Maple HF

[bob svoboda]

A few firsts. First thin(ner) HF - fairly consistent 3/16 walls. First lid and first finial. I actually hate the finial, but hope to learn from your comments. The vessel is Maple, the lid is Maple Burl and the finial is Ebony. Width is about 7" and the height with finial is about 8". Please comment and critique.
Thanks

[John Keeton]

Bob, you sure picked some nice wood for this one! There are so many different opinions on lids and finials that it is hard to comment. I can only say what I like to see. Personally, I think when a form rolls over the shoulder it should continue the upward flow of the form. On this one, you have a descending top to the form. Sometimes that can make design decisions difficult.

On the finial, I think you have done a good job for your first. Probably, as time goes on, you will refine your style, and that may include different embellishments. You may want to look at the galleries of various turners, or websites of turners to see what others have done. Unfortunately, most finial styles have already been done and originality is difficult to come by.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Bob - that sure is some pretty maple!

Like John just mentioned - finials and lids are more of a personal taste kind of thing, so always hard to offer constructive criticism. General rules of thumb - finials should be delicate - no matter what embellishments you wish to include. So, in this case, the overall thickness of the finial could be reduced, IMO.

Congrats on all your firsts with this piece! It gets easier!

[David E Keller]

What a beautiful piece of wood! The main form is striking, and I like it. It would be a tough form for me to match a lid to. I agree with Steve and John about most things related to lids and finials being a matter of preference. My thoughts... I'd like to see a smoother transition from form to lid. A more delicate finial would suit my tastes, too. That style of finial with undulating curves is tough for me to pull off, so I generally try to have very defined transitions between the elements.

[David Christopher]

Bob, thats a very nice looking piece....shape and color is great
as far as finials go, I make a drawing and tape it on the wall sideways, so I can look at it while turning it

[Allen Neighbors]

Well, I'm different again. :) I love the basic form (pic 2). I like the way it comes out of the top, and makes that beautiful curve, and then transitions into the straight drop to the bottom. That straight drop down to the bottom is a no-no in the eye of most woodturners, but I happen to like the way it sticks to the "floor" (whatever it's sitting on). I think too many forms have too small of a bottom, which makes them easy to tip over. This one looks steady.
The burl top, I think, would look better if it was all one, gently "coved" curve, transitioning to the finial.
I am definitely not an expert on finials (my previous poor tries as proof), but I agree with the others that it could be a little thinner. I think I would like it more if the upper parts of the "bulges" mimicked the shape of the form, getting increasingly smaller (as they do) as you approach the top, but I think thinner is the key.
The finish looks like it fades in "sheen" as it goes over the curve. I've had this happen to a lot of my pieces, and it's usually corrected by more, even coats applied. Over all, I really do like it, and would not hesitate to display it prominently.

[Mike Cruz]

Well, from the new turner, you get a thumbs up on the whole thing! I see what John was saying about the top sinking down, but I kinda like it. It kinda gives the piece a heart shaped look.

As for the finial, well, my eye says it is the right size. I understand why you aren't happy with it, but that doesn't mean there is anything wrong with it. It isn't like others I've seen, but maybe that's a good thing. While I am very impressed with ornate finials, sometimes I think they can be overdone and distract from the rest of the piece. Yours seems like an accent, not a reason to create a bowl to go with it. I hope that came across the way I meant it. :o

Overall, I love it...the wood, the form, everything.

[Baxter Smith]

Pretty wood Bob. I like the shape as well though the top of the HF may make it difficult to match a lid and finial. Lots of good suggestions so far concernig size and shape. Trying to keep the changes simple, maybe lose the middle bead and have only one curve on the lid. Still a pretty piece!

[David Campbell]

A few firsts. First thin(ner) HF - fairly consistent 3/16 walls. First lid and first finial. I actually hate the finial, but hope to learn from your comments. The vessel is Maple, the lid is Maple Burl and the finial is Ebony. Width is about 7" and the height with finial is about 8". Please comment and critique.
Thanks

I see nothing wrong with the piece, the finial is gorgeous, I love it.

[Bernie Weishapl]

That is a really pretty piece and the wood has great color. I agree the finials are taste kind of thing and you will find yourself refining them as you do more of them.

[Michelle Rich]

I think as a first you have done well. Most of what the others have said is valid. Keep looking in art books, or even the book by Weldon Shapes for Woodturners. Lots of ideas in there. Thanks for sharing your first triumph!

[bob svoboda]

Thank you all for the thoughtful comments and critiques--a lot of very valuable input! This type of open and honest commentary is a big part of the value of this forum. Again, many thanks and hopefully enough will sink in so the next one is better.

Bob

[Roger Chandler]

Bob,

Very nice for your first HF. Certainly turned out better than mine! Great finish and very nice maple grain in it. I will leave the finials and the sinking form to those who are more experienced and have a better "artists eye" than me, but congrats!

[Duff Bement]

When I started doing finials I hated all of mine. My wife told me to look in some of my turning books and find the ones I like and make copies to hang on the wall by my lathe. Dang if she wasn't right. Now I useally like how they turned out. The other thing is, the more you do the better you get.
Duff

[Paul Douglass]

That is beautiful, the wood is awesome. Where does everyone come up with all this fantastic wood?

[James Roberts]

Gorgeous wood Bob, lots of character in this piece. Yeah, I suppose the finial could be thinner and perhaps a bit taller, but this is a great first effort. Keep 'em coming.

[Ray Bell]

Very nice Bob.

[Scott Hackler]

Great first finial. One thing that I did while pursuing my quest for finial improvement is to stare and study other peoples finial work and to study my own. I make mental notes about why I like one over another. What makes it pleasing to my eye. Its a learning process and after a bit you start seeing things a little different. Soon you will be able to easily recognize what works and what doesnt. The goal it to constantly improve through practice and to push the envelope with experimentation. :)