Natural Edge Maple Burl Hollow Form

[Dominic Greco]

Here are some pictures of a natural edge maple burl hollow form I completed this weekend. This is more of the same burl Bill Grumbine gave me. I thik this pice is more representative of the kind of figure and "swirl" you get in a maple burl.

This is the first time I've tried turning a natural edge hollow form. To be acurate, it's about the third "real" hollow form I've ever turned. But when I first cut up the burl, I really didn't want to loose the character that the bark gave this piece. So I decided to keep it "natural". It is a bit more tricky thank I originally thought, but not impossible.

Forming the outside was east. Simple bowl gouge work, followed by shear scraping. The internal hollowing was all acomplished with a Scorpion Hollowing tool. I think this was a real test of the tool. Overall, I am very happy with way it peformed.

One neat little trick I used on this hollow form was one I picked up from reading Pen Turning websites. The holes left by borers can easily be filled with ca glue and saw dust. But they stop looking like holes. I wanted to maintain this illusion. So I used some dust from a charcoal pencil (used in sketching) and mixed that with sawdust. A drop of thin CA glue was all it took to solidify this mix.

Natural Edge Maple Burl Hollow form Specs:
Outer dia.: 6 3/4"
Max. Height: 7 3/4"
Wall thickness: 1/4"
Base dia.: 2 5/8"
Sanding Method: Dry sanded to 2500 Grit.
Finish: Watco's Danish Oil
Final: Buffed with Beall System (minus the Tripoli)

I look forward to your comments and critiques.

[David Wilson]

Dominic
Very nice job. I wish I had your patients.

[Mark Singer]

Beautiful!!!!!!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Dominic.....I like it! Beautiful figure in the wood!

[Jim Becker]

Another winner, Dominic!! This is a great form--very attractive.

[Chris Padilla]

Oustanding shape and use of material, Dominic. I'm about sick of writing this for all your turnings. You gonna sell any of this stuff? :D I know a good place for this vase...on MY maple EC! :D :D

[Butch Collins]

Beautiful hollow form. But I do have a question. How do you finish the bottom on a piece like this? I've turned a few hundred pens but am ready to expand my horizons.

[Paul Downes]

Nice work!, I like the figure and colour found in maples. How do you finish the bottom(s) of the bowls you turn? I have been hand finishing mine untill I can spring for the bucks to get a better chuck and attachments. I have a cheap (transillated 'junk') chuck from grizzly and am working toward selling some turnings to finance a stronghold or similar purchase. :rolleyes:

[Jim Ketron]

Great Job!
maybe one of these days I can be able to do something like that
Jim

[John Shuk]

Man,
You are a turning machine! Everything is outstanding too. I hope i can at least get into that neighborhood someday. Well executed!

[Dominic Greco]

Beautiful hollow form. But I do have a question. How do you finish the bottom on a piece like this? I've turned a few hundred pens but am ready to expand my horizons.


How do you finish the bottom(s) of the bowls you turn?

Since this hollow form is sort of tall, and the opening somewhat narrow, I couldn't use my normal approach of using a vacuum bell/vacuum chuck to hold this. I opted instead to use a jam chuck. However, I needed a long thin one. I turned a 2 1/2" diameter cylinder from a 8" long piece of sweetgum I had laying around the shop. I turned it true between centers, and then formed a round over on one end, and a tenon for my Talon chuck to grip on the other. Once it was chucked in my Talon chuck, I trued it one more time, and then I sanded it a bit. I then used some masking tape to hold a piece of non skid cloth (like the kind they sell for router work) on the rounded over end. Then I simply slipped the hollow form over it, and centered it about the tailcenter. It was a simple matter to just turn the bottom to the point where only a little nub was left. Then I popped that off with a chisel. Sanding the area of the nub was accomplished at the drill press using a velcro disk.


This wasn't exactly the easiest way to do it, but it got the job done.

[Dominic Greco]

I appreciate the compliments! :D

Thanks!

[John Miliunas]

"Problem"? you say? Yes! As it stands now, you may have problems posting anything that's even mediocre here on the forum! :D ALL of your latest entries have been exquisite and this piece is no exception! Simply beautiful, Dom! I swear you have more talent in your little finger than I do in my whole being! Keep it up: When you become rich and famous, I want to be able to say, "Yeah. Dom's an old acquaintance of mine. He used to show me his work when he was just starting out....!" :D :cool: