Wormy ash

[David E Keller]

Here's another little HF I did last week. It's wormy ash that was turned dry and then textured with a wire wheel. There's no finish. A little over 6 by about 4 inches. This was a definite experiment for me with texture. I had a little 'goof' near the opening which prevented me from retaining the true natural bark edge as I had envisioned... Maybe next time.

Comments and criticism appreciated.
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[Roger Chandler]

Hey Doc,

Nice form.........most unusual finish with the texturing. A stand out work for sure!

[David Christopher]

looks good to me....are you going to put a finish on it ?

[Wally Dickerman]

Very nice form. Well done...except, well, aren't you supposed to turn it thin so that the worm holes go clear through?:) Finishing with a wire brush sounds like a good idea. I have a wormy ash piece done by Dale Nish and the holes go through. Makes it quite fragile looking. Dale's finish is sandblasting. Gives it a grey driftwood look. Dale told me that there is a downside to sandblasting a fragile piece like that. Once in a while he blows one up.

Wally

[David E Keller]

looks good to me....are you going to put a finish on it ?

I am still thinking about the finish. I'm considering bleaching it. I've thought about just waxing it. For now, I'm considering it finished unless I decide to do something else.:D



Very nice form. Well done...except, well, aren't you supposed to turn it thin so that the worm holes go clear through?:) Finishing with a wire brush sounds like a good idea. I have a wormy ash piece done by Dale Nish and the holes go through. Makes it quite fragile looking. Dale's finish is sandblasting. Gives it a grey driftwood look. Dale told me that there is a downside to sandblasting a fragile piece like that. Once in a while he blows one up.

Wally

You are exactly right, Wally, but I'm no Dale Nish. In fact, his younger sister(if he's got one) has probably got more turning skill than I do. A few of the holes do go all the way through, but that was more luck than design. I'm quite capable of blowing things up with standard turning tools.:o:D

[John Keeton]

Well, finished or not, thin or thick, it turned out to be a very nice piece! There are lots of possibilities, but most of the ones I would have considered would have involved having it chucked on the lathe.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Very interesting piece David! Great form - really cool idea of having it remain rough to the touch! Have to agree with Wally - in this case - thinner may have added considerably to the visual impact of the piece. Just something to think about next time.

I do like this one. Has a very nice drift-wood quality to it!

[William Hutchinson]

I like the form and finish, it has a sandstone type effect. Experiments are always a surprise one way or the other, yours was a good one.

[Baxter Smith]

Very different, very neat!

[James Roberts]

Busy little worms for sure. I think I like this piece as is, with no finish. Adds to the natural look of the piece. You've done well.

[Michael James]

Way to just stretch out there amigo! I like the textured look...Im thinking sandblasting on some future piece as I have the box already. It reminds me of our red sandstone canyons and mesas. All worn randomly like that.
If I get to vote, I'd say a FLAT finish just to preserve it.
Outstanding artistic stretch... either that or I dont get out much!:D
Michael

[Ken Glass]

David,
It looks great as is. Not all pieces have to have a shine or even a smooth texture. I really like the wire wheel addition. It is a very nice piece with great form. Well done.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Interesting and quite a nice form David :cool:, I've been wanting to do something like that, was thinking of particle blasting, the lack of a big compressor has been one of the reasons it never got past the wanting, I had thought to burn it some first and then blast out the summer wood, still might do this someday, in the meantime I just look and think about trying this also.
Nice experiment and thanks for posting, and while you are bored you could pick some more frass out of there :p :D

[Michelle Rich]

I like it just as it is..no finish..the holes just as they are.I think it's rustic perfection.

[Fred Belknap]

I like the bowl. Just wondering what kind of bug or worm did that? :confused:

[Ken Glass]

Fred,
Isn't it obvious is was a Bowl Weavle. Couldn't resist. LOL

[Aaron Wingert]

David that is a really cool looking bowl. The worm holes are cool even though they don't go all the way through. They still add interest. Not sure how you did the texture with a wire wheel but if I had been required to guess I'd have though you'd lightly sandblasted it. The texture goes against the "norm" of glossy buffed finishes but it sure does look neat.

[David DeCristoforo]

That's great! The form is fine but the texturing really makes it. Ash is especially receptive to this kind of treatment. I have been thinking about something similar but, at this point I don't have any ash!

[Richard Madden]

NICE...very NICE. Thick, thin, I could care less, finished product is what counts, and this one looks very good. You experimented and I'd say you "done good". I have a couple urn sized pieces drying that are a rather plain grain maple and texturing has been suggested...just haven't decided how, yet.

[Rick Robbins]

another Great turn. i like it. Rick

[steven carter]

David,

Really interesing HF, I like it just the way it is. It makes me think it was sitting in King Tut's tomb for a few centuries!

Steve

[David E Keller]

Thanks for the kind comments and suggestions. I really enjoy the look of this piece, and I'll likely try to go a bit thinner next time around.

[Wally Dickerman]

Thanks for the kind comments and suggestions. I really enjoy the look of this piece, and I'll likely try to go a bit thinner next time around.

Hey David....thin is easy...just remove wood until it's thin:)

Wally

[Jack Tyree]

Just an idea, but you might try artists fixative spray. It is not supposed to change the surface as you would expect from a finish, just keeps fingerprints and stains off of it. Read about it in David Ellsworth's book. He used it on a lot of his unfinished pieces.
Nice piece by the way, I really like the texture and think bleaching would be nice too.