Sissoo HF - start to finish

[Kathy Marshall]

Yesterday after work I grabbed a log of dalbergia sisso (indian rosewood) to turn a HF. I really like turning this wood, it's got great color, turns very nice and is pretty stable.

Put it between centers and started roughing to a cylinder. This chunk is about 9" x 7" + or -.
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All roughed and ready to attach to a faceplate.
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The center is drilled and the neck and shoulder are at final dimensions. I will turn down the sides in stages after the neck and shoulder are hollowed to final thickness. That leaves me the most support during the hollowing process.
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Hollowing is complete and the piece is sanded to 800 and ready to be parted of so the bottom can be finished. (the crack was filled with CA).
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Mounted with a jam chuck to clean up the bottom and has a coat of BLO. I will be left with a little nub that I will clean up with a chisel. The jam chuck has a tenon to fit the diameter of the HF opening, it is not a tight fit so there isn't to much pressure on the sides of the neck, it mostly just keeps the piece centered. There is just enough pressure from the tailstock to keep the piece turning.
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The finished piece is 4 1/4" tall x 5" wide with just the 1 coat of BLO, I will finish it up with several coats of WOP.
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Thanks for looking!
As always, critiques and comments are welcome!

[Dan Forman]

I really like the form. I probably would have turned away a little more of the sapwood so that the darker heartwood had a clear dominance in surface area, and the sap more of an accent, but then it wasn't my log. :D Of course that would have made the piece a little narrower, but to me that would be a fair tradeoff for the richer color and more of that great figure.

Was that log green? Where do you find logs of rosewood?

Dan

[Ken Hill]

I like the contrast of the sap wood and the shape works for me!

[John Hart]

Beautiful Piece, Kathy!! Geez...your steps are just like mine. I feel better now.:)

[Donny Lawson]

Great looking HF. I've only made one and it wasn't made from a log like that but I have some pieces that would look good like that one. Great shape and thanks for the pics. It gives me lots of ideas.

[mickey cassiba]

Kathy, that wood is beautiful, and the form is quite nice as well. I always enjoy seeing your work.

[Hayes Rutherford]

Thanks for sharing. Very nice!!

[Tony De Masi]

Beautiful piece Kathy and thanks for the pictoral. I too like the contrast of the sap/heart wood.

[Michelle Rich]

Thanks for the step by step process...very nice vessel, and yes where does one get an indian rosewood log?

[John Keeton]

Kathy - great form!! The first time I heard the name Sissoo, it was related to dominos for my Festool Domino. Apparently, the "exterior grade" dominos are of sissoo because of the heartwood's stability in an outdoor environment, and it is resistant to pests.

[Tim Rinehart]

Very nice Kathy, and thanks for sharing the process. I like this wood, hadn't heard of it before. Nice contrast with the sapwood.

[David E Keller]

Beautiful wood and a lovely form. Like Hart, I feel vindicated in my methods as I do things exactly the same way.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Beautiful HF Kathy. I do like the wood and the pleasant form.

[Jay MacDougall]

Kathy - great form!! The first time I heard the name Sissoo, it was related to dominos for my Festool Domino. Apparently, the "exterior grade" dominos are of sissoo because of the heartwood's stability in an outdoor environment, and it is resistant to pests.

You're thinking of sipo John.

Nice form and pretty piece of wood Kathy.

[Roland Martin]

Very nice form and contrast Kathy. Thanks for the step by step process.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Wow - what an exceptional piece! Love the form and the contrasting colors are great! Seriously - very very nice work on this one! Thanks for sharing!

[Kathy Marshall]

Thanks for the nice comments everyone!

I really like the form. I probably would have turned away a little more of the sapwood so that the darker heartwood had a clear dominance in surface area, and the sap more of an accent, but then it wasn't my log. :D Of course that would have made the piece a little narrower, but to me that would be a fair tradeoff for the richer color and more of that great figure.

Was that log green? Where do you find logs of rosewood?

Dan
Thanks Dan! I thought about going narrower to get more heartwood but I really liked how the shape was coming (lots of contrast w/sapwood/heartwood seems to be becoming a signature with me)
About 15years ago sissoo became very popular as a landscape tree in Phx and now they are all over the place. Now it seems they can be invasive, shallow roots breaking sidewalks/foundations, suckers sprouting up, etc so homeowners are starting to have them taken out so hopefully I'll start seeing alot more of it.


Beautiful Piece, Kathy!! Geez...your steps are just like mine. I feel better now.:)

Thanks John! Good to know we're not alone in our process.


Thanks for the step by step process...very nice vessel, and yes where does one get an indian rosewood log?
Thanks Michelle! See the answer above.

[Dan Forman]

Well, I wanted to get me some of that Sissoo, but now John says it's resistant to pests, so that might not bode well for me. :D

Availability of such wood locally would almost be worth putting up with the heat there. :)

Dan

[Harry Robinette]

Kathy
Nice wood and shape,keep it up.

[Baxter Smith]

Very nice shape and color. Thanks for letting us see where it came from!

[Mark Hubl]

Nice form and wood. I always enjoy a how to, thanks for taking the time.

[Michelle Rich]

thanks K..I guess living in the desert has advantages...lucky you

[Cathy Schaewe]

Really pretty piece - I love the form, and the wood too!

[Scott Hackler]

Very Very nice.

[John Hart]

....About 15years ago sissoo became very popular as a landscape tree in Phx and now they are all over the place. Now it seems they can be invasive, shallow roots breaking sidewalks/foundations, suckers sprouting up, etc so homeowners are starting to have them taken out so hopefully I'll start seeing alot more of it.

I've done some checking on this tree...and yeah...it looks like it's got a lot of folks upset in Arizona and Florida regarding it's invasive nature. It grows like a weed and spreads like wildfire. (Sounds like my kind of tree);)

I'm wondering if I should take the chance and plant a bunch of them back in the back acres. The chart says they probably won't do well with our winters...but they seem to handle a little cold (listed as 10 degrees F).

It would be fun to have a grove of gorgeous wood that repopulates itself. :)

[David E Keller]

Don't your folks live in Texas, John? Perhaps their home is in need of some trees?

[John Hart]

Don't your folks live in Texas, John? Perhaps their home is in need of some trees?
Yep...San Antonio. The land of the perpetual drought. They pray for hurricanes in the off chance that if Galveston or Corpus Christie get annihilated, San Antonio might get some over-spray mist. :)

But then..if they grow in Phoenix....it is a possibility.

[Sid Matheny]

That is a beauty and i love the contrast. Nothing to not like about that one!

Sid

[Mike Cruz]

I, too, love the contrast. And thanks a million for the step by step pics of this beautiful HF.