice as well. This needs a serious re-do on the neck area of the copper but will last for a while.

Secondly, he has a long handled garden dibber that reduces some of the crawling around and/or bending and stooping necessary for transplanting seedlings. His has a T handle. I did mine in more of a knobkerrie fashion. My next one will be D handled.

The wheelbarrow handles also were put into service a few weeks ago.

Gary, great save on that bowl rim.

Re: What's on your lathe...?

Leo.  Nice job on the garden trowel handle.  Looks "hand friendly" and should be very serviceable.  Tool handles are fun to do; are very practical and can be made to your own personal specifications - none of this one size fits all.  This reminds me I have been meaning to make a new handle for a scratch awl my dad made years ago.  He didn't have any good material for a handle and just used a piece of stiff plastic tube which I am still using.  I think I can come up with something better.  Did you turn the round sections of the wheelbarrow handles?  You must have a pretty long lathe bed to do that or did you set up the tailstock separate from the bed to get the necessary length?

Thank you for the kind words on the "ripple" lid.

Be safe and stay well.

Barry

Thanks for the kind words...

as these were more of a "get er done" project designed on the fly. Good luck on the awl project, I have one that needs handle work as well, not to mention a half dozen or so files that are waiting for theirs.

Here is a link to an earlier post about the wheelbarrow handles, it has some photos and a brief description of what I did to overcome the shortcomings of my lathe...

https://www.woodcentral.com/bbs/forum/Turning.pl?read=515472#515472

Have a great day!

tension!!

Thanks, Barry.  I'll remember that!  :-)  ...GG

All good, Leo...

I like your copper trowel, and the long/tall dibber is a great idea.

And, you taught me something new -- I've been misusing the word "dibbler".  I had to look it up.  Check that box!  Dibber is the preferred form.  

OK, so what label are you hiding in that red sleeve?  ;-)

Much preferred to being a dribbler...

Usually I stick with red ale, that was Widmer Bros. Hefe.

good time for wheat. :-)

Re: What's on your lathe...?

Hmmmm.� That didn't get much traction!� Although not on the lathe, these handles were on the lathe yesterday.� Two handles for lathe chisels I purchased without.� A couple of work holders (drill chucks with turned handles).� Great for helping to grip things like pin vices and also handy for holding a bit to drill a hole for depth reference on the lathe.� The last handle is for a small awl my dad made years ago, likely because he needed one and didn't have one handy.� Made from a small rat tailed file it originally had a piece of hard rubber hose epoxies on for a handle.� No real value except sentiment - a good reason to make the handle out of a small piece of figured walnut!

What are the rest of you making?

Cheers.

Barry W. Larson

Calgary, Alberta, Canada eh!