Second Finial Foray

[Chris Colman]

This is my second attempt at a finial for a HF.

The HF is Black Walnut, 4.5 in wide and 5 in tall.

The finial is walnut ebonized with india ink. It is 2.25 in wide and 3.25 in tall. It is under .200 in at the minor dimensions of the finial.

The overall height is 8.25 in tall.

I appreciated the comments on my first attempt and have tried to incorporate your suggestions into this finial. It is narrower (finer) and the base is not as heavy. The hole in the HF is 1.75 in dia, so I guess the finial base could be smaller, but .25 in lip overlap looked right.

You experts here at SMC are invited to help me further refine my finial work. (Yes Mr. Keaton, you are an expert)

I have included a pic of the first attempt also for comparison.

Thank you for your help, all of you.

[Bill Wyko]

I like your form on both and your finials have good design but don't be afraid to go a little thinner as you go up to the tip. If the tool you're using makes you feel nervous, try others you may be more comfortable with. I back my finials with my index finger to counter the pressure of the tool. A very good job though for being so new at it. keep it up.

[Roger Chandler]

You are certainly on the right track, Chris...........the replication of the main form on the finial is a real nice feature, and other than being a bit heavy, your details are crisp and look good...........the thinner finials will come with practice. Very nice forms and some beautiful wood.

the upward curve on the second finial base is a fairly abrupt transition..........could use a blending in with the curve of your form, and the base of the first form could be tucked under just a little to give it lift off the table.

Very nice overall, and your finish is very nice as well.............good stuff!

[John Keeton]

Chris, you are getting better - pretty darn good for the second one!

The lid portion seems to carry the form very well, and the proportions of the finial to the form are better than the first. One should attempt a general flow from bottom to top of the finial, and for me, that means drawing a fair curve coming off the form and touching the elements of the finial. You actually achieved that pretty well on the first one.

IMO, the replication of the form in the second one does not work as well. The form itself, while very nice, has a very high shoulder and IMO is not one that adds to the flow of the finial. It makes the overall finial appear smaller at the bottom than in the middle, and that disrupts the flow. Round forms, balls, beads, etc. flow back in at the top, and if placed on a properly proportioned cove base, seem to do well - particularly if they are the same wood as the form.

You might also experiment with a little taller cove base (you will need to make the other elements much thinner and more delicate) and see what that does for your finial. When you do that, try to make the thinnest area of the cove at the 2/3 point on the cove - not in the middle. You achieved that on the first finial.

For the reasons noted, I like the first finial in form better than the second. That said, your proportions as they relate to the form are much better in the second finial.

Good work, Chris!! And, so much better than most of us do on the first ones!

[Michelle Rich]

I like the middle picture ..your finial is quite different than the majority, and goes well with the simple shape of your vessel. I think that you should continue to think outside the box.

[Baxter Smith]

Well done! Thinner will come with practice and being willing to risk it all. That would be tough to do when you have spent so much time on all the details.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Chris they are getting better. As Bill said it will come with practice. I like the finial as it is different. Thinner will come with practice. I also use a finger behind the piece to give it support. Keep'em coming.

[David E Keller]

That's definitely progress! It's also an interesting(in a good way) main form from a beautiful piece of walnut!

Although finials rightfully are open to interpretation and variation, I'll give you a few things to consider for the next one. If you don't break a few, they're probably not thin enough... I'd even venture to guess that Hackler, Keeton, and others snap an occasional finial even now. Generally speaking, I think most strive for the elements in the finial to decrease in size as you progess from form to tip(with the exception of the transition area very near the lid)... Again, lots of room for interpretation here. Finally, the widest portion of the finial seems to look best near the junction of the bottom and middle thirds.

I've noticed that a lot of turners who make finials that I admire do so in bunches... Practice really does help. I've also noticed how impressive very small changes can be to the overall appearance of the finial... Linger too long with a little 400 grit in one location, and the whole appearance of the finial can change.

Your detail work appears to be very crisp, and the angular elements of the finial fit well with the forms you've chosen... I'd be interested to hear your 'self-critique' of the two finials you've shown. I think finding areas for improvement in my own work prior to sharing with others can be a real help in developing an eye for form.