Faded Denim (HF)

[Steve Schlumpf]

Maple hollow form with curly maple finial, RIT Royal Blue dye, 9½” diameter x 7” to top of finial x 3/16” thick, sanded to 400 grit, several coats of gloss poly and one of Renaissance wax.

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Colleen thought this piece looked like faded denim. What do you think? Only have one more finished HF that is waiting for the finial to dry. I'll post that in a day or so and then give everyone a break! :D

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

Thanks for looking!

[Scott Hackler]

Geez Steve, you are a hollow form making machine! This one has a really cool look the color, although different, is very neat. I like it!

[Michael James]

Ok ditto on everything as usual, however blue is my favorite color! Excellent :D

[Jon Prouty]

I really like this finial - very simple yet elegant.

Jon

[Wally Dickerman]

Actually I think that these recent postings are all the same piece with different colored lights played on it while you take pics. Neat trick:).

Steve you're getting that form down pat. And it's a good one.

Have you considered enhancing some pieces with Pyrography or piercing or whatever? What's next?

[David Reed]

Once again, a flawless finish on a very elegant form. I like this color best of the forms recently posted. Guess it just looks comfortable to wear (??)

[Richard Kennedy UK]

Ok OK OK!!!! I just have go to chip in here Wow! these pieces are phenomenal Steve. each one is a beauty I love the colours can I ask what is RIT? and how are you turning them so thin? do you use a laser system? are they the same thickness all the way through? I am never a big fan of finials but I just love this one its sooooo fine in every sense of the word! I am wanting to get my hollow forms thin about 2-3 mm would be ideal but freehand its just not going to happen I don't think or maybe I just need to do a whole lot more work??? fabulous work!

[Mark Hubl]

Another winner! I really like the color on this one. I thought I liked the black one best, but now I just don't know. The finial on this one is very nice. You did have a flat top waiting in the wings! LOL.

[Dan Forman]

This one is approaching UFO profile. Aptly named, love the form and color.

Dan

[Jim Burr]

The form is, of course...excellent. I like the sharp radius at the corner. I'm working on the coloring. The finial is cool...simple but it really makes a statement!!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Thanks for the kind words everyone - very happy to hear you like this one!

Wally... different colored lights? That was a good one and had to share with my wife! Thanks! As far as embellishing - I should start giving that some thought!

Richard - RIT (http://www.ritdye.com/) dye is a clothing dye that I have easy access to. It is said to fade with time - so I have moved over to using some of the TransTint dyes which are supposed to be more light-fast. I use the Monster (http://monster-lathe-tools.com/cart.php?target=category&category_id=61) hollowing systems - both captured and articulated and I do use a laser! I try to get each piece uniform as far as thickness because that way, regardless of thickness, it feels balanced when you pick it up.

Mark - yup - just a slight variation to the finial but for those looking - it is there.

[Bill Bolen]

You sure are pumping them out Steve. Pretty piece and I like the color on this one too. You seem to have found a finial form that is fast becoming a SS style!! Lovely piece....Bill....

[Roger Chandler]

That is a particularly difficult form to get the sides all the way hollowed......takes an acute angle of attack from the boring bar, and then the cutter tool itself. I would guess this one took a little more time than the others as far as the hollowing goes. A very fine piece indeed.......you are very creative with dyes and forms for sure.

You probably have forgotten more about forms and finials than I have learned to date, so my critique is just my thinking......and my tastes......this finial is not my favorite that you have done. It is certainly thin and has elegance to it..........I would like to see more of a cove underneath the bulb, and a little narrower as well underneath the bulb......but I am totally embarrased to even mention it to a master turner such as yourself....:o:o:o ......again, my tastes.

[neil mackay]

I echo the comments of the others,especially the final.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Really like the duo colors. The browns and blues compliment each other well. Beautiful job as usual. I always look forward to seeing your latest work. Thanks Steve for posting and all you do here.

[David E Keller]

It's a lovely shape and your usual fantastic finish, but the color is what really catches my eye... Denim is a perfect description!

The finial tip reminds me a bit of a hypodermic needle, but I suppose that's an occupational bias on my part.

The way you've gotten heartwood and sapwood in the last few really adds to the piece for me.

I hope you'll post some shots of these beauties when they make it to the gallery.

[John Beaver]

Steve, I'm enjoying all you latest posts. You're doing some beautiful work.
I love the way the dye effects parts of the wood differently on this one. Great piece and great name.
Keep it up.

[Baxter Smith]

Another interesting variation Steve. The sapwood heartwood contrast and the way it is positioned is the distinguishing feature of this one for me!

[Doug W Swanson]

Steve,
You really have been cranking these things out. Must be nice to get some consistent shop time!:)

I really like the color on this one. I wasn't too fond of the green finial on your other form but this one looks great. The green form was very nice but just the color of the finial was just a little off.

Excellent work as usual!:D

[Kathy Marshall]

Beautiful, beautiful piece! I really like this one, the color is awesome (blue is my favorite) and yes denim is a perfect description!

[Roland Martin]

I don't have any type of hollowing system and have'nt hollowed much, other than small, easy things with hand tools. Not knowing how to use hollowing systems, I can't for the life of me imagine how difficult it is to hollow a form like this, WOW! Denim certainly fits this piece well. What can I say that hasn't been said already, excellent work. BTW, we don't need a break.

[Tim Thiebaut]

Another great piece from you Steve, very nice! When you apply the Ren wax do you buff it on, or apply it by hand rub?

[Steve Schlumpf]

Thanks everyone! I appreciate all the support!

Tim - I have found that it really doesn't make much difference with the Ren wax so have been taking the easy way out - which is using the buffer on the large items and hand rub on the finials. Just quicker that way but no real noticeable difference in surface once finished.

[Tim Thiebaut]

Thanks for that info Steve, the reason I asked about that was, I know that the Ren wax is highly recommended by yourself and others here over the carnuba wax that comes in the Beall kit, I just wanted to make sure the Ren wax would work on the buffer...my buffer is still new in the box and wanted to make sure what type of wax I should use on the 3rd buffer wheel before I use the wrong thing on it, I will be trying it out for the first time in the next day or two, thanks again.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Tim - the carnuba wax that comes with the buffing kit is a hard wax and you need the buffer and the heat it generates to apply it to the turning. The Ren wax is a soft - paste like wax and it is applied by hand and can be buffed off or rubbed off by hand as it does not need the heat to spread the wax. If you have the Ren - or Conservators Wax or whatever name the microcrystaline wax is called - give it a try first and see if you like it. I like it because it doesn't show fingerprints or water spots like the carnuba does. Makes a big difference when folks are touching/holding your work!

[John Keeton]

Steve, I really like this low and sleek form! The color is great, and the finial perfect. The form has a very low profile, and while I understand Roger's comment on the cove, in this case, I believe the finial picks up on the profile of the form very well and carries it upward. Very nice!

[steven carter]

Beautiful HF (as usual), I really like contrast between the sapwood and the heartwood.

[Hayes Rutherford]

Fine combination of artistry and craftsmanship!!

[Darren Jamieson]

Nothibing else can be said that hasn't already been said. I bow down to your master turning ability.:)

[David DeCristoforo]

Yup... looks just like my pants!

All the discussion about the finial is "moot" AFAIC because I like this best in the last pic without the finial/lid. This is just such a sweet form that, to me, the finial is a total distraction. I would just set it aside and let the form stand on it's own.

[Jim Adkins]

Steve...another fine form, well executed, finial might be a bit lite-hearted but......
having never turned a finial what do I know!! Really nice piece in all respects. Keep'em coming.

[Roger Chandler]

Steve, I really like this low and sleek form! The color is great, and the finial perfect. The form has a very low profile, and while I understand Roger's comment on the cove, in this case, I believe the finial picks up on the profile of the form very well and carries it upward. Very nice!

Steve and John,

While you two are some that I consider mentors of my advancement in turning, and I highly respect both of your works........I have a question for this particular finial of Steve's...............that would be what about the simplicity of just taking the finial upward without the "break" in it to make it one smooth, uniterrupted flowing curve all the way to the tip? That would not allow for a definition of the finial much from the form itself, but being a different color or perhaps of a different wood, do you think that would be an appropriate type of finial design?

This is a "conceptual" question, and not any reflection on your design Steve..........again, you likely have forgotten more about turning than I have learned to date, but I am contemplating appropriate design options, and not your form here, just using yours as a "conceptual palette" to ask the "what if's."

After giving that question a couple hours or so mulling it over in my head, I think that most likely the transition from form to finial should always have some definition.............that is probably what you both would say as well? :confused:;)