Round and red

[David E Keller]

I started this piece several months ago, and I've been battling it on and off ever since. It's about 10" in diameter... hard maple colored with RIT dye and finished with WOP. I had trouble getting the color to stay on the piece, and I must have put over a dozen coats of WOP on before I got a finish I was satisfied with. None of my existing hollowing gear would allow me to get to the shoulder with the smallish opening, so I had to bend some steel and make my own. I'm glad this piece is finished.:)

The bottom is just rounded with no flat or concavity... Any suggestions on how to sign something like this? I usually sign the foot, but this thing ain't got no feet.

Comments, criticism, and suggestions appreciated.

Sorry about the last photo... it's the only profile shot I took, so I included it even though it's blurry.
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[David DeCristoforo]

That's just an awesome looking piece! My favorite of all you have posted. I really like these "low profile" hollow forms and this is one of the best I've ever seen. If you want to sign it, why not on a sticker of some kind that you could attach to the inside right at the bottom? It would be a shame to disrupt that beautiful rounded surface with anything.

[Chris Burgess]

Awesome job. I have a ways to go to hit that mark. How do you color it w/ the RIT? Is that same RIT for dying clothes? Do you just soak it? I would like to try that w/ some of my Elm and Pecan.

[Kathy Marshall]

Wow! Beautiful David! Love the form, love the color and the finish is excellent!

[Fred Belknap]

David is right, sure would be a shame to mess up that nice bottom. I would probably display it upside down.

[Michael James]

Nice job on that one! I like the color - sort of an oxblood red, rather than arrest me red :rolleyes:
Those lo riders are taxing in the middle, and I have more than 1 attempt at that form. Excellent job - and I guess I'd go with the sticker on the inside, or tape a sharpie onto a popsicle stick to get to the bottom ........:eek:

[cal thelen]

beautiful form beautiful wood way beyond me how you can even hollow that with such a small opening.

[John Keeton]

Great piece, David! Excellent work on the hollowing and very nice form. Too late now, but I would have just signed the bottom prior to finishing - where the foot woulda been.

[Jim Burr]

Man I hate it when you're off work....makes me want to hide! That is a great shape and you know I'm fond of dyes...super bueno!!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Beautiful piece David. I really like the form and color. Nice job of hollowing.

[Rick Markham]

That's incredibly beautiful David! I have to agree with Double D, a sticker cleverly placed at the bottom inside of the form would be the perfect touch. (just like a finely crafted string instrument.) Really gorgeous David! Flawless finish too!

[Rick Markham]

I'll ask because I want to know... Does it have a smooth rocking action. One of the things that I am currently fascinated with is the resonance of the wood while hollowing, and of the forms we make. I know it sounds strange, but I would have liked to have heard what it sounded like on the last finishing cuts. (Somethings are best left in my brain.)

[Michelle Rich]

can you write on a self sticking tape & stick it on the inside bottom? I've resorted to that.

[David Warkentin]

Looks good, doctor!!

[Harvey Ghesser]

David,
That's just beautiful! My favorite profile! Beautiful coloring and great work!

[Keith E Byrd]

Awesome job on all three - shape, color, finish!

[Jim Adkins]

David....looks very nice with that rounded bottom. dittos on the signature on the interior.

[John Hart]

Wow! I am so impressed. The form, color, and execution is just dazzling. At a 5" reach through that little hole.....I can attest to the challenge as well. You certainly outdid my attempts.

Oh...and on the signature....maybe just spray paint your name all over the top of it? And a smiley face too! :)

Ok.....shuttin' up :o

[Tim Rinehart]

What's wrong with adding your signature, albeit perhaps small, at the bottom of the piece using a sharpie? I personally think it's important to be able to pick a piece up, look at bottom and see signature of whoever did it. Wouldn't even have to apply anything over it. It's a wonderful piece, and a truly challenging shape. I talked about these shapes during a hollowing demo I did Tues night, and I basically said to stick with the 'gentle' shoulder shapes for your beginning work. I've been in same boat of hollowing something and realized I didn't have the tool to get inside the shoulder or outer edge. Fortunately (perhaps, unfortunately) I have a Woodcraft only 15 minutes away. I like the dyeing and depth you got with the finish...great job!

[Paul Williams]

I vote for signing on the inside. I build several types of folk music instruments and always sign the inside bottom in line with the sound hole. Usually as small a signature and date as I can make it. Often people are pleasently surprised when they "discover" the signature. You might try a clear label with a matte finish for the sticker if you don't want to try to sign through the hole.

[Ed Morgano]

David,
Beautiful job. I haven't gotten into doing hollowing through a small hole yet. That's for the future....maybe. But, I really appreciate the difficulity of this piece. Great job. One thing that is bothering me though is the fact that is doesn't have a flat or base of some sort. Does it sit straight on a flat surface or does it lean. It would just drive me crazy if it leaned..... just the way my mind works I guess.

[bob svoboda]

Absolutely beautiful, David. Another vote for an inside signature. If it 'has to be' outside, you may consider something like a Dremel engraver ala Cindy Drozda.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Sweet looking HF, Doc. I took a weekend course with Ellsworth and next to the lathe I used was a box of odd hollowing tools. Most were made from screwdrivers or long allen wrenches. There were probably 40 tools and I assume he had hundreds more spread around the shop. Most had short handles, like a screwdriver. They were the unique "problem solvers" he made up through the years for hard to reach spots. I used one that was basically a 90 degree bend. It wasn't easy to use but fit perfectly into a place no other tool would reach. That experience opened my eyes as to how simple and useful home made tools can be. I've now made a dozen or so for reaching under the shoulder of a HF with a small opening. Great fun!! My efforts don't produce your quality results yet but great works like this HF you made keep me trying.
faust

[David E Keller]

Awesome job. I have a ways to go to hit that mark. How do you color it w/ the RIT? Is that same RIT for dying clothes? Do you just soak it? I would like to try that w/ some of my Elm and Pecan.

I'm no expert on coloring pieces, but I did this with the liquid RIT dyes that come in a bottle. I applied them straight out of the bottle using cheap foam brushes. This piece has yellow, red, and a little black, but it was far from being an organized, graceful process... I struggled to get something I liked.


Nice job on that one! I like the color - sort of an oxblood red, rather than arrest me red :rolleyes:
Those lo riders are taxing in the middle, and I have more than 1 attempt at that form. Excellent job - and I guess I'd go with the sticker on the inside, or tape a sharpie onto a popsicle stick to get to the bottom ........:eek:

If I were to name my stuff on a regular basis, I think oxblood might be a good choice... I would probably like 'arrest me' red even better.


I'll ask because I want to know... Does it have a smooth rocking action. One of the things that I am currently fascinated with is the resonance of the wood while hollowing, and of the forms we make. I know it sounds strange, but I would have liked to have heard what it sounded like on the last finishing cuts. (Somethings are best left in my brain.)

Yep, she'll rock and roll a bit. The finishing cuts on the shoulder area sounded a bit like a wild animal in heat:eek:(just something to put in your brain:D).


David,
Beautiful job. I haven't gotten into doing hollowing through a small hole yet. That's for the future....maybe. But, I really appreciate the difficulity of this piece. Great job. One thing that is bothering me though is the fact that is doesn't have a flat or base of some sort. Does it sit straight on a flat surface or does it lean. It would just drive me crazy if it leaned..... just the way my mind works I guess.

I left a fair bit of thickness in the bottom to make it stable... It sits quite straight. I am prepared to tilt my head slightly to one side if needed for viewing, but so far it's been unnecessary.;)


Absolutely beautiful, David. Another vote for an inside signature. If it 'has to be' outside, you may consider something like a Dremel engraver ala Cindy Drozda.

I'm afraid an engraving tool would only worsen my otherwise pitiful handwriting. I think I like the idea of signing the interior, so I may give that a shot.

Thanks to all for the comments and suggestions!

[Roger Chandler]

I'm afraid an engraving tool would only worsen my otherwise pitiful handwriting. I think I like the idea of signing the interior, so I may give that a shot.

David,

If you are like most doctors, then you could use the same penmanship you use when you write out prescriptions..........that way no one would know it was yours! :rolleyes::D:p Only a pharmacist could tell who turned it! :D:D:D

[David E Keller]

David,

If you are like most doctors, then you could use the same penmanship you use when you write out prescriptions..........that way no one would know it was yours! :rolleyes::D:p Only a pharmacist could tell who turned it! :D:D:D

The pharmacists call sometimes 'cause they can't read it either... It's pretty bad sometimes.

[Aaron Wingert]

That's a real winner David. Love the red dye job and the depth of color it gives the piece. They just get better and better from you!

[David DeCristoforo]

"...use the same penmanship you use when you write out prescriptions..."

People seem to expect bad "penmanship" from artists and doctors. The seem to feel that a illegible signature conveys a kind of "can't be bothered with the small stuff" attitude that they equate with creativity. Or with good doctors. I mean, who want a doctor who has the time to sit around practicing their penmanship and training themselves to write legibly? We want to feel like our doctor is so much in demand, due to his godlike ability to cure and save lives, that he barely has time to eat and sleep much less work on his handwriting.

[John Hart]

That's just what they want you to think.

It's a conspiracy

[Matt Hutchinson]

Great work David! The extra effort was well worth it!

As for the signature, you may consider just putting your initials somewhere.

Hutch

[Curt Fuller]

"This piece has yellow, red, and a little black, but it was far from being an organized, graceful process... I struggled to get something I liked."

Wow Keller, that is really pretty. And you know me, I'm not much of a fan of fooling with the natural colors mother nature bestows on the wood. But you guys that are coloring wood are getting more and more creative to the point that the colors almost look natural. I also like the short wide form with the small opening. I've tried a few myself and I know how challenging the hollowing process can be. That "wild animal in heat" works almost as well as calipers for gauging how thin the wood is.
As for signing it, I also like DD's suggestion of a signature sticker on the inside, something like a guitar is signed.

That's a real beauty Keller!

[Russell Eaton]

David, I think everybody has had a piece that requires a little time off. Thanks for returning to this one it is a beauty. I am also more fond of the natural colors, but I must give you and DD your props. Both of you make me want to try some dyeing at some point. Another AWESOME turned piece.

[Mark Hazelden]

I really like this piece. It is beautifully done. I can truly appreciate the skill it took to pull it off.

I don't think I could bring my self to sign the bottom either. I like the idea of a sticker. Also maybe a brand of some sort burned on the inside bottom to "sign" it?

[John Hart]

One of these days, I'm going to have one of those little branding irons made. Or make one m'self, Mark. I really like that idea.

[Dane Fuller]

David,
I won't pretend to know a thing about form or finish. I do know what looks good to me, and this is beautiful.

[David E Keller]

...due to his godlike ability to cure and save lives...

Uh... I'm an orthopedic surgeon so I don't do either of those things... I just hammer and saw stuff.

Q. What's the difference between an orthopedic surgeon and a carpenter?
A. A carpenter knows the name of more than two prescription medications.

[Dane Fuller]

...due to his godlike ability to cure and save lives...

Uh... I'm an orthopedic surgeon so I don't do either of those things... I just hammer and saw stuff.

Q. What's the difference between an orthopedic surgeon and a carpenter?
A. A carpenter knows the name of more than two prescription medications.

Haha.
Ibuprofen & hydrocodone?

[Mark Hubl]

Sweet form and finish. As per usual.

[David E Keller]

You folks are too kind! Thanks for the comments.

[Rob Cunningham]

A really beautiful piece David. Nice form and finish. Great job hollowing it out.

[Donny Lawson]

David, that is a really interesting piece. Love the color and design. Great job.

[charlie knighton]

very nice, David, plenty of width

[David Reed]

This is a gorgeous piece David and you won the finishing struggle. Unfortunately for me, I have a piece of box elder I roughed out with a very similar shape. No way I can achieve this level of perfection so better keep it to myself or change it up.
I would also vote for the interior signature.
Lovely