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Mark Hubl
01-13-2012, 1:07 AM
There have been some nice what could have beens posted recently. In the spirit of what could have been here is Marilyn. I thought this piece would have made a nice WIP post, but alas it became a “bloody fool turner” post. It has taken me time to get over my grief but I am now ready to move on.


Early in the summer my neighbor harvested some walnut limbs for me. Although most was pretty compromised with rot some was ok. So I turned my first really green wood pieces and stashed them in a bag. Not a big fan of green wood, not a lot of space, not a lot of patience, but I am willing to learn.


So I begin the wait. Take out a couple of them and they did not make it, cracks. But this piece looked pretty good so I re-turned it and got it ready for the next steps. As my ideas for the form came together and I began laying out the curves I began calling it Marilyn.


I knew that this would be a challenge, the slits between the bines were starting out a couple pieces of sandpaper thick. Really had not figured out how I would cut them. Had a few approaches in mind. I got a Rockwell multi tool for Christmas so I thought I would try that. Once the bines were carved in and filed for depth I had a go at it with the Rockwell. Went ok. Got the top cut, did some work and then cut the bottom and started some work on that.


I knew Marilyn's middle curves would be a challenge, and so they were! I got a couple of curves cut and then disaster. The saw bound and took out about 30 percent of her. After a deep breath and a quick karate chop she was gone.


Oh well, if you ain't breakin' something, you ain't tryin! Still developing methods for this type of work. I purchased a nice old fashioned fret saw to use on the next Marilyn, we will see how that goes!

Jon McElwain
01-13-2012, 1:59 AM
Okay, I could have done without the last couple of pictures. Very painful to look at. It was looking really promising too!

Dan Forman
01-13-2012, 3:02 AM
Sorry this one didn't work out, very frustrating I bet, always seems to happen toward the end. Looks like she took after her namesake though - went to pieces before she was fully formed. Hope the next one goes better. Might try naming the next one Mae or Liz, they lasted a lot longer.

Dan

Bob Rotche
01-13-2012, 7:41 AM
Looks like it was going to be a real beauty. I think your design is excellent and worth another try. Very frustrating when you've put so much work into a piece. I've used the karate chop method as well which can be briefly satisfying but still leaves you with a hollow feeling in the pit of your stomach.

Tim Rinehart
01-13-2012, 8:40 AM
Mark, gotta agree with Bobs assessment on this being a design worthy of another go. I really like how the spiral changed direction and the statuesque shape of the piece.
You'll heal, and you'll redo it!
RIP Marilyn indeed!

Robert McGowen
01-13-2012, 8:42 AM
Headed for cremation, I assume.......

I like the jig you made for laying out the lines. It looks like the litttle block of wood with the pencil just slides along between the sides?

Bob Bergstrom
01-13-2012, 9:47 AM
I remember on more than one occasion using my bowl gouge as a weapon of distruction on a bowl that broke while turning on the lathe. Just remember there a lot of wood out there waiting for your creative talent.

Dennis Ford
01-13-2012, 10:10 AM
I love that you aimed high and am sure that will succeed with that design on a future piece. My signature applies to this type of event.

Jim Underwood
01-13-2012, 10:59 AM
As nice as that was going to be, that's a crying shame. And y'all are right, it was painful to watch that sequence. What a lot of lovely work down the drain...

However, on the other hand, I think the remains could be "re-purposed". Those pieces could be used in other ways... Rosemary Wright recently posted a sculptural piece made from "deconstructed" bowls.. and gave it a wonderful title; "Board From a Bowl".

I think you should so something with the remains, after all, that was a lot of work just to be thrown away.

John Altberg
01-13-2012, 11:14 AM
Looks like she took after her namesake though - went to pieces before she was fully formed. Hope the next one goes better. Might try naming the next one Mae or Liz, they lasted a lot longer.

Dan

Very clever observation and quite sage advice, Dan!

John

Steve Busey
01-13-2012, 11:31 AM
I'll give you an A+ for effort, sorry Marilyn (or perhaps Molly Hatchet) had other ideas.

Bill Wyko
01-13-2012, 11:37 AM
I am so sorry to see that. I had that happen when I did my spiral finial. Can't imagine the disgust you felt at that moment of destruction. Don't let it discourage you though. I'd love to see you pull that one off. It'll be beautiful for sure.

David E Keller
01-13-2012, 12:20 PM
That's a shame! Love the concept... I hope you give it another go when your blood pressure will allow.

Curt Fuller
01-13-2012, 7:41 PM
Mark, with such sensuous curves you must have named this piece in memory of Marilyn Monroe. Both beauties expired way to early in their lives.

David DeCristoforo
01-13-2012, 8:07 PM
Oooo... I hate it when that happens. It's gonnna take a lot of CA to fix that!

Mark Hubl
01-15-2012, 4:13 PM
Thanks to all for taking a look.



Looks like she took after her namesake though - went to pieces before she was fully formed. Hope the next one goes better. Might try naming the next one Mae or Liz, they lasted a lot longer.

Dan

Good thought. Maybe I should just start a 27 Club series. Rename this one Janice or Amy or ..., take the pieces glue them on a nice piece of flat wood. That would be in line with Jim's re-purposing thoughts. It really will be no time before I have several of the members on the list completed! Could be quite artsy!



Headed for cremation, I assume.......

I like the jig you made for laying out the lines. It looks like the litttle block of wood with the pencil just slides along between the sides?

Robert, the jig works out well for drawing indexed lines. The pencil holder has a 1" dowel tenon on the bottom that rides in the rail. The dowel lets you turn the holder to follow the curve a little easier.


It's gonnna take a lot of CA to fix that!

Man I am glad I did not even think of that! I really would have been pxxsed after all that gluing to watch it fly apart again! Although it does make me feel a little inadequate as a turner, since I do know that everything can be fixed with CA!:D