Dyed White Birch Hollow Form

[Steve Schlumpf]

This White Birch hollow form is 7.5” in diameter and measures 6.5” to top of the bulletproof glass (acrylic) finial. The form has multiple knots, worm holes and lots of curl. It was dyed with red Transtint, sanded back, given a wash of diluted blue RIT, sanded and then a final coat of red Transtint. The result is that, depending on viewing angle, the piece has a blue, purple, red or pink tint to it! It also helped to make all the curl really pop!

The piece was sanded to 1200 grit and given several coats of gloss wipe-on poly. After drying for a week, it was buffed and given a coat of Renaissance wax.

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This is one of three pieces I intend to enter into a juried art show next month. If you can think of a good artful name for the piece – I would appreciate it!

All comments, opinions and critiques are welcomed!

Thanks for looking!

[Dan Cannon]

Steve, your threads are usually a few pages worth of replies long before I even see them, as I'm sure this one will be soon!! That is really beautiful, and I'm sure the colors are amazing in person. I really like the acrylic finials you've done. I've only worked with acrylic for simple shapes, like pens, and know that it can be challenging, so I am blown away by the results you get on an ornate shape with it. The colors you describe remind me of a Michigan sunset...maybe work that into the name? either way, thanks for sharing...
Dan

[Edward Bartimmo]

Steve,

A couple of quick questions regarding your technique for coloring the figuring.

1. Median for carrying the dye - Are you diluting the dyes in water or alcohol? Any particular reason for this choice?
My experience has been that with water it gives more time to evenly spread the dye and for the wood to absorb deeper, whereas with alcohol it evaporates off to fast only leaving dye on immediate surface.

2. Sanding back the dye - How much sanding are you doing and with what grit?

Thanks

[Steve Schlumpf]

Ed - I use denatured alcohol (DNA) because it dries quickly. I don't have a problem with the DNA evaporating too quickly while applying it because I use one of those 1" foam brushes and really saturate the wood with the dye. The key for me in controlling the end color is to keep the DNA/dye solution such that the dye is fairly light or diluted. That way I can apply multiple coats and gradually build up to the color envisioned.

On this piece, I used 800 grit sandpaper to knock back the color in those areas that I wanted the curl to really pop. I find it is the color on either side of the curl that makes that feature really standout and when dye is left in the actual curl - it kills the light refraction properties you normally expect to see.

Also, just one of those things you pick up when you play with dye, the finer you sand the piece before applying dye, the less the wood will absorb that dye. I sanded this one to 1200 grit and was able to clean up the curl areas using 800 grit. On some forms I only sanded to 320 grit and it sucked in the dye like a sponge! So, if you really want the wood to be a solid color - just keep in mind how the different grits will affect absorption.

[Prashun Patel]

Always impressive.

Eyes of the Hurricane

[Edward Bartimmo]

Steve,

Thanks for the insight.

[John Keeton]

Yep, she turned out very nice!! Having seen this one "partially done" - and, it looked good then, too! - the finish really made this one come alive. Nicely done on the finial, as well.

[Pete Jordan]

Very special Buddy!

Is that finial one piece or 2?

[Steve Schlumpf]

Pete - I turned the lid portion first, then the finial. Getting good enough at these (meaning I am lucky) that they can press fit together - no need for glue!

[Tim Rinehart]

That's a cool piece. I imagine it has some 'flip-flop' properties? With the acrylic finial, I'm sure up close is even more striking. Best of luck with the show.

[David Reed]

Steve, you have perfected this form and the dye combinations you come up with continue to amaze me. Lovely wood and lovely form; too bad the color variants you describe are poorly reproduced in the images.
Can you describe your technique for turning and polishing the acrylic?

[Dennis Ford]

Beautiful work, it is amazing what you did with this form. The finial looks great, I know that acrylic would magnify any defects (if there were any).

[Steve Schlumpf]

David - turning the acrylic is like anything else... sharp tools and light cuts. I do find that 1000 rpm is about the fastest that I like for turning acrylic. Anything faster and the stuff wants to melt to your gouge. Also - when turning acrylic - know that it has the same properties as Styrofoam and will cling to everything because of the static!

One thing I did notice about turning acrylic is that your tool control really gets amplified in the results. You can sand the stuff but the residue clings to everything... As far as finishing the acrylic - depending on size - I buff it with white compound and around 1200 rpm or slightly higher to generate some heat. That usually cleans everything up and gives it that glass-like surface. On this particular finial - seeing as how it was too thin to buff - I used some old Turtle Wax polishing compound and applied at around 1800 rpm. Worked like a charm!!

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

Looks like a great piece for a juried show. Thanks for the insight on turning the acrylic, looks like something I'd like to try some time. Good luck with the up coming show I hope your pieces get in.

[charlie knighton]

very nice, great lift, interesting wood, good luck in the contest

how about Nimbo for a name , it seems to have somewhat cloud like properties

[Jon Nuckles]

Beautiful piece, Steve. The hurricane and cloud references are good, but to me it looks like spiraling galaxies or maybe nebulae. Thanks for the info on the dye process. My first attempt was a bust and this should help with try #2. Good luck with the show.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Beautiful HF, finial and color. Really well done Steve.

[Dwight McNutt]

Steve, thanks for all the information on how this was created. A beginner like me needs all the help they can get>

[Michelle Rich]

very nice, steve. thanks for the mini tutorial on dye. On my monitor it looks coppery... Good luck at the art show!

[James Combs]

A nice one Steve. The finial is not to my taste, it's almost invisible at least in the photos, otherwise the wood, form, color are great. How about "Invisible Finial" for a title.

[Jim Burr]

1st place!!! I'm not on the jury...but that's you'd get if I was!! My lack of artistic talent extends to names too...I like Rootbeer Float:o...told ya!

[steven carter]

Really well done! The curl pops, and the finial is exquisite.

[Bill Walsh]

Steve, Very nice form. Thanks for the totorial on the dry. Your post inspired me to give it a try. Have a 6 or 7" cherry hollow form thats on the lathe right now! When I'm finished I'll post photos.

[Tony De Masi]

Very nice indeed Steve, as usual I might add. I'm finding it tough to come up with a name for this one though.

good luck at the show.

[Rob Cunningham]

Very nice piece Steve. The dye really brings out everything going on in the wood. Excellent form as usual.
Good luck in the show.

[Bill Bolen]

Gorgeous piece Steve. Love the crystal like finial. I'd wish you luck with the show but with your skills luck is not a requirement!

[Scott Hackler]

Nice work Steve. Is that finial out of that stuff from Bill? I have never messed with acrylic but I wonder if your could turn something out of it and while its still turning on the lathe, heat it up with a propane torch to melt the tool marks into each other? Just thinking out loud. Anyway, the HF is really nice looking and with the crystal clear finial, the first title that comes to mind is "Burning Ice".

[Steve Schlumpf]

Thanks for all the kind words everyone - sure do appreciate it!

Scott - the acrylic is from some that Nate Hawkes sent me a few years back. Fairly thick stuff and I bandsaw it into small blanks - like a pen blank - when I go to turn a finial. Your idea of using a blowtorch might work but it isn't really necessary. Sand the acrylic down in stages to 400 grit or so and when you buff it with the white compound - there is enough heat and grit to polish it to a glass-like state. When you buff it out... that's when you find out just how good you were at sanding! Any little scratch shows up like neon!

Give it a try sometime. It's messy but the results are cool and it offers something unexpected to the viewer!

[George Morris]

Steve beautiful work! Great form,very nice color with the dye. I like the finial! G

[Baxter Smith]

Really like the shape and the finial Steve. Would be nice to see this one in person. The variety of colors just don't come through on my monitor. Thanks for the info on the dye. Good luck in the show!