Almond hollow form WIP

[Kathy Marshall]

I cut up the almond log I got a week or so ago, and it looked even better than when I got it. I decided I had to try one of the pieces right away.
The piece on the right is the one I started with.
225340
I mounted it between centers and faced one end in preparation for mounting on a faceplate. It was screaming wow at me!
225341
I mounted it on the faceplate and cleaned up the top and started roughing out the sides. It just kept getting better and better.
I would love to have been able to keep a good amount of sapwood to retain the striped look, but I didn't want to leave all the bark.
225342 225343 225339 225344

I have the shape roughed out and the center drilled and I just came in for a quick break. About to head back to the shop and see if I can't get it finished up tonight. The camera phone pics don't do the color justice, but if it keeps the color after finishing, it might just be some of the prettiest wood I've turned so far.
Hope to post a finished piece later tonight.

Thanks for looking!
Comments and critiques are welcome.

[charlie knighton]

looking forward to your progress, thanks for sharing, Kathy, you know that one's not brown or shade of brown

[Steve Vaughan]

Yup, I look forward to what you come up with on this. Really neat looking wood, very interesting character.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Kathy that is going to be a nice one when finished. Thanks for sharing.

[Doug Herzberg]

Very cool wood. Can't wait.

[Baxter Smith]

Fascinating wood! You come up with the neatest stuff!

[Tim Rinehart]

Very cool...look forward to seeing when all finished. That's some pretty wicked color.

[Pete Jordan]

Get to work!

I can't wait to see how it turns out! Beautiful wood and I am sure you will do it justice.

[Tom Hardy]

That wood has a lot going on. Looking forward to see the finished product.

[Eric Gourieux]

It must be really exciting to peel that onion and see those stripes and that color inside. Can't wait to see your final product.

[Kathy Marshall]

You'll have to excuse the crappy cell phone pics, but it was just too late for the photo booth.

I don't think I've ever turned anything that was such a pleasure to turn. I've turned alot of wood that turned like butter, but none compares to this, it turned like silk and hollowing was a dream and it smells good too. I was able to retain a little of the sapwood, along with 3 bark framed windows.

5 1/4" x 7 1/2" with just a coat of BLO so far, I'll probably finish it up with some WOP.

225376225375225377225379
225378 225380225374

[Dan Forman]

Now that's just way too cool! Love the "eyes".

Dan

[John Keeton]

Another great piece, Kathy!! What do you do with all of this art? Have you given all of it away, are you selling it? You are a production machine!

[Dennis Ford]

Kathy; you have not been turning all that long but the quantity of you work is high. The quality of your work is amazing. This piece is an example of what excellent skills can do with some nice wood, I love it!

[Russell Eaton]

Kathy that is a sweet looking piece. I like the WIP post as they show the progress of the turned piece. The color in this one is incredible. Thanks for taking the time to post.

[Fred Belknap]

That is a beautiful piece. I like the form. I hope it doesn't crack. I have a cedar log about that size I want to turn like that but am thinking it will crack.

[Steve Busey]

That's an amazing form, Kathy - and I love how the grain kinda spirals around the piece!

[Ted Evans]

Beautiful wood Kathy and I really appreciate the "work in progress" pictures. How do you address the pith in the bottom to stop if from cracking?

[Doug Herzberg]

Better than I hoped! Thanks for sharing and inspiring.

[Dane Fuller]

Kathy,
I specifically logged on today to see if you had posted final pics. The form is awesome and the color and grain are eye popping. I can't tell you how much I love this piece!

[Jeff Hamilton Jr.]

Already been said, but I have to "pile-on;" WOW! That is really awesome.

[Kathy Marshall]

Thanks for the compliments everyone!
I'm pretty darned happy with this one. This is a shape that I really like. At almost 8" wide with the deep shoulder, it's about the limit of my hollowing system (the D bar kept running into the wall and I wasn't able to budge the lathe to give me any more clearance). I've already got some ideas for the bigger chunk, I'm thinking a similar shape but in a face grain orientation with the striping across the top.
Don't know if the coloring is typical for almond wood, but even if it's not, I'd take all I could get just for the ease of turning and the very fine grain. Hopefully this won't be the last I ever get.

It must be really exciting to peel that onion and see those stripes and that color inside. Can't wait to see your final product.
One of the things I love about turning is "seeing the surprise inside". You never know when you're going to find a little treasure.

Beautiful wood Kathy and I really appreciate the "work in progress" pictures. How do you address the pith in the bottom to stop if from cracking?
Thanks Ted, I soaked some thin CA on the bottom before I finished it up and also dripped some medium CA onto the inside bottom. Hopefully that will hold it from any major cracks. I've used that on other endgrain pieces with good success depending on the wood.

Another great piece, Kathy!! What do you do with all of this art? Have you given all of it away, are you selling it? You are a production machine!
Thanks John! I've given away a few pieces, sold a few pieces and have alot of pieces holding down alot of horizontal surfaces along with what's filling cabinets and buried on the workbench :eek:.

Kathy; you have not been turning all that long but the quantity of you work is high. The quality of your work is amazing. This piece is an example of what excellent skills can do with some nice wood, I love it!
Thanks Dennis! Lots of practice helps!

That is a beautiful piece. I like the form. I hope it doesn't crack. I have a cedar log about that size I want to turn like that but am thinking it will crack.
Thanks Fred! I hope it doesn't crack either (so far so good), just one of the risks of turning green to finish. I just try to get them turned as quick as I can (more of an issue in the summer), get a finish on them and then hope for the best.

[Rick Markham]

Thanks for posting this Kathy that's an awesome piece, I'm also glad you answered John's question, I've wondered that myself. You are one of the most prolific turners I know!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Wow - that sure is some pretty wood! Great HF! Love the form and all the color variations! Nice work!