Osolnik week!! OK, here is my prototype.

[John Keeton]

You guys posting those candlesticks got me wanting to try one. This is a quick one to see if I want to do a set - 6" tall of curly maple. Please excuse the trashcan photo backdrop - just didn't feel like setting up the tent for this.:o

Tried my Versachisel from PSI - works great - just not close to an edge!!:eek: Nasty little catch cost me about 1/4" on the top diameter - enough to throw it off a little. But, I think I got the hang of it, and will try a graduated set. This one took about 30 minutes total, including the BLO and shellac burned on finish, so I think they would make a nice addition to one's inventory of goodies to sell.

From what I can determine, the shorter sets of three stairstep by 2" increments - e.g., 6, 8 and 10". The taller sets by 3" increments. On the shorter set, the dimensions - from what I can determine, are about 2.25" top, 2.5" bottom and 1/2" neck. The top is counter turned a little.

If anyone has some more concrete dimensions, let me know. I tried scaling some pictures online to get the above.

[Nate Davey]

John,

Why does your "quick one" look perfect? Looks like the proportions are right. I did notice on a few of Rudes' that he cupped the top where the candle inserts. I did on mine a little, but not as much as his. Beautiful job as usual.

[Brian Libby]

great piece-that Osolnik design and the variations just have a very pleasing look!

[Tim Thiebaut]

Very nice John but 30 minutes!? Man I am slow it would take me 2 hours to do that, I dont know why things take me so long!

[Michelle Rich]

Isn't something that looks so simple, just gosh darn hard to do? One can look at Rude's pieces, and yet when one goes to do it, it's a heck of a challenge. Makes hollowforms seem a bit easier, eh? Spindle work, can be the devil to get into proportion. Good attempt. Keep pluggin' at it.

[John Keeton]

Thanks, guys. When I started my thought was - if I go slow, getting the curve right will be more difficult. So, I just made long, sweeping cuts - with a spindle roughing gouge, no less. I did use the Versachisel for a finish cut - and, to screw up the end! I think the key to the curve is go fast and pay attention only to the overall profile. Getting a clean cut isn't a priority - I sanded at about 1100 rpm - 80 - 320, never stopped spinning, and hit it with the BLO and shellac.

[gary Zimmel]

Nice looking candle holder John. I think I may know what I am going to do with the last of that curly maple you sent me...

[Baxter Smith]

The curves look good John. After seeing some posted earlier this week, I roughed out a few from some of the dead walnut I got at Kens. Googled the dimensions but never came up with any numbers other than about starting with 13" x 3" blank. I had scaled the ones Wally posted a while back when I made some Apple ones. Got by far the best curve using a big 1 1/2" roughing gouge as well. When I tried to fine tune with a spindle gouge it went all to ****!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Really a nice looking piece John. Really nice form and finish.

[David E Keller]

Nice work, John. Everybody on this forum may have a set of Osolnik inspired candle holders before it's all said and done. I'm looking forward to seeing the set. FWIW, the maximum diameter of this one seems a little larger proportionally than the originals that I've seen photos of.

[John Keeton]

Actual dimensions on these things are illusive, at best! I finally found what purport to be sets of authentic pieces, and tried to scale from these to get the dimensions I used. The one I did is only 6" long, so that makes it look quite different than the longer ones. And, there even appears to be quite a lot of variance even in the originals.

These are the two pics I used for reference. The set of three were listed as 10.25", 8.25" and 6.25". Scaling them gave me the 2.5" bottom and 2.25" top, with a 1/2" neck - even on the shorter one. Though looking at the pic vs. the one I did, it certainly looks thinner.

The top on the one I posted is just shy of 2" and I think that really effects the look, the curve, and the balance. But, that is what a catch will do for you!

I still need to work on the curve - as Michelle said, it looks so simple!

[Wally Dickerman]

John, Rude was a good friend and a great guy. I've watched him turn these and have examined some. I just wish that I had got a set from him. He turned many hundreds of them. Helped put his sons through college with the proceeds.

Be sure that you get the rule of thirds right when you make them in sets. I think that the narrow part needs to be a little thinner. The bottoms are a little wider than the top. The 3 that I posted a while back were about 2 1/4 inches at the bottom. When Rude made tall ones he often installed lead shot to weight the bottoms. He sometimes even put felt on the bottom. Those were the pricey ones of figured or exotic wood. I think that the nicest I ever saw were made of macassar ebony.

Before she died, his wife signed Rude's work. "Osolnik Original". I'm fortunate to have one of Rude's pieces.

There are some phonies for sale on ebay. It's not hard to tell just by looking at them. Dimensions are always wrong.

Wally

[John Keeton]

Thanks, Wally, for the input! That is just one of the many reasons you are such an asset here on the creek.

On this one, the angle of the pic isn't very good, but I have the narrow portion at the 2/3 mark. But I agree - it needs to be thinner. And, I appreciate the help on the dimensions, too. So hard to tell from pics online - and, so hard for me to know whether I am looking at originals not having any experience with these.

I saw online a reference to a video of him turning a set, but it was not an active link. It would be neat to find that video!

[Nate Davey]

Here is the only one I could find of him turning these.

http://www.mintmuseum.org/mason/masonsite/osolnik4.html

[charlie knighton]

very nice, John

thanks for sharing

[Dale Bright]

I have seen that video of Rude turning one and there is a video on the DIY site from the woodturning show that Dave Hout had a few years back, of him and his student turning a set and he gives a pretty good description of the proportions.

Here is a link to the DIy video: http://www.diynetwork.com/videos/candlesticks/38988.html

Dale

[Steve Schlumpf]

i like it! Sure is some pretty wood! Bet if you turned a set of these out of curly... then dyed them! Yup - a little color would go a long way! Have fun!

[Mark Hubl]

Enjoy seeing this and the other threads. Hope to see your completed set.

In an article in American Woodturner (Vol 9.4:20-21, Winter 94), Rude says that he turned over 150,000 of them! He also briefly describes how he did them.