Utilizing what you have vs. wishing you had what you don't

[Roger Chandler]

I had the afternoon free yesterday, so after watching some of the Nascar race at Indy, I decided I would do something for my rest and relaxation.

I went to the shop and began to look at some of the blanks I have on hand......thought about doing a bowl.....thought about doing another lidded box [I quickly dismissed that idea!] and looked over in the corner and there was this really gnarly looking, odd shaped piece of Ash crotch wood that Jeff Bartley had given me a few months ago [thanks Jeff!]

It was not round, it was not square, it was not rectangle, it was not trapezoidal, it was.........well just a hunk of gnarly wood with a lot of bark inclusion and I thought..........wonder what I could do with this? Decided to put it between centers, after a little trimming on the bandsaw..............turned a tenon.

Got into the thing and 2/3rd had some beautiful figure in the grain.......the bark inclusions were such that keeping them was not an option with the way I had to put the tenon on it.

I decided to do a pedestal hollow form, and then realized that the piece of walnut I wanted to use was just a tad small for a good base for this......I did not feel like waiting around to someday get the right piece of wood for the base..............went ahead anyway, as I can revisit and put another base and finial on it later.

Here is the result.......I have already mentioned the base is too small......I broke the first pedestal I made, and had to use a piece not big enough!....and the transition from the form at the top of the pedestal is out of proportion.........reason........I put a 5/8" tenon on the bottom of the form about 1/2" + long and if I had made a smaller, more proportional transition, it would have turned away the mortise in the top of the pedestal and messed up the already glued together form.

I am not happy with the pedestal or the finial......not my best work for sure......started yesterday evening, got too late, went back to it early this morning, and had several distractions away from the lathe.........too much start/ stop. etc!

The Ash blank also had a couple of cracks in it,which I filled with glue, and I still have a small part of one of the bark inclusions near the bottom of the form......the form is 11.25" high to the top of the finial and 5- 3/8" wide.........comments welcome!

238022238023238024238025

[Harry Robinette]

Roger
Might try a piece of ash for the actual base, sort of make it two tone. It is a very nice piece of ash and I like the form.

[Roger Chandler]

Roger
Might try a piece of ash for the actual base, sort of make it two tone. It is a very nice piece of ash and I like the form.

Nice idea Harry.........I think I agree with you on that..........I do have some more ash that would fit the bill well! Thanks!

[Rick Markham]

I kinda like it with the small base, strangely it kinda works. Its a really pretty piece of wood Roger, it has some wonderful figure in it.

[Roger Chandler]

I kinda like it with the small base, strangely it kinda works. Its a really pretty piece of wood Roger, it has some wonderful figure in it.

Thanks Rick..........ya' know..........I just came downstairs and have this thing sitting on my woodstove, where I come in the back door to the den......it looks better to me now than when I took the pics..........the base is a bit small, and the transition at the top of the pedestal is not as good as I wanted..........I just used too big a tenon.........not enough foresight on my part and that limited my ability to nail the pedestal.......I think the distractions this morning took their toll on my concentration........the onion on the finial is off as well..........what can I say........I'm human! :D

[Rick Markham]

The transition might not be as smooth as you wanted, but it kinda works on this one, it looks like the form is just floating on the stem (at least from your photos' angle) it's kind of a cool effect. The finial could be a little more delicate, but then it wouldn't fit the stem. Right now they work together, if you change one, you will inevitably have to change both.

[Mike Cruz]

Roger, that's a beautiful piece of ash. I agree with you on the finial and base, but it is what it is. Great job utilizing a pretty chunck of wood.

[Tim Rinehart]

I like the form of the vessel, but am at odds with the height of the base, in particular. I'd like seeing it about another half again as tall, that whole 1/3 and 2/3rds thing, ya know, but that's really just a nit.

I was thinking about your subject line and how I (and I suspect alot of folks) often collect nice pieces of wood for the possibilities they can become, as opposed to planning a specific project and then going out to find the wood for it. Made me think about finding more ways to make creative uses from the various elements (aka woodpile) towards something that joins various pieces together, as you've done here nicely.

[Roger Chandler]

Thanks Mike and Tim! I will say this............this thing looks a good bit better in person than it does in the pics...........still, I had a concept in mind of what it should look like............and then the circumstances happened the way they did..........it was a let down! In my mind, the shape of the pedestal and base .......I had it nailed! Then the broken pedestal [which was better by far] and I missed the form on the finial.......too many distractions and it is too thick at the top and the bulb on the onion is not what it should have been............:(

executing a design.......even if it is just in your mind and not on paper...........that seems to be a real challenge at times and I think when concentration gets broken repeatedly.........well......execution suffers!

[Dennis Ford]

I really like the body, the pedestal is not bad but could be better (Harry had a good suggestion). The finial should be easy to replace.

[Roger Chandler]

I am currently debating [with myself :eek:] about taking this to the lathe and turning off that pedestal and turning down the hidden tenon, and allowing myself the opportunity to make this like I had envisioned at the start. I will have to cut some walnut, but I have some in log form and I think maybe a piece under a pile of other blanks beneath my lathe [if I remember correctly]

I really don't like returning to a piece and having a do-over, but sometimes with a nicely figured piece of wood like this one, it is worth it.

[Michelle Rich]

you aren't happy? One lovely thing about turning is you can start over..redo the parts you are unhappy with..cut them off..& start with new wood. Go play in your shop & be happy, Roger!

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

I gotta tell you Roger, you are suffering from the curse of the forums we follow and the shows we attend. Many of our peers raise the bar quite high when they display their work. So much so that it is difficult to appreciate our own. Now, I said it is a curse but it is also a blessing. Without that, how would we know what is possible. I dislike more of my work than I like, especially when it is first completed. Either I am tired of looking at it and see every tiny fault, or sometimes just plain over critical. After they are finished a while, I begin to like them again. I've actually begun to true my blanks then draw a profile prior to shaping. I make my mistakes on paper rather than spoiling a good piece of wood and eliminate horrid designs and poor proportions. My like / dislike ratio has improved significantly.
I guarantee you someone seeing your piece wishes they could have turned it and hopefully will try. Meanwhile you don't like some element and will either remake it for this body or change it to what you like for the next. In any event, it was a piece worth making and another step in the Roger Chandler turning path.
faust

[Roger Chandler]

I gotta tell you Roger, you are suffering from the curse of the forums we follow and the shows we attend. Many of our peers raise the bar quite high when they display their work. So much so that it is difficult to appreciate our own. Now, I said it is a curse but it is also a blessing. Without that, how would we know what is possible. I dislike more of my work than I like, especially when it is first completed. Either I am tired of looking at it and see every tiny fault, or sometimes just plain over critical. After they are finished a while, I begin to like them again. I've actually begun to true my blanks then draw a profile prior to shaping. I make my mistakes on paper rather than spoiling a good piece of wood and eliminate horrid designs and poor proportions. My like / dislike ratio has improved significantly.
I guarantee you someone seeing your piece wishes they could have turned it and hopefully will try. Meanwhile you don't like some element and will either remake it for this body or change it to what you like for the next. In any event, it was a piece worth making and another step in the Roger Chandler turning path.
faust

Faust.........your post was the first one I read this morning...........what a pick me up! :) I took the form upstairs to the living room where I display most of the pieces I keep. I put it in with the rest of them.....the form really does look good...........I guess the fact that I did not execute my intended pedestal and finial are like you said........and as you said, someone else seeing it will think it is really beautiful...........it is better than the pics........even the colors were too dark on the walnut in the pics .....I guess something about the way the exposure is.

It may be left like it is........just part of my journey to one day turning the perfect piece............;)...we can always strive to go higher.........thanks Buddy!

[Roger Chandler]

you aren't happy? One lovely thing about turning is you can start over..redo the parts you are unhappy with..cut them off..& start with new wood. Go play in your shop & be happy, Roger!

Michelle.........so as to not leave you with the wrong impression...........I am a positive personality type.....also very type A, according to my wife and sons...........sometimes I have my expectations a bit on the high side......on those times when I fail to reach my expectations...........well you know......

I really does make me happy to "go play in my shop" as you put it..........thanks for the encouragement!!! :)

[Bernie Weishapl]

Roger I would leave it. I do like the form and like Rick the pedestal works. I have to agree with Faust that sometimes we are just to hard on ourselves. I rarely put something back on the lathe to refine it. I just sketch my refinements and try on the next piece.

[Baxter Smith]

My first thought when I read the title of this thread was that it was going to be about the newest and latest tools. I guess the same thing applies to wood! Looks good from here.

[Roger Chandler]

My first thought when I read the title of this thread was that it was going to be about the newest and latest tools. I guess the same thing applies to wood! Looks good from here.

Have my posts been such that people's default reading is another tool post from me? :eek: I guess I am a bit of a tool junkie...........shhhhh, don't tell my wife! [believe me, she already is totally aware! ;)] Oh......I do happen to NEED a new 3/8" V Thompson bowl gouge and a 5/8" bowl gouge as well.........and a new 3/8" detail gouge, cause I have ground all these down a good bit and..............:D:D:D:D

Thanks Baxter!