Segmented Vase for a worthy cause

[Robert McGowen]

My daughter has a friend that has CF. She is due to have a double lung transplant and is having a benefit to raise money for the operation. It is a fairly large scale benefit and I offered to donate a vase for a silent auction. I needed something fairly quick, so I did not have time for a feature ring or something real complicated. I compromised by using some very nice wood and making the vase fairly large. LOML already told me that she is going to bid on it, because she thinks it looks good on a table we have. :eek:

Curly maple and walnut. 15.5" tall and 10" in diameter. Antique oil finish.
I have a couple photos of the bottom to show the floating panel in the bottom that I used to prevent separation of the bottom in a piece this large. It really stands out since the wood colors are so different. It makes the bottom much nicer than trying to use a disc of solid wood, plus there is no end grain to contend with.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Absolutely beautiful vase Robert! Love the wood, the design and the finish! Hope the vase sets a record for amount brought in at the auction! Beautiful work - great cause! Thanks for sharing!

[Dennis Ford]

Thats really a great piece, bet it brings a good price!

[Keith Burns]

Excellent piece Robert ! Love the curly maple.

[Tony De Masi]

Robert, it may not be complicated by your standards but it sure it beautiful. I hope it raises quite a bit of money for such a worthy cause even if it's your wife who goes home with it.

Great job.

Tony

[Mark Placek]

Robert,

Very nice vase, what makes it more spectacular is the reason you had for making it.
Having the ability to create art and then giving it to a charitable cause is wonderful feeling.
Keep up the good work.

[Richard Madison]

Robert,

Beautiful piece and nice work on the bottom! A splendid contribution for a worthy cause.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Robert that is a beauty. Really well done.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Robert....I like it!

I hope it sells for a goodly amount!

[Jim Kountz]

Man that is a beauty!! Im sure it will bring some nice funds for the cause. I hope your daughters friend gets well very soon!!

[Malcolm Tibbetts]

Robert, great job; hope it brings in a good price. Love to see the "floating base"; it really does solve the cross-grain problem.

[Matt Ranum]

That is a beauty thats for sure. You said you needed something fairly quick? That would take me a month.:p Good luck with the auction.

[Mike Minto]

very nice vase - could someone explain to me the concept of a 'floating base'? is it a piece of wood that fits into a slot, unglued, or just what? thanks, mike

[George Guadiane]

Beautiful work by a GREAT man for an unfortunate but very worthy cause...
I hope it goes for a million $$$

[Malcolm Tibbetts]

very nice vase - could someone explain to me the concept of a 'floating base'? is it a piece of wood that fits into a slot, unglued, or just what? thanks, mike

Mike, the concept behind a floating base is similiar to that of a frame and panel cabinet door. In this case, it's a disc of wood, trapped in a groove, and not glued in place. It's free to move without putting stress on the capturing rings. The most common wood movement problem in segmented work is in the base area. The floating base technique solves that problem. In stave construction, it's particularly effective; a disc of wood can be held in place with a segmented ring in which the segments are cut with vertical grain, so everything can happily co-exist.

[Robert McGowen]

Mike, I saw your post earlier tonight and was hoping that Malcom would post a reply. I learned the technique from him and it works quite well. I attached a diagram so that you could get an idea of how it is set up. I personally turn the disc using a vacuum chuck and a little pressure from the tail stock with the center removed, but I am sure that there are other ways to turn it. The disc is just held in place with a drop of glue on each side where the end grain is and then gently turned flush with the first ring of segments.

[Jeff Nicol]

Robert, The way the curls in the maple shine, it gives the piece an almost living quality! The shape of the vase with the design is spot on, you have done yourself and cause proud! These are the types of things that need to be done more often, keeping our people and community safe and healthy! I hope the person who buys it gives as much of their heart as you have done!

A wonderful job!

Jeff

[Mike Minto]

Robert, that's very kind of you to answer. I see what you are saying, but don't get how to put the 'rabbet' in the bottom layer of segments - how do you hold the, since thay have no 'center bottom', so to speak, to attach to a faceplate or other mount. thanks again, mike:)

[Tim Cleveland]

A superb piece. I love the simplistic elegance of it and the wood choice is perfect. Malcom and Robert, thanks for explaining about the floating base, I was curious about it too (Mike beat me to the question).

Tim

[Robert McGowen]

Hi Mike,

You just flatten the bottom of the first ring containing the disc and glue the ring onto a face plate. If you think about it, there is less wood surface area holding each ring together than there is holding the first ring onto the face plate. Smooth out the inside of the ring, then use a square nose scraper or such to cut out the groove for the disc and you are all set. You have to be very careful parting off the vase from the face plate though. After I am finished turning the inside of the ring round, I measure the distance from the inside to the outside of the ring. That way, I have some idea as to how far to go when parting it off before it comes loose, because it happens really fast! DAMHIKT! :rolleyes:

[Gary Herrmann]

Beautiful work and a beautiful thought, Robert.

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Beautiful wood and great form.

WELL DONE!!

Bruce

[Mike Golka]

Beautiful work, great cause. Good luck at the auction.

[Robert McGowen]

I just got back from the auction. The vase and a pen that I also donated sold for $360. An auctioneer donated his time, so it was a live auction and was kind of exciting for me. It was a new experience to sit in the audience and watch something you made get sold. The people that purchased it were very happy with the vase and made a point of telling me so. 100% of everything sold went straight to the family.

If you have never done anything like this, I highly recommend it. The family received $360 because of me, but I truly believe I received way more than that in value from them.

Thanks for the positive comments on the vase. I appreciate them all.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Congrats on being able to raise so much money for a very worthwhile cause! You should be proud of your contribution! I have had the pleasure of donating items for a worthy cause and was delighted that they were able to help! It is a great feeling! You did good!