Walnut HF with Collar and Finial

[Nate Davey]

This is what starting a project with no plan looks like. My original intent was a HF (walnut) with finial, then I decided I wanted to do a collar (Ambrosia Maple), which then require me to fill the bevel cut I had made for the finial, hence the turquoise colored stuff. The finial, which is Holly (Alan T. I haven't forgotten I need to send you a couple pieces) and Sharpie is my first so needs a lot of improvement. It is unfinished but I'm pretty proud of and wanted to show it off. :D The form is 2" tall and 3" in diameter, total hight with finial 4 3/4". The wall thickness is a uniform 1/8". I am very happy, thus far, with my homemade hollowers. Comments and criticism would be greatly appreciated.
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[Roger Chandler]

Nate,

A lot going on with this one............conceptually a nice work........especially the turquoise ring. I see your finial has some Drozda connections...........maybe just a little tall for this, but you are certainly on your way. For the form, on the ambrosia collar if somehow the curve up to the finial base could have been started there, then you would have had a more continuous curve and a more flowing piece.

Super work for your first HF with finial, and I would say you are certainly gaining on it!

[Richard Madden]

I think it's great. Keep em comin!!

[Robert Culver]

Now thats slick I love it I may have made the final just a touch shorter but what do I know....

[David E Keller]

Pretty cool, Nate. I like the little turquoise band, and the wood combination really works for me. Couple of tiny nits... It looks like the curve on the form flattens out a little bit near the collar, and the base of the finial might be better if the curve continued from the form up to the finial. I think this is a great looking piece, and I'm really excited to see what you come up with next.

[Ron Bontz]

I too like the tall finial. I think it looks great with the HF and balanced to my eye.. Nice work.

[John Hart]

Very nice, Nate. I usually don't like turquoise filler, but with this piece I think it works for me. Maybe because it is so uniform...I dunno....i just like it. At first, I was thinking the finial might be a bit tall, but then, I like tall finials, so maybe it just needs more "sweep" or something. Just nit-pickin'....It's a cool piece!!...and I love the collar. Yer rockin' man. :)

[Roland Martin]

Very well done Nate. A very nice piece of walnut and the form is great. The turquoise does work nicely with this.

[John Keeton]

Nate, I am not a turquoise fan, either, but it does work on this piece with the excellent wood combo. If there were much more of it, I think it would be too much. Kind of that thing I have about no more than three competing species/colors. With the walnut, ambrosia and black, the turquoise needs to take a back seat - and, it does in this piece.

I agree that a little upward slope on the top of the form would have helped, and then one could eliminate the bell shaped base, dropped the cove element down to the form (a little wider base to fit) and I think your transition would have been excellent and the finial might look a little more proportionate. Good work on the finial, BTW!

[Alan Trout]

Nate,

First of all take your time for sending me wood. I just appreciate that you remember me:) I will pretty much echo Johns comments. But overall a very good effort. Well done.

Alan

[bob svoboda]

Nate. I am no expert by any means, but would agree with some of the others that the finial is a little overpowering. The curve appears to flatten out near the collar, but some of that may be camera angle. I DO like the turquoise and the wood combo--The more I look at the piece, the more I like it. Nicely done.

[Jim Burr]

I love inlays just because of the effort involved...they are not easy. Very nice wood combo. Finials are finials...some will like it and some won't, and this one had a lot of effort put into it and has some real nice elements in it...I guess 1" shorter wouldn't hurt? Keep it up!!

[charlie knighton]

very nice, i looked at the pictures before reading, and from the pictures i did not realize the size, again very nice

[Nate Davey]

Thank you all for your kind comments and good design advice. Yes the collar is flat, but that's from lack of a plan. The inlay color also, is due to changing canoes in the middle of the stream. Charlie, I think I will start adding something in the pic for size reference.

[Eric Gourieux]

You recovered nicely for an unplanned piece. I like the turquoise inlay.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Nate - nice work! You have been given some very sound design advice and I look forward to seeing your next hollow form!

Personally - I don't think you need anything in your photos for a size comparison. Good form is good form no matter how big or small the object. Sometimes it makes the piece even more special when you find out your guess as to size was way off!

Hey - just have fun with it!

[Baxter Smith]

Nice job. I like the color combo and turqoise inlay!

[Michael James]

NIce piece - I want to see the buffed up version. Over all a really good start for just "going for it:

[Michelle Rich]

I can see why you are proud. You have every reason to be.

[Curt Fuller]

Some like the turquoise, some don't. But I think it's what makes this piece. It's funny how these ideas bloom and come to fruition through the process. I think this is a beautiful piece.