Once in a Blue Moon

[David DeCristoforo]

This is the third "real" hollow form I have attempted. Technically speaking, it is the best one so far. The walls are a uniform 1/8" thick and it "turned out" pretty much how I had envisioned it. Except for the color.

It was nice enough, pretty piece of maple burl with a lot of activity in the figure. But still... somehow it seemed like it needed something. I was thinking about trying a sunburst on it but then my eye fell on this bottle of blue leather dye. I don't have any blue shoes so I figured "what the heck". Ooo... waaaay too dark! All of that pretty figure just disappeared. So, out came the sandpaper. I thought if I was lucky, I could get that stuff off and save my little pot. But as I began to sand back the color, this "peacock feather" thing started to emerge. So I decided to let on that that was where I was going with it the whole time.

The collar is black dyed rosewood and the lid/finial is ebony. The lid has a taper that fits into a tapered hole in the collar. The pot is about five inches in diameter and nine tall including the finial. The top of the finial is supposed to be a small repeat of the shape of the pot.

177565 177566

[Fred Belknap]

David that is a real nice hollow form. I like the shape and the color.

[Brent Grooms]

Well, regardless of whether it was your original design intent.... it is beautiful. And I normally do not like having woods dyed or stained... this really stands out.

[dan carter]

Nice hollow form. The finial is very nice. You did good.

[Mike Cruz]

I'm not usually one for stains either, but this looks like granite! Very cool.

[Bill Hensley]

Every time I think I'm making real progress reality smacks me. I like very much.

[gary Zimmel]

Sweet piece David...

[Roger Chandler]

That is a pretty one David. Unusual color, as you mentioned, but the feather you brought out really make this stand out as a nice piece. I like your finial also, especially how you fashioned the base, and how you fitted it in the hollow body. I think the tall finial works well on this one, it is tall, but not too tall, and the diameter is not too large, but adds just enough to make this a very nice work.

Good job!

[Nate Davey]

Are you sure you don't have any blue shoes or are you just saying that because we are here? Beautiful job David. It takes some serious intestinal fortitude to throw some dye on a hard won beautiful piece like that. I like the finial as well. I think it highlights the form with out distracting from it.

[Alan Trout]

Very nice David well done!!!!!


Alan

[Greg Ketell]

"Mistake" or no, that turned out beautiful!! I really like the shape and love the coloration! And the little "surprise" at the base of the finial is pretty cool too! Good job!!

[Rich Aldrich]

Nice work. Just think, if you hadn't "messed up", you might not have such a beautiful hollow form. If I remember correctly, once in a blue moon happens every three years and is two full moons in the month of July.

[Joe Mioux]

simply lovely.

joe

[David DeCristoforo]

"...once in a blue moon happens every three years and is two full moons in the month of July."

A "blue moon" is a second full moon in a given calendar month or the third full moon in a season that has four full moons. There will be no blue moons this year...

[Gene Hintze]

One of the finest pieces I have seen on this forum. Kudos!!

[David Reed]

David
I see a very nice piece here with a pleasing and nicely executed shape and finish of this form. And the color, intended or not is also quite striking and unique.
Kudos

[John Keeton]

Like that Monster rig??

David, I like this form - particularly since it doesn't have one of those tiny bases that seem to be in vogue. I think the dye works - sanding it back was a brilliant (albeit in hindsight;)) move! Really shows the wonderful character of this wood.

The finial is a little tall for my tastes, but works nonetheless. Those things are so subjective, anyway. While I am not usually a fan of a heavy rounded collar, it seems to do very well with the base of the finial and provides some lift. Without the collar, I think the taller finial would not work.

Overall, a very elegant piece with a very classy look to it. Well done!!:)

[Steve LaFara]

Stunning, incredible, awesome, beautimous! I love the color, shape, final, everything!

[Matt Ranum]

I'll just echo what was stated already....in a word.....stunning.:)

[Curt Fuller]

I don't know how that could be any better! It's a beautiful piece of work. You mentioned that you thought it was your best so far "technically". I think it's also one of your best "aesthetically". I really like the finial, both the design and the height. And the experimental dye job is a home run for sure. It all just comes together to make a real beautiful piece.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I like the HF and the coloration you gave it, very nice piece David, though you can leave the lightpole off of it for me, I do like it better without, as that wood and shape doesn't need anything else, just IMO of course ;) :D

[Michael James]

Another beautiful piece....and since blue is my favorite color, well I like this a lot. What is the finish?
Thanks for posting.

[Richard Madden]

I like everything about it. You guys doing these dyed burl pieces are about to push me over the edge. I gotta try a few. Very nice job, David!

[David E Keller]

That's fantastic! I love the coloring, form, and finish. I wouldn't change a thing.

[Baxter Smith]

The shape and color of the HF is about as good as it gets!(For a dyed piece:)) My favorite of the HF's you have done!

[Lee Koepke]

well, since you were the only one to see it pre-dye .. only you can really decide the better look. I like how this came out. I, too, am not usually been a 'dye' person, but the more I see from the artisans here, the more I like it!

[Jon Lanier]

That is super sweet! Love everything about it.

[Linda Persoon]

The form (both with and without the finial) feels "spot on" to me. Just right. The coloring is special - good discovery. All-in-all: Super. Thanks for sharing!

[Steve Schlumpf]

David - this is nice! I understand your frustration with the dye - just had the same thing happen and it was also with blue dye! Hate having to sand back when it wasn't planned!

I do like the form on this! Not 100% sure about the rise of the collar but all the elements work well together! Looking forward to your next one!

[Bob Bergstrom]

I really like what you did. The swirling color is difinitely celestial. The finial is also beautiful . I am intrigued by the bottom portion of the finial. i can see a time coming when viewers lifting the finial are going to have little turned surprises dangling from the bottom of the finial. Great execution. Way to pull it all together.:cool::cool:

[Don Alexander]

:D

lightpole


:D:D:D that got me laughing Leo

very nice piece , David, never would have thought maple would grow feathers :D

[Ron Stadler]

Wow Dave, I think you nailed this one. Lovely piece, the color is just gorgeous. So all I have to due is slap a little blue leather shoe dye on my next piece and walla huh?

[Bernie Weishapl]

Really a fine piece David. I do like the form and finial.

[Lupe Duncan]

Really, really, nice David.

[Doug W Swanson]

It would be interesting to see what it looked like before the dye.

I think it turned out great but just wondering what the figure was really like before the dye job....

Excellent work!

[Ken Glass]

David,
I agree with you. It is your best to date. The color, form, Finial and collar all work very well. The color accents the form and it comes alive. Very Well Done!

[Jerry Lawrence]

I like everything about this piece, from the finial to the foot! The color is spectacular and reminds me a lot of the famous Van Gogh painting "Starry Night". If you're looking for a home for it, I'll gladly send you my address! Great job!

[philip labre]

Excellent form and finial, David. I'm not a big fan of dye, but LOML just LOVES IT!!! I've been fighting with her about dye for years and you guys are going to make me lose this battle.

[bob svoboda]

That is a very special turning, David. That's really setting the bar high-I gotta practice more:D

[Tim Rinehart]

David, that's got to be the best recovery on an otherwise failed dye attempts I've heard of...you really pulled off a super piece!

[Cody Colston]

Dat's Purty.

[David DeCristoforo]

Woah! I got distracted last night... communing with extraterrestrials. When I looked in on the creek this morning, there were all these wonderful comments!

"...Like that Monster rig?? ..."

I'd like to say I love the Monster rig. But I love my wife and my feelings for my hollowing tool do not get anywheres close to that. So I will simply say "Yes, I like it... muy bueno"!

"...you can leave the lightpole off of it for me..."

Leo, you must know that I value your opinion very highly. All I can say is that I'm very glad I did not have a mouthful of coffee when I read this...

"...just had the same thing happen and it was also with blue dye..."

What is it about blue dye? I am thinking I might peruse this dye thing with a whole new vision of what can be done!

"What is the finish?"

Hart juice. AKA lacquer. Several coats after sanding back the color. Then sanded again just back to raw wood with 600. Then two more lacquer coats followed by 0000 steel wool and wax, then buffed.

Thanx again to all who took the time to look and comment.

[steven carter]

Very nice David. I like it with the finial and without. You might want to keep what is left of the blue dye and use it in the future because this one works really well.

Steve

[Sean Hughto]

Sublime.

Great work.

[Jon McElwain]

Great work on this one! I do like the dye sanded back to reveal some natural wood along with the dye. I am trying to decide if I like the collar and the finial. I'll have to think about it some more, but my initial reaction is that the collar is a little too bulbous, and the finial taller than I prefer. Opinions aside, the piece flows well and the shape of the body is perfect.

[Dennis Simmons]

I think this very nice work. I only want to know, what you do with your work? How do you sand the inside?

[David DeCristoforo]

"I only want to know, what you do with your work?"

At this point, I have the best collection of David DeCristoforo turnings in the world! I am hoping to start selling some soon. They do make great gifts (I think). There is a local artisan gallery here in Davis and I am on their schedule for consideration. But their next review is in April so it's a bit off yet. No problem really because we have to move next month so I will not have a lot of extra time.

"How do you sand the inside?"

I have this "tool" I made. It's basically a ball of tape on the end of a metal rod with some sticky back velcro wrapped around it to which I can stick bits of sandpaper. It's pretty much a "poor man's" version of the Reach Sanding Ball (http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Abrasives___Sanders___Reach_Sanding_Ball___reach_s anding_ball) but it only cost me a few bucks to cobble together.

[Gary Herrmann]

David, that is a beautiful piece. Looks professionally done.

[John Keeton]

And, CONGRATS on the WoW cover for today!!!

[Dennis Simmons]

Thanks for your answer. You do some very nice work.

[Ron Bontz]

Just spectacular as always.

[Dick Mahany]

David,

Kind of late to the party here, but this piece is beautiful, just as is !! Love the work and thanks for sharing.

[Michael Short]

WOW David... That is a sharp looking piece of artwork.