FINALLY got to Turn!

[Kevin Gerstenecker]

I have been busier than I wanted to be over my Christmas Break, but I did manage to turn a few things yesterday and today. The first one is a Mahogany Bowl that I finished the buffing on this morning. The second is what my wife wanted.........a Candy Dish, that I turned from some Elm that I cut down last fall. It has some nice spalt in places, and some really interesting grain and staining. The Elm piece has one coat of oil on it so far, so I will be the weekend before it is finished. Thanks for taking a look!

[Tyler Howell]

Ooooooh Aaaaaaah!

Tjh

[Terry Quiram]

Kevin

Nice bowls. What kind of oil are you using. The Elm doesn't seem to be turning very dark. Eat too much candy and you will look like me. :D

Terry

[Jim Becker]

Those are mighty fine looking round boxes! :D Seriously, both are excellent turnings. I especially like the mahogany's grain...very elegant.

Happy New Year!

[Kevin Gerstenecker]

Terry, on these 2 pieces I used Minwax Antique Oil for the finish. It is strange about the Elm.........of the 2 I took down at my Folks place, the one is very dark and the other is somewhat lighter. Nice mix between the 2 trees, and they are both the same species. I don't get it? Here is a picture of a turning, finished the same as this one, that is much darker with more pronounced grain structure. Personally, I like the darker Elm, mostly because of the beautiful grain.

[Ron Jones near Indy]

Both are very nice looking. My personal favorite is the elm. Thanks for showing them. I'm going to have to try this turning stuff someday.

[Todd Burch]

Kevin, those look nice! I really like the way the spalting interrupts the flow of the grain, and how it is almost dripping around the corner of the bowl.

Todd.

[Mark Singer]

Excellent work! Has a very natural feel...Great!

[Julie Wright]

I like both of your bowls, But my fav is the Elm. I like the way the spalting is running. Thanks for sharing.

[Don Farr]

Terry, on these 2 pieces I used Minwax Antique Oil for the finish. It is strange about the Elm.........of the 2 I took down at my Folks place, the one is very dark and the other is somewhat lighter. Nice mix between the 2 trees, and they are both the same species. I don't get it? Here is a picture of a turning, finished the same as this one, that is much darker with more pronounced grain structure. Personally, I like the darker Elm, mostly because of the beautiful grain.

Kevin these are very, very beautiful pieces. I just love the grain and the Spalding. Great work from one of the masters.
Sorry for the delay on the response, just had a computer glitch at home.

[Dennis Peacock]

Kevin,

You never cease to AMAZE me with your turning.!!!! Wonderful pieces. Do you use the Beal System? Do you think it would be worth the investment for me to help improve the finish on my turnings?

[Kevin Gerstenecker]

Thanks for the kind words, I appreciate it more than you know. I makes one feel good to know that their work is appreciated and inspiring. Don, I am not sure I rightfully belong in the "Masters" category, but I really do try to do my best at whatever I do. I just don't know any other way to do things.........I thank my parents for instilling that in me. Dennis, yes I do use the Beall Buffing System on some of my turnings. The Beall System is wonderful, and the results are sometimes amazing. While the "Beall Shine" is not suitable for every look on every piece, it provides a finish that would be near impossible to achieve by hand. I think the Beall System is worth every dime Dennis, but it only enhances the finish on your turnings. Attention to sanding is still very necessary, and the smoother you get your turnings, the better the result from the Beall. I am now forcing my impatient-at-times self to take more time on the finish tooling and sanding of whatever I turn, and the payoff is starting to happen. I now take as much time as I need to remove EVERY sanding mark I can see before I even think of the finish coat. A smooth finish, coupled with a Beall Shine, is really a thing of beauty! :)