Sissoo and Walnut HF

[Scott Hackler]

Here is the latest (and last piece) of the Sissoo (Indian Rosewood) that I was gifted by Kathy Marshall. This one had a bit of an inclusion in it and after it dried there is a slight depression in that location. Just added character to some already great wood. Walnut finial.

4" wide X 7 1/2" tall. Finished with BLO and 3 coats of rattle can lacquer, beal buffed and waxed.

Comments and constructive critiques are always requested. Thanks.

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[John Keeton]

Scott, you are doing some beautiful work on these forms! As I have stated, I do like your signature finial. For me, it could be a bit shorter on this size form, and I wonder what it would look like if it were inset in the form such that the cap/lid was flush with the top of the form.

Still, wonderful work!! And, a drop dead gorgeous piece of wood.

[Marty Eargle]

That's it...I'm going to mount up my chunk of Sisso right now. I can't stand seeing these great looking pieces any more.

I think your choice using Walnut for the finial instead of a black wood was a really good choice to match this grain.

[Donny Lawson]

That is a Awesome looking piece.

[David E Keller]

That is a stunning piece of wood, Scott! I like the walnut too, but I think I might have liked blackwood even better... You're not out of blackwood, are you?:eek:

Your finial works well with the piece of wood... It adds a feminine grace, but it lets that gorgeous sissoo shine! Well done, sir!

[Sid Matheny]

Super great piece of wood and hollow form!!! Not sure about the finial being that tall.

Sid

[Greg Bender]

Scott,
that is some gorgeous wood but at the same time you did it major justice. How much of that 7.5" is finial? I'm trying to improve my ability to do finials but I have to say you and JK have got it down.
Greg

[Roland Martin]

Another beautiful form, Scott! That Sisso is really nice wood and you did it good.

[Scott Hackler]

HA! No, I am not out of blackwood (not even close) but I wanted to mix it up a bit with this one and thought the walnut would be a different look.

John, I tried one HF with the HF still chucked up and inserting the finial material (blackwood) into the opening to attempt to turn it flush with the form and get the transition perfect.....BUT... I don't have any pin jaws yet and after cutting the initial transition I could re-chuck it in the (yet to be acquired pin jaws) and turn it the way I'm used to. Santa isn't bringing me a new set of pin jaws (or the extra chuck they have to have for a permanent mounting) so it will be next year on that and the CBN wheel I want.....need! Until then, I be saddle-ling the finials in top of the forms.

[Bill Bolen]

Soooo, when are you headed out to Arizona to pick up a big load of this from Kathy? A fine form on a beautiful piece of wood. The grain sure makes me think of pictures of Jupiter's gas clouds. What flow. I've gotta admit that it took a few of these to get my mind liking your finial but now am delighted with them. The simple flowing curve up to the angled tip has worked well for you. Another 10 in my book.. Just curious but are you free handing these or putting your Carter tool to use?

[Scott Hackler]

Scott,
that is some gorgeous wood but at the same time you did it major justice. How much of that 7.5" is finial? I'm trying to improve my ability to do finials but I have to say you and JK have got it down.
Greg

The form is about 3 3/4" tall and so is the finial. To follow the "rules" my 4" wide form, should have a 4" tall finial. But the piece of wood I had (walnut) wasn't quite that long. I have been doing width plus 1/4" (just to buck the system!) but this one is shorter by 1/2" than what I wanted. With this finial design of mine, the sleek slender look gives the illusion of a much taller piece, I believe.

[Scott Hackler]

Soooo, when are you headed out to Arizona to pick up a big load of this from Kathy? A fine form on a beautiful piece of wood. The grain sure makes me think of pictures of Jupiter's gas clouds. What flow. I've gotta admit that it took a few of these to get my mind liking your finial but now am delighted with them. The simple flowing curve up to the angled tip has worked well for you. Another 10 in my book.. Just curious but are you free handing these or putting your Carter tool to use?

My folks go out to Arizona right after Christmas, each year, for a little winter RV-ing away from the Kansas cold and I already looked up the distance between Kathy and their destination. Well its over 2 hours away and there is no way I could talk me tightwad Dad into driving that far before he returns home in March. Let alone to weigh down the RV with a cord of Osage Orange and other KS varieties! I might just drive out there someday.

I wish I could have used my Carter Hollow Roller, but some moron has gotten fascinated with smaller HFs and smaller openings, so all the latest ones have been hollowed by hand. Good news is that I am getting more and more comfortable with hand hollowing and getting the "feel" for what the tool is doing. I have a vase drying that I used the Hollow Roller on and the hand hollowing really helped to understand what I was getting inside...by feel. Of course the laser sure helps with the thickness!

[David DeCristoforo]

I think you are really on to something with these forms and the finial design could easily become your "signature". In the spirit of Dick's recent post, I would like to offer this: It is so similar to the "Snow Covered" piece you posted recently and yet, to me, that one blows this away. And only because of the most subtile differences. The way the lid hugs the form for one. But mostly it's in the finial itself. This one lacks the slight inward curve from the top of the "onion" to the flair of the tip. Also, the transition from the finial base (lid?) into the "onion" is much more abrupt. These are slight criticisms to be sure but, for me they make the difference between hitting the target and hitting the bull's eye. Even so, this is a fine piece of work and, had I not just looked at the other one, I might simply jump up and down and yell "Bravo"!

[Baxter Smith]

Very nice shape and the wood is beautiful Scott. The height of the finial competes a little bit with the form for my attention.

[Dick Wilson]

Scott, I see major flaws with this piece. This has to be a reject soooooooooooo my address is............. :D. It is very hard to critique this piece simply because that outrageous grain pattern keeps pulling my eyes away from everything else. The wood itself blows me away.....I have never seen anything like it. It almost looks like marble. The ONLY AND I MEAN ONLY thing I can think of is that it kind of flattens out heading towards the top. And that is such a nit pick it is hardly wort mentioning. You definately do class work my friend.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Scott that is a beautiful piece. The only thing I can see and it is just me is I think the finial is a little tall.

[Kathy Marshall]

Now that is just plain beautiful! The color and grain in that piece is just Wow! and I think the walnut finial works great with it and complements the wood without drawing attention away from it.
I have the stump section of that tree and it looks to have the same grain/color pattern but on a bigger scale. I've been trying to think what I'm going to turn from it, and now I think part of it might end up as a large hollow form! I'll have to take a pic of the end of the log this weekend.

[Alan Trout]

Scott,

I really like the form and the finial is also nice. I would have probably liked it better in Blackwood but that is just me.

Alan

[Dan Forman]

The wood is spectacular, I agree with the "Jupiter" comparison. I can't claim to know enough about the finial height relationship to give a meaningful comment on that, but the form is very nice.

Dan

[Scott Hackler]

Thanks for the additional comments and critiques. Mental notes taken!

[Prashun Patel]

That's beautiful. Nothing more to add, but am a fan.

[Wally Dickerman]

Okay, I'm going to have to sneak up to Kathy's place and steal some of that gorgeous wood.

As others have said, your finial style is becoming your signature on these pieces. Too tall? Because it's so thin and graceful, I don't think so. I'll make a small critique. I'd like to see how a reverse curve on the lid would look. Sort of an ogee effect. Along with that you'd need to have it a bit thinner at the edges. As David D said, the small things can make a good piece into a great piece.

[Jim Burr]

That wood looks like liquid chocolate which I will be happy to take a bite from! I'd go along with the "finial; to tall" crowd, but because it's so thin, it really doesn't look out of place at all! I agree with Alan that one in black could be fun to see.

[Dennis Ford]

I usually don't chime in after so many others but this piece looks so good that I could not resist posting something. Excellent work, the finial is not too tall in my opinion and the wood is great.

[Scott Hackler]

Thanks for the additional words and critiques. Points well taken thanks!

[Don Alexander]

i love the hollow form and that wood is seriously gorgeous ........... i also like your finial but put them together and my eye gets pulled up from the form and it seems that the focal point is the bulb of the finial
not sure if shortening the finial would sufficiently lower the focal point or not would probably have to see it to tell

at any rate its pretty much nitpicking


only my opinion for what its worth :)

[Kathy Marshall]

Okay, I'm going to have to sneak up to Kathy's place and steal some of that gorgeous wood.
Wally, if you're ever up in Phoenix and you feel like a drive out to the boonies, I'll load you up!

I'm planning on attending the AAW symposium in San Jose next year, and I'll be driving, so hopefully I'll be able to get a few more loads of Sissoo before then. I plan on loading up the truck with wood (mesquite, acacia, sissoo and whatever else I can accumulate), so save some room in your suitcases!

[Ronald Campbell]

Ok Scott I am on my way to Az and will be retuning through ElDorado Lake. Where in AZ to I find this sisso wood. I am headed to Tucson for a month and will check the sawmill in Tucomcorri south of Tucson. If I am coming your way I have room to bring wood with me. Let me know.
Ron

[Nate Davey]

Scott, beautiful work on a spectacular piece of wood. Really love your signature finial, too.

[Tony Wheeler]

very nice job Scott glad to see that your hand is healed enough to get back to turning

[Ken Glass]

Scott,
I wouldn't change a thing. Beautiful wood and great execution. Simply a wonderful turning and I very much like your ("Scott Hackler") Finial.

[Scott Hackler]

Thanks for the additional comments. This one is an old post from 12-7-11 (so old turning) and although I wish, I haven't turned the lathe on since 12-15-11. My hand is not quite up "to par" yet and I have moved into "work on the basement" mode. I am re-discovering my hate for mud and taping drywall.

Ron, I will send you a PM regarding your post.