Box Elder & Black Walnut lidded vessel

[Scott Hackler]

Here is a lidded form that I have been working on for quite some time. This started out as something else but a few creative alterations caused the form to be reworked.... twice. :) I made 4 different lids and 4 different toppers/finials before finally settling on this.

Box Elder with a Black Walnut pedestal, collar and finial. Cup and lid is thinned to 1/8" thick, 4" diameter and just short of 8" tall. Finished with shellac (sanded down), Blo and 4 coats of lacquer. Beal buffed as well.

This is a different form for me and I dont know if it really "works".

Comments are always welcome, good and bad! Thanks.

http://members.cox.net/cabletech/pot1.jpghttp://members.cox.net/cabletech/pot2.jpghttp://members.cox.net/cabletech/pot3.jpg

[Roger Chandler]

Nice form Scott.........that is the first time I have ever seen box elder and walnut as a combination. The form reminds me of an ice cream sundae.....and the finial is nice also.

very interesting piece...........a lot of fitting of different parts was required on this one..........thanks for posting!

[Michael James]

That IS different. 1st impression was ice cream sundae. Im not sure that I love the wood mix, but I do like the balance between the 2 woods. The work is very nice as is the finish.
my .02

[Doug W Swanson]

Scott,

The piece is very well done. I think the finial should be a little shorter but that's just my opinion. You did a great job!

[Donny Lawson]

I think it all looks good. The contrasting colors go fairly well together.It's different but good. I've never made a vessel before but would love to try something like that. I may have to add this to a favorite list. A friend of mine makes alot of Cedar and Walnut pieces together and this reminds me of it. Nice work.
Donny

[Steve Vaughan]

That a really nice piece! Gonna try something like that one day myself. Both woods work well together I think.

[John Keeton]

Scott, I am different in that I like the complex pieces - the ones that have multiple parts and require several processes. And, I really like this piece!

I like the wood combo, as well, though with the BE, I probably would have tried cherry to pick up on the reddish hues that are usually present. The wood you have used seems to have more brownish tones and some spalting, as well. That works with the walnut.

On the finial, again, seems most folks say the vessel should take prominence, and that is the case the majority of the time. But, there are these pieces where the finial becomes an integral element of the design. In fact, often, and in this case, that is where much of the art and design ends up.

I think the finial is right for this piece. A shorter one would have worked, and may have celebrated the piece more. But, I like this one!

There are only two elements on this piece I would consider doing differently. Replication of elements is something I am still working on, and on this piece, I would have embellished the base just a little to pick up on the profile you did on the walnut waist band/collar. For me, you have a rather modern looking base with a simple flare, but a detailed profile on the collar.

The other thing would be to blend the lid to the collar a little differently. With the slight "flat" on the top edge of the collar, and no corresponding overlap on the lid, you are left with a slight disruption in the curve.

Overall, I think this is an excellent piece - very creative and artsy!

Sorry for the long comments, but I think you are showing some fantastic talent, and I enjoy seeing your work. By commenting, I am actually just trying to learn from what you are doing - incorporating all of this into a base of knowledge.

[Thom Sturgill]

This one works and the sundae comments are right on. If the finial had been shorter, it would have been the cherry on the sundae!

[Jim Burr]

Great work Scott. The finial really draws the eyes up and the thinness really contrasts the weight of the vessel. Beautiful!!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Really is a great piece Scott. I agree the finial could have been shorter but for me this one works. I like the wood combo's and the finish looks great.

[steven carter]

Scott,

I'm really glad you posted this piece, I like it a lot. I have just started a similar piece. I roughed out the body from box elder, and planned a walnut collar, be top and walnut finial. Right not I do not envision a walnut foot like yours, but you gave me agreat visual of what the walnut and box elder will look like. The reason for my collar is there are some carpenter ant holes near the opening that I am afraid will not survive the turning after drying. I hope mine turns out as nicely as did yours.

Steve

[Steve Schlumpf]

Scott - I've been studying this piece for over an hour, trying to find a way to put into words a couple of areas that trouble me.

First thing - it would be a big help if you uploaded your photos to SMC. Reason is I could then have them in separate tabs that I can refer to while typing out my thoughts. Just something to consider...

Also, congrats on stepping out and trying something that is considerably more challenging - a multiple piece turning! They are a lot of work and you really have to pay attention to all the little details!

So, my thoughts...

Your finial looks great! Proportions, detail work, curves and finish! You have definitely got that process down great!

Couple areas that cause a problem - to my eye (and I am no expert!) is the width of the collar, the curve on the collar/lid junction and the size of the foot.

The width of the collar would work fine if the piece had a small knob instead of a finial. As it is, it competes with the finial for attention. Example - when you first look at the photo - your eye is drawn to the collar - then to everything else. Also note that when viewing the profile photos, the collar is at the middle of the turning when using a finial. I agree with the others in that the finial works as the artistic element in this piece and everything else should support that notion. If the collar stopped at the top detail line (making it thinner) would it not help draw attention to the finial without competing?

The curve on the collar/lid junction is interrupted. You have one style of curve on each piece but nothing pulling them together into a continuous curve. Example - as your eye travels up the form from the collar to the lid - it stops at the junction because there is a flat area. The challenge when turning multiple piece projects is to get all the curves to seamlessly flow together - not an easy task!

On the foot area - I like John's suggestion to include an small element that ties the pedestal and finial together. That would be a nice extra touch to consider for future projects. I find the size of the foot to be to large for the piece. Good example is in the photo where you have the lid sitting aside the form. You will note that the foot and lid are approximately the same size. Just an opinion - but I think the foot would work better if it were 1/2 to 2/3s it's present size. It would still be large enough to offer stability yet small enough as to not be a major distraction from the artistic element, the finial.

Please note that everything I have expressed are only my opinions and are offered in the hopes that they assist and not block your creative efforts!

Keep up the good work! Looking forward to seeing your next turning!

[Scott Hackler]

Thats for the comments fellas. This one was a salvage, in the sense that it sure didnt start out as a lidded form! I also struggled with the foot but ultimately decided that I wanted something less ornate so it wouldnt detract from the box elder cup. I do see how matching the foot with the collar might create a better flow. The lid (this version!) started out sitting on top of the walnut collar but someone was enjoying bevel riding with a freshly sharpened gouge and MIGHT have taken too much off... so after that little creative adjustment, this is what I ended up with! I actually had another one, that was "perfect", but after jam chucking to finish the very top it decided to fly off the lathe... down the dust collector hose... through the motor.. and end up in multiple peices! I really need a screen on that hose. This has happened 3 times so far!

I must tell you that this form fought me from the beginning and I am calling it finished before it gets thrown across the shop!

[David DeCristoforo]

"...I dont know if it really "works"..."

You never do until you try it. Some things just evolve. In my world, most of the evolution is necessitated by screw-ups or, as some call them, "design opportunities". This ended up being a very nice piece even though there are things about it that you might "refine" on the next one.

[Richard Madden]

Scott,
Great effort on your part. Personally, I kind of like it like it is. For me, the mixture of woods works, and the finial height is fine. Looking at the first picture, I thought the lid included a band of walnut because of a line in the collar. And if this was a "save", you did real good.

[Bill Bolen]

Congrats on the new direction! There is nothing wrong with turning something different and you did a fine job with this one. I love the finial. Really tops off the turning...Bill...