A few of my latest turnings.

[Jack Mincey]

These pic's are of some of the latest pieces to come of my lathe. They are all turned from silver maple and finished with lacquer.
Jack
This one is 9" high and was to have a flared out top that I managed to sand though the side of and had to turn off.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v727/flyrod444/IMG_4304.jpg
This one is 9" high and has some really neat spalting in the wood.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v727/flyrod444/IMG_4299.jpg
This one is also around 9" tall and has a 3/4" opening which is smallest to date on anything this tall.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v727/flyrod444/IMG_4297.jpg
This one is around 7" tall and is turned from way rotten wood. I had to soak lacquer into the wood two or three times while turning and sanding this peace just to save it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v727/flyrod444/IMG_4309.jpg
This form is around 11" in dia.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v727/flyrod444/IMG_4305.jpg

[Prashun Patel]

All of these are beautiful. You lucked out with that wood. Just the right level of spalt and curl. I'm attracted to the ray flecks in the 2nd pic. Really neat stuff!!!

[Bill Wyko]

OMG those are magnificent. Superb form & finish. Thanks for sharing.

[Deane Allinson]

Great pieces. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be #1. Sometimes it is a happy accident!
Deane

[Jon Nuckles]

Very nice pieces, and I also like #1 the best. You took best advantage of the design opportunity.

[John Keeton]

Jack, good to see you getting some time on the lathe. I suspect summer is a bit less hectic for you. These are some very nice pieces, and while I like #1 as well, I think #3 is my pick of the litter. Really some beautiful wood - I love turning silver maple!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Beautiful pieces Jack. Love that second one and the last one. Glad to see ya getting some time to turn.

[Rich Aldrich]

Nice wood and nice work. My dads neighbor is getting rid of some silver maple. This is going to make me talk him out of a few pieces. He is just going to burn it.

[Bob Bergstrom]

They all are triple "A". Magnificent wood and flawless workmanship. I would hate to have to pick.

[Sid Matheny]

Jack has been a busy guy and they are all very nice turnings. The one that was rotten is my pick and glad you were able to save it. It's not easy sometimes when they get to that point!

Sid

[Mike Cruz]

My favorite is, of course, the one you "saved". Both for the piece and the fact that you saved it and it didn't end up in the dumpster. Fantastic work.

[Jeremy Leasure]

These are the types of forms I aspire to. Great work, thanks for sharing.

[Tim Chase]

Jack These are all first rate. I really am partial to the spalted ones with the last #5 being my favorite. With #4 a very close 2nd did I say I like spalted wood .

[Michelle Rich]

all are gorgeous! Well done! And by the way, they all are so nice they deserve their own post!

[Dale Bright]

Jack, all of these are great. If I had to pick a favorite, a difficult thing to do, it would be number 2. The wood is beautiful as are all of the forms. Well done!!!!!

Dale

[Jack Mincey]

Thanks for the compliments everyone. I have been blessed with this beautiful silver maple for the last 3 years and still have over 100 more bowls and forms dry or drying to return from it. The 1rst pic actually was saved twice. first was when I sanded through the valley at the top and had to remove the top and second when I was sanding down from the opening on the inside and cracked the wood when I put a little pressure on it. This proved to be a difficult save but turned out undetectable by anyone but me. I guess you could say the first form is turned very very thin. I am in the process of finishing up the first large form I used my Kobra on. Should post a pic of it next week. John, I should have more time at the lathe now since I retired from my job as a high school shop teacher last week. I am now a full time fly fishing guide which I've been doing for the last 26 Years when not teaching. I hope to sell these and other small forms at local shops to add income to what I make fishing which will supplement my retirement for the next ten years. Being 52 I have few more years before I can retire from work all together and just play although been a fishing guide is a lot like play most days.
Thanks again,
Jack

[Tim Rinehart]

As others have said...a separate post on these may have been in order. I really like the form on the 2nd piece and it's flecks, but am also quite impressed by the technical challenge of some of the others (3 and 4) that you hollowed quite deep for a relatively small opening. Well done on all pieces...and great job of saving those that had 'over spalted'.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Beautiful work on every piece Jack! Each is unique and all of the woods used are amazing!

Congrats on your retirement! Sounds like you have a great work plan for the next few years! Enjoy!

[Ted Calver]

I'd be pleased to have any of them...they are beautiful!

[David DeCristoforo]

Anytime someone posts several pieces like this I always feel compelled to try and pick a favorite. No can do here. They are all equally fine. If I had to pick one, it would be the first one but only because it's an "unusual" shape.

[Prashun Patel]

That's an interesting point, David. I see most people (incl me) have the same compulsion. I'm sure there's a Psych 101 case study in there somewhere.

On a separate note, I think of all the posts on this particular thread, I like yours best.

[Mike Cruz]

Hmmmm, does that mean there is a Psych 101 case study in you chosing DD's post as a favorite? :rolleyes: :D

[Scott Hackler]

Nice work Jack. I don't have a particular favorite, they are all really nice. Glad you got some turning time!

[David DeCristoforo]

"I'm sure there's a Psych 101 case study..."

"...does that mean there is a Psych 101 case study in you choosing DD's post..."

Sorry, boys... but they don't get to me until Psych 299...

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Jack,
I would be hard pressed to choose a favorite so I won't. They are all wonderful. The pieces of silver maple you chose are all different. It's amazing that such variety can come from the same specie. Since you lacquer your work may I ask if you allow the hollow forms to dry before sanding and finishing?
faust

[Denny Rice]

Its amazing people throw wood like that in a fireplace when you can create something so wonderful. Nice work.

[Jack Mincey]

Faust, I rough turn my Hollow Forms and let them dry for at least 6 months and then return them just like I do my open bowls most of the time. Then sand and finish. All this wood came from 3 trees that where cut from the same yard at the same time. They probably came from the same tree. Being that the trees where in excise of 40" the wood varied a great deal from one side to the other and spalting occurred toward the otter portion of the log much quicker than the center.
Thanks Again,
Jack

[ray hampton]

my pick is the no 2 also