Combination of the two or three...

[David DeCristoforo]

This turning incorporates several of the directions I have explored over the last year. The "flower" form is here along with the "multiple edge" idea and the "sunburst" coloring. On most of the forms I have done recently that incorporated pedestals, I have concentrated on making very slender stems. But in looking at them, I realized that this was not necessarily the "best" approach. Some of them simply look too thin to support the body of the form. So, on this one, I was trying more for proportion. Consequently, the pedestal is a bit more substantial with the details not cut so deeply. The sunburst finish is ""getting there" but I am going to need a better air brush with a double action to get it "right".
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The tools:

The last time I posted a "double edge" turning, there were a couple of questions about the tools I used. I had mentioned making a tool especially for this and promised to post a picture of it. Since then I have made two more. I did a few practice runs on some "sacrificial" material after making that first one and these tools "evolved" in the process. The first one is a "mongo" vortex type tool that worked fairly well but it became apparent right away that in order to make the shapes I wanted, the tool was going to need some curve. The second one was ground from a hook chisel formerly used for cleaning out the bottoms of mortices. This one works OK but it's too light to hang as far over the tool rest as is necessary for these cuts. The third tool is a hooked skew which has proven to be the best one of the three. The "mongo vortex tool" and the hooked skew were ground from a couple of metal spinning tools I acquired at some point. They are very heavy and it's "good" steel although I have no clue as to what specific steel they are.
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[George Guadiane]

What a BEAUTIFUL piece!
I like everything about it.

And thanks for the tool pictures and the information about them too.

Well done.

[Roger Chandler]

Wow David,

You have been a busy man! This piece embodies such grace, and flows nicely in form. Your signature still shows in your pedestal, [I call it "distinctively DeCristoforo"] because it has a style unique to you, from what I have seen. That is quite an accomplishment in itself, in my book. The double turning is quite nice, and your sunburst, well, now that is a special finishing technique, especially for a turning.

It looks to me that these forms are gallery quality, and I wonder if you are going to put any of them in a gallery? In better economic times, these would probably just be sold with regularity......there may be some areas of the country where that may be possible........I don't know where that would be, but California might be one?

Nice job, DD! :)

[Ray Bell]

Beautiful David. I asked this question on another thread, but lost it. How do you chuck these things up?

[steven carter]

David, this is just beautiful. I can't imagine an improvement on the coloration of the "flower", it works for me. Very interesting tool configurations, thanks for sharing!

Steve

[Jim Burr]

Holy Cow!! I know Great!!!! when I see it. Bravo sir...that truly is several steps above "Well Done" !! There isn't anything to critique...and if you ever find yourself in the tool making business....
If time permits, could you pass on you airbrush technique? I just picked up a cool one on CL with just this purpose in mind. With you being the Sunburst go-to guy...a pointer or two? And again...off the hook!!!

[charlie knighton]

thanks for sharing, i liked the look of your hook/skew

[Baxter Smith]

Very nice piece! The colors in the flower look great to me and I like the more substantial stem. You didn't ask:) but JMO, I am not quite sold on where the flower and the stem meet. Even though the outside curve of the two meet, that indentation between the two make it look more like one is just sitting on top of the other.
Thanks for posting the pictures of the tools as well. Would love to watch you using that hooked skew.

[John Keeton]

David, this piece is extremely well done. For what it is worth, these are the elements I like on this one -
The flower is a very, very pleasing ogee form.
You have replicated the inverted flower form in the base, and done it very well.
You have done well with the mass of the pedestal. These forms are very delicate because of the low mass on the pedestal and the long stem. They need the extra heft you have put in this one.
The "connector" just under the flower has a very pleasing concavity to it, and it flows very well into the flower. I understand what Baxter is saying, but my tastes are a little different. These are different elements, of different wood, and the clear demarcation line works for me.
You have done a good job on using beading throughout the stem in a pleasing manner.
And, of course, the nicely done flower, with an excellent dye application.

Excellent work!! I enjoyed seeing the job specific tools you have made, as well.

[Scott Hackler]

Very nice David. It is distinctly you. The double flower form is something that, while very nice now, I think you could evolve into something outstanding. I don't think you failed with the dye job, but only you know what your original vision was. The pedestal is nice as well and it is nice to see you sticking to the same general concept/form. That way it is something YOU created and can be attributed to you if someone mimics it. One thing that would improve the pedestal for my eye would be a narrowing of the "onion", just a tad, on the fattest part. I would like to see a profile that was a complete curve, edge to edge. The bottom of the "onion" seems to protrude just a little into that gentle curve. But that's getting very picky. Keep em coming.

[Dave MacArthur]

fantastic. I very much like your work, David.

[David E Keller]

Oooooh! I like this one! The coloring looks fantastic to me, and the flower form is great. I like the stem as well. In fact, I like everything about this one.

[Mark Hubl]

This is a wonderful piece. I really like your flower cups. Thanks for sharing the magic tools with us all. This work is hitting on all cylinders for me. The ogee shape of the cup is spot on. I think you did a really good job where the cup and pedestal come together. For me it accents the pedestal's function and provides a good looking bit of lift. Definetly hear what you are saying on slenderness. Sometimes in challenging our skills our designs begin to look a bit anorexic. I think this pedestal's design is very good. Clean straight lines and nice bits of detail. I like the part under the cup and the base as well. You did a nice job on both carrying the ogee theme. A well thought out and executed piece for sure.

[Curt Fuller]

David, there's not much I can say that hasn't already been said. This is just a spectacular turning! I like every aspect of it.


Sometimes in challenging our skills our designs begin to look a bit anorexic.
I also agree with what Mark has said here and I think you've done a terrific job of illustrating his point.

[David DeCristoforo]

"If time permits, could you pass on you airbrush technique?"

I got this really crummy airbrush at ACE for five bucks. It's one of the ones that has a button to control the air flow and a needle valve that you have to adjust manually to regulate the material. The problem with this brush is that you can't increase or decrease the amount of material with the trigger so it's really hard to control. So at this point, my technique amounts to dying the whole piece yellow and then sneaking up on the red with the airbrush set for a very light amount of material flow. I start at the bottom and work up moving the brush away from the work at the same time to get the "fade". Another problem with this brush is that it does not atomize all that well so it's hard not to get a "splattery" look as the color transitions from darker to lighter. A better brush is going to be my next tool purchase. On this one, I only used red and yellow dyes. But I have also experimented with some purple at the very bottom of the sunburst and that looks promising. But I really need the good brush to pull it off. I also want to try some other colors as well. Lots of potential to unlock! One thing I can tell you is that a rag is not the way to go!

"You have replicated the inverted flower form in the base…"

Well after the "gob of putty" base on my last one, I figured that still "idea" still needed some work! So I left it out of the mix for the time being.

"I am not quite sold on where the flower and the stem meet…make(s) it look more like one is just sitting on top of the other."

Well it is… Isn't it? OK… Sorry… Little wisecrack there… I was kinda trying for a mini version of the "flower".

[Richard Madden]

I've got nothing but praise for this piece. The shape of the "flower", the double edge, the pedestal, the coloring, everything about it looks perfect. And thanks for showing the tools. I haven't seen dimensions, what are they? Man, I'm thinking I might have to try one of these...geesh!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Don't know what else I can say but it is beautiful David. I really like it.

[Ron Bontz]

Absolutely beautiful. And way out of my league at this point. My compliments sir.

[Ken Glass]

David,
What a great piece, and as always you show new ways to do things, and your imagination is superb. I like all aspects of this piece and I like the coloring also. Very well Done!

[Michael James]

Another really nice piece there! Your work is light yrs ahead of where Im at, so I guess the only comment I would make is the sunburst looks good to me. Certainly a double action airbrush is going to give you more contol, but my point is that a really good color transition is "seamless". My reference is guitars here - cheap imports have cheap bursts with 2 maybe 3 distinct colors - a quality custom piece has burst fades from dark to light giving the illusion of wear. And at least in your photo you achieved that. Certainly is a fine piece. Thanks for posting and the info

BTW FWIW: HF has cheap double action brushes and for under $20.... and with an easy to find 20% coupon....

[David DeCristoforo]

"How do you chuck these things up?"

I usually glue a sacrificial piece on the bottom and grip it in a chuck. I complete the outside profile but I leave the bottom inch or so "fat" so that there is good inch or so of wood. I typically have the tailstock supporting the piece as well. Then I remove the tailstock and work the inside. When that's where I want it, I go back to the outside and finish off the bottom area. I still leave some "meat" there, usually a diameter equal to what I have in mind for the pedestal top (usually 5/8 - 3/4"). Then I do all the finish sanding, coloring and finishing. Finally, I slow the lathe down to around 350 and very carefully turn the tenon down to 3/8" and part it off.

For the pedestal, I start with a 1" X 1" blank mounted between centers. I turn it round and then turn a 3/8" tenon on the end of approximately 2 1/2" in length. Then I drill a 3/8" hole in the base, typically a 2 1/2" disk that is 3/4 - 1" thick. I glue the disk onto the stem blank and then mount the remaining tenon length in a collet chuck. I mount a drill chuck in the tailstock and bore a shallow 3/8" hole to accept the tenon on the bottom of the cup. Then I use the tailstock with a long cone center to support the top of the stem and have at it. When it's done, I move the tenon out of the collet a bit and part it off. Then I reverse the pedestal and mount it in a vacuum chuck made from a long piece of 2" ABS, using a Jeff Nichol steady to "keep it tame" and finish off the bottom.

"I haven't seen dimensions, what are they?"

This one is just shy of 10" tall and 6 inches at the widest part of the flare.

"HF has cheap double action brushes..."

I kinda "got my heart set" on this one...

http://www.amazon.com/WOOD-BOX-SET-W-MIL/dp/B001CTT6JE

[Jim Burr]

[QUOTE=BTW FWIW: HF has cheap double action brushes and for under $20.... and with an easy to find 20% coupon....[/QUOTE]

That's the same one I bought off CL with the compressor and extra's...gotta love a deal!!