HF #2... comments and advice WIP

[Patrick Doody]

Hey everybody, this is my second Hollow(work in progress). I'm using the sorby hollowmaster, it's a bit tricky to get the hang of, but once you get the feel of it it's not too bad. Though i'm not sure i would recommend the tool to anyone.

Anyways I'm not sure if I like the form or not, it's somewhat based on the shape of an upsidedown pear. The top concaves in a bit near the rim. I'm also not sure if i should put a foot on it or not. any thoughts on the form or the foot?

Thanks for your help!


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4937510265_63cdbe4f56_z.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4938097290_aa2237330d_z.jpg


p.s. please excuse for the low quality cell phone pics

[John Keeton]

Patrick, the form does resemble an inverted pear, or even more so - a bell. I don't particularly care for a foot on most hollow forms, but you need to make some personal decisions on what you are trying to do with this piece - what do you want it to say.

You still appear to have enough wood that you could change the top profile a little if you wish, or recess it for a collar and bring it up some. If you did that with a contrasting wood, you might also be able to get by with a base turned of the same wood.

Just some thoughts. This is a unique form, and presents some opportunities to try some different approaches.

[David E Keller]

Ah yes, turner's block. Welcome to my world. :mad:


I'm not sure how much thickness you've got left to play with, but I'm thinking of smoothing out the form to a single consistent curve then adding a tall collar... Along the lines of the vases that John Hart does so well. Anyway, that's the first thing that came to mind.

[Michael James]

if you opened up the opening...and I'm guessing that keeping the hole small is part of your "exercise", then I could start seeing this as a flower pot type of shape. But I'm with John on the fact that you need to decide where you want to take it. You can learn from every decision no matter how it turns out if you pay attention to what you attempt to do, and what happens. Have fun, it's only a chunk of wood, and my buddy Joe in Illinois says that stuff grows on trees in some places!:cool:
michael

[Bernie Weishapl]

Interesting inverted pear shape for sure. I don't like a foot on HF's but that is just me.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Patrick - seeing as how this is your second HF I am going to assume that you are experimenting with form and finding what does or does not work when it comes to hollowing.

I think John said it best - you need to make some decisions on what it is you want this piece to be. Right now you have lots of curves but no central theme - at least to me. As far as a foot, I am one of those folks who do not normally like a foot on anything - but I have turned them a time or two. Really depends on the vessel and the look you are trying to create.

In turning, the one main theme you will hear over and over is that of the continuous curve. The idea being that the eye can travel uninterrupted when viewing the turning. Everything seems to flow together.... if you catch my drift. You have to stand back and look at your turning (every time - not just this example) and decide if it has the flow or form you are after. We each struggle with that until we have turned enough of the same style that it becomes ingrained.

So, my suggestion is to step back, take a good look at what it is you are trying to create and see if the turning works. If not - change it. Remember that it is the new - sometimes unorthodox - form that creates the big stirs in the art world. You need that vision of what it is you want to create first - then just turn it! The real challenge .......... is the vision!

Have fun! Looking forward to seeing more of your work!

[Patrick Doody]

Great! thanks for the comments. I think I have enough thickness left where i can make the continuous curve work and i think that will clean up the piece. I think i should spend some time looking at various forms in the gallery.

my design process was this:
i'm going to make a large bowl
oh there's a big crack in the blank
i'll turn it down till the crack is gone
hmm this is a small blank... time to do something different

I saw in another thread where John K. starts off with a rough sketch before turning, i think i'll pickup a small sketchbook and doodle next time. As some of you suggested I need a direction before turning.

[Patrick Doody]

OK, i did a bit of reworking tonight and so far i'm fairly happy with the results. The transition to the top isn't quite as gradual as i would have liked it but it looks pretty good, and that's what i gave myself to rework.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4076/4943347305_89e5d6f0d6_z.jpg

on bowls i'm use to using a friction chuck to turn the tenon off. what's a good method for doing this on a HF?
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4074/4943932282_ec848a7c76_z.jpg

Advice on the bottom? comments?

Thanks in advance!

[Don Alexander]

looks like you adjusted quite nicely its looking good:)

[John Hart]

Nicely done!!

Jamming a Hollow Form can be the same as a Bowl. Just use a piece of wood that will reach to the bottom...pad it with a piece of mouse pad or something similar...then just work around your live center and sand away the point where the live center came in contact.

Interested in seeing your final foot!!....I would round out the bottom and greatly reduce the diameter of the foot. But that's just me.

Good luck!:)

[Patrick Doody]

ok great! yeah I'm pretty happy with the results so far, I was asking my better half, what we should do with it when it's done and i think she wants to keep it, so that's a vote of confidence. I think it's going to get a few coats of BLO and wipe on poly followed by a buffing. but first I have to attack the foot, I can still screw things up!!!

:)

[Patrick Doody]

OK i'm nearly done, turned the bottom, which is just a bit off, but i'm OK with it. Sanded to 1200 grit, one coat of BLO. I think it's going to get some wipe on polly and a buff.

hollowform #2, white birch... thanks for all the helpful tips!
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4131/4947347290_624ae158e5.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/4946757639_064f50ac86_z.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/4947346288_6376f72ffa_z.jpg

[Bill Bulloch]

In another thread, Mike ask us to show our progression on a piece. I'd say you are certainly doing this here. Nice job.