Cherry burl goblet

[Ted Evans]

This is another goblet that I turned sometime back and as always, l am looking for suggestions for improving the form and balance. I do not have time (trying to get a few dozen walnut bowls roughed out) to try the very good suggestions that I have received but am making notes for latter reference. I have a number of previous turning that I would like to post for comments/suggestions.

Cherry burl and Ebony.

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Thanks for your thoughts and input.

[John Keeton]

Ted, I wish I had the fortitude to rough out "a few dozen bowls!!" That sounds a lot like work, to me. I am usually good for one at a time.

Nice work on the goblet! I admire your willingness to turn ebony - having done it a couple of times, I don't anticipate I will ever do it again! Way too dusty. I prefer African Blackwood - hit it with some black dye before finishing it and one gets a very good black on a much more pleasant wood to turn. Posting dimensions on your pieces might be beneficial for others to comment as that may impact suggestions.

Some thoughts on this one starting at the bottom - I have done some bell shaped bases and they only seem to work if very low. This one seems to have too much height, and as on the other piece, that makes the base appear too small in width. It probably is close to being a good width, but the height of the base plays games with the eye.

The sweep of the curve on the onion is a little uneven and might look better either dead straight (I don't really care for "flat" on a turning) or just ever so slightly concave the entire length to the shoulder. You have a slight "dip" just below the shoulder that draws the eye and the cut at the very top of the onion could be deeper with the top of the onion being nearly horizontal so that the onion appears to "sit on" the cove.

Initially, I made my coves tighter (shorter) as you have done, but now it seems I prefer them to be more open, and, they are easier to turn! Generally, most elements should diminish in diameter and thickness going upward, and to that end, the top of the pedestal on which the cup sits is thicker than the cut on the flare bottom of the beginning of your onion stem. The top cut should mimic that cut in angle and convexity and be no thicker - perhaps just a bit thinner. It probably will flow better into the cup if done that way.

On the cup, a simple ogee (versus a compound ogee with dissimilar curves) would have the lowest point and highest point at the 1/4 marks along the length of the curve, with the two resulting curves being mirror images of each other - meeting at the midpoint with constant flow and no flat spots.

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In this instance, the lowest point on your curve is at the halfway point. This has caused the upper half to lack concavity, and the lower half to produce too much "bulge" - at least for my tastes. If one has a large bulge on the bottom, then one probably will need a deep flare at the top in order to look proportional. One quickly reaches a point with that scenario where the bell shape becomes unattractive IMO.

Ted, as before, you have done some very nice work, and these are just "my" thoughts on the changes "I" might make, but in no way are they intended to imply they are the "correct" way of doing it as I am not at all sure a "correct" way exists! Just my opinions, and to be taken in that manner. Hopefully, others may have different views and you can take all of it in and come to your own conclusions about what works for you.

[Roger Chandler]

Ted,

First of all, nice work..........it shows skill and creativity...........nice woods, as they make for a lovely turning. I agree with John on the height of the bell base.........about 2/3rds or a little less on the height and you would have nailed the base. I think a little less thickness on the onion on your pedestal stem would help and there are flats on it as well.........more continuous curve is sometimes hard to achieve if your lighting is not really good.........a light background so you can see the shape better sometimes will assist with getting the flats out.

Personally, I think the area where the transition to the cup is would benefit from having no downturn on that, it would blend into the cup rather than compete for your eye's focus. It would give a better cove, reminiscent of a Cindy Drozda type finial cove.......can't go wrong with that design element.

That is a really nice piece, and just a tweak here and there, and you will have a gallery quality piece for sure!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Ted - I like the wood combo! I understand all of John's suggestions but find it easier to remember to just keep things simple. The fewer elements in the pedestal - the fewer curves and proportions you have to blend!

Looking forward to seeing more of your work!

[Ken Glass]

Ted,
First of all, you did a very nice job on this Goblet. I personally would like to see the Onion on your pedestal turned 180 degrees, but of course, with the top slimmed down, but that's just my preference. Since the form is a NE I think it is fine and resembles a flower of sorts. All in all, I like it, but as Steve said, simple flowing lines seem to work best.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Really a nice goblet. I agree with Ken and would have turned the onion 180 degrees with a more simple/flowing form.

[Ted Evans]

JK, you have provided a lot of data to process, which I thoroughly appreciate and it makes sense, well most of it anyway. It will require a great deal of study for me to digest all of it, hope there are enough years and cpu power left.

The dimensions on the piece is 3.25 x 7.25, the finish is Tung oil and it is the first goblet that I tried to make. After studying it with your suggestions to look at, I think I understand and when the bowl project is finished, I will attempt to make some of the changes that you have suggested. Oh, the bowls are not by choice, a couple that owns a specialty cheese house here asked me if I would do some bowls for their shop and I foolishly agreed. It was flattering at first to think someone would actually pay money for something that I turned but now it seems like work and is not where my interest is.

I did not experience the problem that you alluded to about the Ebony although I do agree that the African Blackwood is nicer to work with. Good thing, I have between 80 and 100 pounds of it. It may take that much for me to get a good finial.

I thoroughly appreciate you and the others taking time to make an attempt at educating me.



Roger, thanks for the encouraging words, I am going to attempt to implement some of the changes that you and the others have suggested.


Steve, I agree with the simple concept. This goblet was the first one that I turned and was just trying to add too much to it. I did the same thing when I first began building gunstocks, all the jazzy stuff that I thought looked so neat when I first started but after awhile I came to realize that I preferred the classic style and stuck with it.


Ken, thanks for the kind words as soon as time permits, I will try to implement some of the suggestions that have been made. Nothing to loose now, when I went to measure it tonight, my sweetie informed me that she had dropped it and broken the stem.


Bernie, thanks and I agree also and really appreciate all the help folks on here are willing to offer, a great bunch.

[Rich Aldrich]

Nice work. I am looking and learning here, so this is a very interesting post. I find cherry burls are fun to turn - very interesting wood.