Variation of a Southwestern Theme

[Steve Schlumpf]

Box Elder Jar or Vase, 8 ¼” high x 9 ½” wide by 3/16” thick, sanded to 320 grit and has several coats of wipe-on poly.

184475 184479 184478 184477 184474 184473 184476

This Box Elder was from the same wood I had taken in order to turn a commissioned bowl for the tree’s owner. It was the only piece out of 5 hollow forms to survive the drying process! The tree was diseased and had a lot of wind shake – which I was aware of but took my chances anyway as it was some beautiful stuff!

As always – your opinions, comments and critiques are welcomed!

Thanks for looking!

[Michael James]

Very nice, as usual! Interesting piece - I love the flame in that wood. You know I'm takin notes here, so keep em coming! :cool:;):D

[Dennis Ford]

A beautiful form of beautiful wood. One out of five is not good odds but the one is special.

[Roland Martin]

Wow, really nice proportions and form, Steve. As usual, your finish is excellent and the Box Elder is beautiful. The dimensions are very deceiving, it appears the height is greater than the width. Thanks for sharing.

[philip labre]

Steve, beautiful piece and the finish is great as usual.

[Scott Hackler]

Most excellent work Steve. I love the form and the wood....well Im a sucker for box elder. Great job on this turning.

[Bill Hensley]

I love it, 'nuff said

[David E Keller]

That's really nice! The form and coloring are great, and the finish is perfect. Great job.

[dan carter]

It sure is a nice piece. Nice color. Good job.

[Rich Aldrich]

I really like it. The color is unique. Nice form.

[Michael Short]

Steve,

Another beautiful piece of art. Then form is very balanced and the flame in the box elder is stunning. Thanks for sharing.

[Harry Robinette]

Steve
I think it looks great as usual and your right thats some beautiful wood.
Harry

[John Keeton]

Steve, this may well be one of my favorites of the SW type forms you have done! The wood is spectacular and the finish is, as always, excellent. Really a very nice job on this one! Sorry about the other rough outs - don't play the lottery any time soon!!

[Jeff Nicol]

Steve, Nice work on this one but sad to hear you lost the others in drying. I get some of it that has the darker brown in the center and that usually means the tree is dying from the inside out like a lot of the bigger boxelder around here do. They seem to flake apart like cooked fish as they dry when they get this way. It looks pretty solid while roughing and then in a few hours they will start to come apart and if you use DNA it will excelerate the cracking as the water is removed very fast as the DNA evaporates. I seal them right away with anchorseal and you can most times save them and maybe have to fill a few small cracks with CA when finishing.

Hope you have some more to try with as it is always pretty wood,

Jeff

[Roger Chandler]

Just a super nice form Steve! I like the proportions, and the size is impressive, as well as that flame in the box elder. You always do such a superb job with your southwest forms. I like it that once in a while you allow the natural beauty of the wood to shine without any "dye job" although when you do a work that includes dyeing they are always first rate as well.

You made a good choice on this particular piece, as the wood itself was such a wonderful palette. A real artist recognizes the difference, and you have indeed!

[mike fuson]

Awesome wood Steve, nicely done as well.

[Cathy Schaewe]

That's a beautiful piece. I really like the form, not to mention the wood and the finish, very much. Have to keep this one in mind ...

[Jon Lanier]

I feel so redundant sometimes. But, that is sweet! I agree with John... one of the best SW's.

[Ron Stadler]

Looks Gorgeous Steve, I love it and would'nt change a thing.

[Curt Fuller]

Steve, that's such a pretty piece. Photos 2,3,7 are just beautiful with the contrast in the wood. The form is beautiful, the small foot gives it a nice dainty look. And it's hard to beat a Steve Schlumpf finish.

[Richard Madden]

Excellent job, Steve. You brought the best out that piece, and the finish looks flawless. I need to learn the difference between wind and ring shake. I recently had a nice piece of walnut go completely haywire and a large hollowform wound up a small bowl.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to comment - I appreciate it! Have to admit that this is one of my favorite turnings so far... I just love the form!

[Jim Burr]

Great shape Steve. I really like the size, using that to show off all that great color. And only 320? Wow!! I have some work to do! Nice job sir!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Steve that is a beauty and have to say one of my favorites. Form and finish are outstanding.

[Baxter Smith]

I really like the shape and the variation in the wood from different angles is very neat!

[Dan Forman]

Steve---I too think this is one of your best - form, finish and wood are all tops.

Dan

[Michelle Rich]

It is rare when I see a piece on the internet that I would like to have in my own home. This is one of the rare ones. the balance of color is just perfect, the shape is calling to my hands to pick it up..it is devoid of ornamentation & stands on it's own. Yep, it would look terrific in my home.( 90% shaker) A fine piece, Steve.

[Roger Chandler]

Steve,

A question on how you mounted this on the lathe. The orientation of the growth rings..........was this strictly an end grain orientation, or face grain? It looks to be oriented a little skewed from what one would think would be end grain, but not all the way face grain. Was the mounting with the growth rings at a bit of an angle?

Could you post a sketch with a log, and the way the grain was running when mounted on the lathe? If it is not too much trouble. :o :) My question might be answered in that is was just the way this particular piece of the tree had its grain running, and not the mounting on the lathe, but it would be helpful to know the grain orientation.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Roger - the blank was rotated slightly off true end-grain so that the coloring would run diagonal once finished.

[charlie knighton]

very nice....

[Roger Chandler]

Roger - the blank was rotated slightly off true end-grain so that the coloring would run diagonal once finished.


Thanks Steve.........I felt like it was not centered, because the growth rings were not concentric around the center.........your technique here made it all the more beautiful!

[Bill Bolen]

Beautiful piece Steve. I'm really taken with the heigth variation on this one. It really shows off that long red streak...Bill...

[Brian Effinger]

That's some pretty wood, but the form and the finish are perfect. That's too bad about losing the others, but was still worth it to get this one.

[Tony De Masi]

Another "Schlumpfified" work of art. A most excellent form on this one Steve and I'm very glad you had success with this one too.

[Jon Nuckles]

Not much to add to what has been said already, but I like it, too!

[Mark Hubl]

Nice one Steve. Box elder is always so nice looking when streaked with red. Sorry to here the others did not make it.

[Ron McKinley]

Beautiful wood and your shape is superb! ..........Ron