A lesson learned

[Ted Evans]

The lesson....check setting on the vacuum chuck before placing a spalted bowl on it. The inside had been sanded and ready for finish, reversed the bowl to clean up the bottom and finish sanding it. Just as I was reaching for a tool there was a pop and off came the bowl, less a six inch piece from the bottom, which was still attached to the chuck. My wife had seen the bowl before the mishap and really liked the size of it so asked if I could save it. I tried to find another piece of spalted maple but nothing would match close enough to not look like a patch that it was. Discouraged, I grabbed a piece of walnut, glued it on, smoothed the edges a little and finished it. My wife loved it so I guess everyone does not look at a piece in the same way as a turner does.

231220 231221

Moral of the story, check vacuum setting before attaching rotted wood.

[Rich Greinert]

Nice Save Ted. Spalted wood presents many challenges. You have successfully overcome this one in a unique way.

[Jim Burr]

Sweet save Ted!!! Looks like you meant to have it come out that way from the get. Well done sir!
p.s. bravo for posting your funnels...you are one tough guy, I can think of most that heat homes!

[Ken Glass]

Ted,
Very nice save. It happened to me some time ago, but I wasn't so lucky, mine blew the sides as well. Very good adaption and a beautiful bowl.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Ted that is a great save. Why is it we always show the wives before we get them finished? I stopped because she falls in love with something I turned and then I make a mess of it.:eek:

[Steven Green]

Looks like it grew there. Nice save.

[John Keeton]

Ted, the mark of a true craftsman is the ability to repair without discernible evidence - I would say you have that mark! That maple was certainly worth the save, too.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Good save! Beautiful wood and the walnut foot brings out the darker colors in the spalt!

Vacuum systems can be fun - just make sure you don't apply finish when using one! I had the poly get sucked right through the wood and into the chuck! Here I thought - WOW - that stuff is drying really fast! What a sticky mess when I took the bowl off the vacuum chuck!

[Jerry Rhoads]

Ted, that is a great save. That piece of spalted Maple is just to pretty to throw in fire wood.

Bernie, that is a good idea about not showing "Honey" before finishing a piece.

"Whatever happened to that beautiful green dyed Fiddleback Maple piece you were working on"?
Hope she does not think I will present it on her birthday next month.

[Ted Evans]

Rich, thanks for the kind words!

Jim, it is my first funnel, no, I'm not a good turner, just very cautious as in leaving the bottoms a couple of inches thick helps.

Ken, don't you just hate for something like that to happen after all the time invested? As Grumbine says, it can cause bad words to come forth.

Bernie, could it be that we are not too bright, or, perhaps just slow learners?

Steven, thanks, I hate loosing a piece of pretty wood and being stubborn helps, I suppose.

JK, as an old guitar picker told me one time, "son, there is not a musician alive that does not make mistakes occasionally but the really good ones can cover theirs' up so most people never realize it." As you well know, I get a lot of practice trying to cover up mistakes.

Steve, thanks for the comments. I use a vacuum chuck a lot but mostly for just cleaning up the bottom and sanding. That is a great tip about not using one when applying a finish. Another tip that I learned, turn the lathe off BEFORE shutting down the vacuum.

Jerry, I have this bad trait of spending hours on something just so I do not feel like it whupped me.

[Mike Cruz]

Very nice save, Ted. Sucks to have happened, but nice save...