Catalpa/Walnut HF- Not what I expected

[Roger Chandler]

As some of you have read recently, I have been working with some Catalpa, and it is a challenge indeed. The spongy wood was a real challenge to cut on the bandsaw, and sanding to finish is a long and tedious process......a lot of fuzzies, end grain issues, and it took dry sanding, wet sanding, stiffening the fibers with shellac, resanding both dry and wet ........just a real challenge.

This is my first turning with Catalpa. I only have one coat of WOP on it at present, but will buff, and then add more coats, so it will end up with more gloss when finished.

I decided early on, before I ever put a tool to this piece of Catalpa, that I wanted to add a contrasting wood for a collar. I was limited in my wood choices, so the best I had was Walnut. This contrast was not as vivid and did not stand out like I had envisioned before starting. I think it is because Catalpa coloration is pretty bland, although it does have wonderful grain.

I turned the finial out of cherry. It has a small void in the very tip, and on the form it looks to be proportional, but I am not happy with the ebonized finish contrasting with the walnut and the catalpa. I am not altogether happy with the finial base as well.......I need a little more of the ogee, I think? This finial may get a re-do........opinions from you are welcome on this.

I like the southwestern pottery shapes, and that is what I did here.......I think I got the form pretty well, but just not sold yet on the walnut and catalpa combination...........too late to change it as the walnut is glued in place.

Let me know your overall impressions..........I am still learning for sure with hollow forms and finials............I think if I had been able to use different woods, then this would have been more striking a form, but the bland background color of the catalpa is what it is......... The form itself is 6 inches high by 7 inches wide, and the finial is 3 1/2 inches high.

Thanks for looking!
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[Dick Wilson]

Roger, Me thinks you are trying to pick fly crap out of pepper on this one. This is a beautiful piece. Outstanding positioning of the Catalpa to get the grain perfectly centered. I don't know what you used for the collar between the Catalpa and the finial (it may be Walnut?). Anyway, to my eye it seems distracting. I think if the collar and the finial were ebonized it would look better.
I think if the "onion" section of the finial were a tad smaller and went thinner towards the tip it would look more graceful. But, then again, I am not the finial MASTER. John would be able to address this a whole lot better than I. IMHO it is a dramatic piece. Don't fuss with it. It is done. On the next turning:D:D.

[Darren Jamieson]

Don't be so hard on yourself this peice looks great. The grain is fantastic and if the collar matched the finial(both black) the top would be perfect. Good job!!!

[Jim Burr]

I can't get over the grain orientation Roger...it just flows over the entire piece. Well done sir!

[John Keeton]

Roger, there certainly is a lot to like about this piece! I like the form, and the grain structure of the catalpa is striking. The proportions overall are good - the relationship of the form to the height of the finial. Everyone has different tastes on collars and finials, so you may be on the way to developing your own style. There are things I might do differently, but that doesn't mean there is a right/wrong. My fear on the walnut and catalpa is the color change over time. The walnut will lighten and take on an amber hue. I am not familiar with the aging of catalpa, but I suspect it will darken over time to more of a brown. The combination may not give the contrast you seek. Using over two wood species is difficult sometimes - the third color tends to compete. I might have been inclined to use the catalpa as a lid/base for the finial, and have the collar and finial of the same species/color. On the next one, you might want to consider a finial base that provides less mass and more lift. The smaller, thinner finials will come with time. I looked back at several of my first finials and really didn't recall them being that large!! But, they were.

Don't beat yourself up on this one. It is well done, and has nice flow to it. Good work!

[Roger Chandler]

Roger, there certainly is a lot to like about this piece! I like the form, and the grain structure of the catalpa is striking. The proportions overall are good - the relationship of the form to the height of the finial. Everyone has different tastes on collars and finials, so you may be on the way to developing your own style. There are things I might do differently, but that doesn't mean there is a right/wrong. My fear on the walnut and catalpa is the color change over time. The walnut will lighten and take on an amber hue. I am not familiar with the aging of catalpa, but I suspect it will darken over time to more of a brown. The combination may not give the contrast you seek. Using over two wood species is difficult sometimes - the third color tends to compete. I might have been inclined to use the catalpa as a lid/base for the finial, and have the collar and finial of the same species/color. On the next one, you might want to consider a finial base that provides less mass and more lift. The smaller, thinner finials will come with time. I looked back at several of my first finials and really didn't recall them being that large!! But, they were.

Don't beat yourself up on this one. It is well done, and has nice flow to it. Good work!


John,

Let me ask your opinion about making a new finial with a natural walnut finish to match the collar........do you think it will help, or should I take some of the other suggestions and try to go back and dye the collar black like the finial? I am concerned about "bleed" into the catalpa if I do that.

[Tim Thiebaut]

I think the form is very nice, and personaly I like the walnut collar. I dont think the finial matchs very well with the other 2 wood colors myself. I have had the same issue with one I did last week, I finaly decided that I am just going to have to wait until I can get to the store and get some cherry for the finial to match the body of the HF, the collar and lid are a different wood and I cant make them look right with what I have. I went through 4 finials before decideing to put it aside until I can get to the store and get the right wood for it, just my 2 cents. Anyway, as I said I really like the vessel and collar a lot, just dont care for the finial color.

[Tony De Masi]

Roger. I completely agree with you.:D But then again I like this piece alot. I believe the only way you could have gotten a wider contrast would be to so like Dick said and ebonize the collar and the finial. But please, give yourself a break.

[David E Keller]

I think you've done well. My only nitpick on the form would be the abrupt change in the curve near the collar. What John said about the finial. I love the grain in that catalpa, and if you're not crazy about the color, you can always dye a future form to see if you like it better.

[John Keeton]

John,

Let me ask your opinion about making a new finial with a natural walnut finish to match the collar........do you think it will help, or should I take some of the other suggestions and try to go back and dye the collar black like the finial? I am concerned about "bleed" into the catalpa if I do that.Roger, were it me, I would move on to another - improving every step of the way. Then, you can look back and really see progress!

[Ron Bontz]

I think if I could make pieces this nice I would be thrilled.

[Roger Chandler]

Roger, were it me, I would move on to another - improving every step of the way. Then, you can look back and really see progress!

Too late John! I have already taken your suggestion about a catalpa lid with lift, and a walnut finial............turned out nice! I am definitely more satisfied with the whole thing now.........gotta go do some important things, but will post the re-do later this evening...........it made the piece look really nice now!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Roger I have to agree with the others. I really like the form but will wait to see the pic's of the redo.

[Roger Chandler]

I think if I could make pieces this nice I would be thrilled.

Thank you very much, Ron, I appreciate what you said...........look at the new thread with the improved finial.........see what you think!