Wood Gloat and Grandfather K’s Spittoon

[Baxter Smith]

When I arrived at the highschool this afternoon for track practice, the parking lot was unusually empty. When I got out of my car to go into the building, I was told that there had been a bomb threat at 2:00 and all after school practices had been cancelled. Headed home thinking I would enjoy the beautiful afternoon and continue cleaning up the bent and broken limbs we lost this winter.

There was a UPS truck in the driveway when I arrived so I had a feeling the limbs could wait! Headed out to the shop with my box of loot. Inside was a wonderful variety of local Kentucky hardwood sent by John Keeton in return for some Maine wood I had sent to him. Thank you John!!

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Included was a letter describing where the cottonwood, Ash, Eastern Redbud, Walnut, Coffee Tree, and Curly Maple had come from. I picked each piece up again and again, turning them over and over like a kid at Christmas trying to figure out which toy to play with first. Ever since John had sent me some pictures from which to choose, the spalted ash had intrigued me. I mounted a faceplate on the flattened side with a very minor adjustment and went at it. I soon ran into a defect near the top that I just hated to leave.
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It wasn’t close enough to the top to just cut it off so I tried to find out how deep it went. Felt the bowl could have somewhat of a flared top but the soft spot kept going and going. I also wasn’t quite sure if I had the blank oriented properly so the rings would be symmetrical in the bottom. Drew some lines on the outside but still wasn’t quite sure though I thought it would be close.
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I then changed my plan and decide to make a plate out of the top part and a bowl with a recessed rim out of the bottom. The bowl could then sit on the plate. About that time my wife walked into the shop and said, “A flower pot, I like it!” Talk about seeing the writing on the wall - or not! Foolishly I made some comment about a spittoon and told her what I was thinking about doing. Her response was something to the effect of “don’t you get tired of making plain old bowls, you can go to Walmart and get those.” So with that decided on… I proceeded.
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I had only intended to rough it out but after turning away more than planned and it being pretty dry, I figured why not. Took a break for dinner but was able to put it back in good company before the evening was through.
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[Baxter Smith]

After finishing, I took it into the house and handed it to my wife who was sitting on the couch. “A spittoon, its pretty I like it!” She looked it over then gave it back and saw me smiling. “What’s wrong with it?” she asked. I didn’t say anything. She told me to set it on the table and she repeated “Its pretty I like it!” I think I made the right decision.;):)

John stated in his letter that he didn’t have any great history for the wood, and if it would make me feel better, to let him know and he would embellish a bit. For this piece I’m going to save him the trouble. From now on, if someone asks me about that black spot on the top, I’m going to tell them that its leftover tobacco juice from some old guy in Kentucky. Thank you John for all the wood, and I AM having fun!:D


Melody’s Flower Pot/Grandfather K’s spittoon

10 ½ x 5 ¾ x ½ finished with Antique Oil

[Steve Mawson]

Pretty neat Baxter. It does look like a spittoon and that is not bad. Pretty unique piece. Always fun to see what comes from other parts of the country. Do you think you are done with this piece?

[Baxter Smith]

I still need to finish the bottom tomorrow. Used a recessed DT so need to clean the bottom up a bit. Need to make a longer friction drive to reach the bottom or maybe my cole jaws will work. Will also put on a few more coats of AO.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Really nice looking piece Baxter. Really cool.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Interesting piece Baxter - and quite the entertaining story to go with it! Congrats on all the wood! Looking forward to seeing what other non-bowl shapes you come up with!

[John Keeton]

Baxter, you sure did right by that Ash!! Some nice work, and I love your "embellishment" of the story.

To make this yarn even more interesting, I was named for my grandfather. His first and middle names were John Kelly, and he went by "JK." I often use my initials of "JK." And, my grandfather had an old brass spitoon that had a very similar shape.

While I did chew tobacco as a kid, there was this incident when I swallowed my "cud" during a rough outdoor ballgame, and after an afternoon of violent nausea, I forever gave up chewing!:eek:

So, see, after a little stretching, there is an element of history to that piece!!

I may have to get some more of that wood - it turned out looking great. My neighbors yard is literally full of it. They took down 4 Ash trees, all of which were about 36" in diameter. And, all of them have the same coloration!

[Donny Lawson]

I like the design and the grain pattern.The spot adds character.
Donny

[Baxter Smith]

Really nice looking piece Baxter. Really cool.
Thanks Bernie. It is different!


Interesting piece Baxter - and quite the entertaining story to go with it! Congrats on all the wood! Looking forward to seeing what other non-bowl shapes you come up with!
I wondered who would be the first to use the word "interesting".:D Glad you enjoyed the story.

I still think it would have looked good as a sapwood bottom bowl sitting on a heartwood plate but sometimes it is best to just go along with ... Keeping the spouse happy is never a bad thing!


The form looks ok when viewed as you would when its sitting on a table but any one have thoughts as to which I should have done differently/given up.
1. The bottom section should have been more rounded but I thought that might make it appear even smaller in diameter compared to the top.
2. The top rim should have matched the diameter of the widest part of the bottom more closely but didn't want to lose the sapwood edges on parts of the rim.
3. The middle section should have been cut in further but didn't want to lose the view of the inside bottom surrounded by spalting.


Baxter, you sure did right by that Ash!! Some nice work, and I love your "embellishment" of the story.

To make this yarn even more interesting, I was named for my grandfather. His first and middle names were John Kelly, and he went by "JK." I often use my initials of "JK." And, my grandfather had an old brass spitoon that had a very similar shape.

While I did chew tobacco as a kid, there was this incident when I swallowed my "cud" during a rough outdoor ballgame, and after an afternoon of violent nausea, I forever gave up chewing!:eek:

So, see, after a little stretching, there is an element of history to that piece!!

I may have to get some more of that wood - it turned out looking great. My neighbors yard is literally full of it. They took down 4 Ash trees, all of which were about 36" in diameter. And, all of them have the same coloration!
Thanks John. Glad it wasn't a total yarn!
Gettin more of that wood sounds like a good idea! If you have the room that is. I do remember something about 26' to the peak.:) Should be enough room there for at least one of the four. The sapwood is still solid but the heartwood is getting a little punky. Nice colors.


I like the design and the grain pattern.The spot adds character.
Donny
Thanks Donny, the wood has lots of character!

[Gary Chester]

Great story and nice work.

Has it been tested for it's intended use? :eek::D

[Mark Hubl]

Baxter,

Nice piece and post. The wood looks great and I like the spittoon theme. And, as long as momma is happy, then everybody's happy.

The one thing I am trying to get better at is reading the wood before I put it on the lathe. Seems like a detail I tend to forget and then say, "Should have mounted it this way". I think that is probably pretty common with us newer turners. And then there is the occasion like your piece, the wood can always have surprises. I guess that is what makes it interesting.

[David E Keller]

I love that piece... It's a great bit of wood and a nice bit of turning as well.

[charlie knighton]

very nice...

[John Tomasello jr]

Great job on thinking outside the box, what a piece of wood interesting grain pattern