Couple pieces of my work for gentle critique...

[Chris Studley]

Hi all,

Below is a few pieces of work that I have done over the past several months. I am relatively new to turning. I acquired my first lathe and chisels(Harbor Freight Jet Clone, HF HSS chisels) in March and a few of these items are a couple months old now. I was able to take wood shop in HS and spent some time turning then but that was over 15 yrs ago so I'm not without some instruction but it was limited and some time ago.

I was able to turn these out using either screw chuck faceplate and /or jam chuck made from scraps as I have yet to acquire a proper chuck other than a 1/2" drill chuck.

Those who have seen my work have been quite complimentary, but a critique from someone more experienced would be helpful in moving forward as a turner.

Please be somewhat gentle as I am still somewhat new at this, but not too gentle, I'm a big boy. (note that I am well aware the photography is not great)

I am Finishing some christmas gifts and plan to post those to show the improvement I fell I have made thus far.

Item 1: Walnut and Maple bowl. (from April, about 1.5 months in)
Item 2: Zebrawood plate. ~7" diam. First attempt at have some squareness. Paste wax finish.
Item 3: Bloodwood and Maple Lidded box ~6" diam, 4" tall. First attempt at segmented work and only the Maple, 6 sides.
Item 4: Bloodwood, Maple, Zebrawood(read:scraps) Pen holder. 2nd try at Segmented work. Apparently grain direction affects workability, who knew.

edit: Attached are pipe tampers i made for a few friends.. Meant to put different post...

Thanks...

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[John Keeton]

Chris, you are doing remarkably well!! Your curves seem good, and for having only the HF set of tools, hollowing Items 1 and 3 had to be a challenge!! On Item 2, I probably would prefer not such a definitive line for the transition to the bottom - more of a gently concave bottom, but it is still a very nice piece. The lidded box is well done. The form of Item 4 is different. You may have turned it for the function shown, and that works. It could perhaps be more vase shaped with a little less flare and work, too.

Well done!

[Roger Chandler]

I like the zebrawood bowl, the lidded box is good, and the celtic knot is good as well....the others are nice as well, especially for a new turner. Just keep up the practice and you will develop even better eye for form. Finish is decent on all these, especially the zebrawood bowl.

[Scott Hackler]

Chris, those are some pretty nice pieces for a relative new turner....let alone a turner with some time under their belt. Here are my thoughts by numbered pieces:

1) A pretty pleasing shape, visually. The only minor critique would be, if you do this laminated construction again... try to center the blank more. It looks like the walnut and maple aren't even in their pattern (on each side).
2) The Zebra wood bowl is very interesting. The only thing I can see would be a gentle curve from the side to the bottom. With the nice curves on the wings, the sharp angle on the bottom is a little off.
3) Very cool box. I like the color contrast and shape. It has that "I want to hold it" look. I am a tiny bit distracted by the glue joints of the maple. I know that larger stock causes us to glue up things, but I wonder how strips of bloodwood between the maple would look. Again the sharp angle on the bottom inside seems a bit off with the gentle curves of the outside.
4) The pencil cup has a great shape and finish. The only ooops, is from gluing side grain to end grain. Unfortunately...sometime... the joints are going to fail, as the wood expands and contracts. It stinks to learn that way, but it is a lesson. The woods used, while great on their own, look a little hodge-podge in this piece. You could have used the same chunks of woods in a repeated pattern and it might improve it visually.

Overall, though, a very good bunch of projects and you definitely show a talent for spinny things!

[David E Keller]

I think you've done a heck of a job wih these. There are always little tweaks and such, but you definitely seem to have an eye for form and finish. Keep at it... I'm looking forward to seeing your next turnings!FWIW, I like the 'calico' look of the pencil pot!

[Chris Studley]

Thanks Gents,

@John: Hollowing w/ the tools I have certainly is a challenge. They lack the heft I think would help. I have recently made an "Oland" style tool with a 1/2" shaft and a longer African mahogony handle and it is like night and day when compared to the HF tools when it comes to rough hollowing. Since I think the 3/8" "bowl" gouges is more of a spindle gouge I have re-ground with homemade fingernail jig this makes sense. Once I feel a bit more comfortable with my sharpening, I plan to slowy upgrade my chisels piece by peice. I have nowhere to go but up. Any suggestions on tools that are better than HF(easy) but won't break the bank?

@Roger: Same Paste Wax finish on all but the first item (BLO Only). Different wood types certainly make a difference in that dept.

Here is something more recent and more ambitious (for me anyway) that was tucked in another folder on my Computer.

It is a bit thicker than I would have liked but since I was using a Jam chuck I was too nervous to go any further.

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Padauk and Macassar Ebony, Paste wax finish.

[Rick Markham]

Great Job! I like them all, I agree with John on the transition in the Zebra wood bowl, but that comes with more practice. Looks like a lot of great work to me! You've ventured into the segmented world... something I haven't dabbled in. Keep up the good work, it looks like you are well on your way :)

[Chris Studley]

@ Scott: Thanks for the detailed thoughts. I noted a few of these things myself.

The glue up process has been a challenge as sandpaper doesn't fix it like it can so many other issues for a newer turner. I have learned I should avoid maple to maple joints and the grain direction issue which all seemed so obvious to me after the fact.

I have learned to be a bit less hasty in blank prep and have found the benefit of having more than one project going at a time so glue and/or finish drying isn't so painful to wait out.

Here is a side view of the Zebrawood bowl. Since I did the bottom first (note the tiny jam chuck tenon) I tried to emulate it on the inside.

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Thanks again all.

[Scott Hackler]

I like that last one. Especially the knob detail, now that is cool. The inside bottom has a nice transition and the wood selection is very nice too.

[Betty Fox]

Chris,
That last bowl is a beauty. You must be progressing quickly. :) Welcome.

[Dave Ogren]

Hard for my to believe that you are new to this. I think you are doing a wonderful job. Keep up the great work.

Dave

[Allan Ferguson]

Looking good. Lookout everyone when he gets a chuck and more tools. I like the lines of this last one.

[Dick Wilson]

Chris, I guess I have nothing to add to the "Critique List" on the first set of pictures. I can tell by the last picture of the winged lidded bowl that you are not afraid to try anything. Lots of turners do not even attempt on of these until they have a lot more experience. The only thing I see and it seems to glare at me is the small imperfection on the front corner on the third picture. I don't know if it broke off and you glued it back on or what. If not you might not have noticed it but the ol camera sure picks it up. Those kind of things draw you eye to it. All in all a great job. I can assure you I wasn't doing this kind of work with as much experience as you have. Keep it up:D

[Chris Studley]

Thank to all for the encouragment and critiques.

@dick wilson: The padauk was two 4/4 pieces and you found my glue line... good eye. The ebony was there to extend the wings such that this wouldn't happen. I was close. And your right I do like to challenge my abilities(to varying degrees of success) and have the knuckle raps and scrap pile to prove it.

[Donny Lawson]

Chris, that is some "Awesome" looking pieces. I could not pick just one. Great job.

[Bill Wyko]

Gentle my arse, those are all just beautiful. Nice job.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Looks like everyone already gentle critiqued your work... so I just wanted to stop in and Welcome you to the Creek! Nice stuff! Looking forward to seeing more of your work!

[Baxter Smith]

Nice variety of turnings! Keep turning and posting what you do!