Spalted Birch HF, Demo Piece

[Keith Burns]

Our club, the Midsouth Woodturners Guild, has started a "hands on class" where attendees can actually participate and get to try/learn new things. We are doing one class every three months right now. The first one was on sharpening which I missed. The one yesterday was on hollow forms and I was the instructor. The class only lasts 2 hours so I wasn't sure what I was going to do other than use my jamieson system so I decided I better rough out the outside before I went and then we could do the inside. I was really suprised when there were 22 members that showed up. There were 5 or 6 that actually tried the system. Most of them were new turners and had never hollowed. It was a lot of fun to see them do it and realize that it's not that difficult. Anyway this is the piece from yesterday, I finished it up today. 6-1/2" diameter x 10-1/4" tall with holly finial and inset. It will be donated back to the club for our annual Christmas auction. Comments/critiques always welcome.

[John Keeton]

Really nice work, Keith!! Is that holly in the finial and collar? Also, hard to tell, but looks like another darker ring on the lid/cap.

Great form and finial - as always!! Beautiful wood!

[David E Keller]

That's beautiful. I see why more than twenty people showed up for the demo... You make really nice looking hollow forms. I'd have been there, but I'm on the wrong side of the Mississippi.

[John Hart]

Keith...do you video-record your classes? I think that would be a great thing for those of us whose leash is rather short.

Beautiful piece. I love the holly. It's a very mild contrast and adds so much to the form overall. :)

[John Keeton]

I love the holly. It's a very mild contrast and adds so much to the form overall. :)Duh!!!! Guess my reading skills need improvement!!!:o

But, I still want to know whether there is another contrasting wood in the collar or is my bad vision the source of my reading difficulties vs. some other organic reason!:D

[Keith Burns]

Duh!!!! Guess my reading skills need improvement!!!:o

But, I still want to know whether there is another contrasting wood in the collar or is my bad vision the source of my reading difficulties vs. some other organic reason!:D

John, I hate to say this but I think it's time for some new glasses:D. The is not another wood. In the thumbnail I can see it but in the full view it's nat as noticible. Must just be the shadows.

[John Hart]

Duh!!!! Guess my reading skills need improvement!!!:o

Nope...It's because you're a really old guy.:) But then..so is Keith:D.....Hmmm...come to think of it...so am I. :eek:

Hmmm...I wonder if there's a way to reverse that process? Ice Cream doesn't seem to help. :rolleyes:

[John Keeton]

Must just be the shadows.Now, we just need to figure out if the shadows are on the pic, or are they on the brain scan that may be in order for me!!:eek:

John, wonder if alternating popcorn, ice cream and dark chocolate would help?? Now, that is a treatment regimen I could live with!!

[John Hart]

....John, wonder if alternating popcorn, ice cream and dark chocolate would help?? Now, that is a treatment regimen I could live with!!

Nope...doesn't work. But you must be Psychic!!

Last night, my daughter made me a big bowl of popcorn and squirted Hershey's Special Dark Syrup all over it, and I had a bowl of Rocky Road to top it all off......But I still woke up this morning feeling like I'd been building a deck all weekend in the heat and humidity.

I think I'll try Steak and Mushrooms tonight...and see if that works. ;)

[Harvey Ghesser]

Beautiful form and wood, Keith (as usual I might add!)

[Thom Sturgill]

Keith, it a great piece, I'm sure it will do well at the auction.

John K, I think I see what you saw and it's just the angle. The insert has more of the spalted birch and it is almost flat at the base. Sort of an ogee shape. Makes it look like a different species, sort of mid-tone in color, but I do not see a distinct line where the color changes.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Gorgeous!!!