Ebony and Ivory Box

[George Guadiane]

A while ago, I "threatened" to talk a little more about materials and where I get them...
This is a pretty good example.
I go to garage sales, I buy wood (this ebony started life as an OLD damaged elephant).
I buy ivory bracelets (I used one of them to make the rim on this box - little waste and excellent results).
I buy ivory tusk materials (this material actually came from a local gold buying/coin store that I stop at regularly - I cut 40% off and sold that part on eBay, got almost all of my money back).
I buy tools (screwdrivers, for instance, that I sharpen into scrapers of different configuration - I used them last night to hollow this box and cut all of the seats, cuts and coves in the ivory).
The materials for this project cost less than $10.00
The tools cost less than $5.00 (not counting the lathe).
This is an "outside the box" box.
Diameter: 3 1/2 inches
Height: 7 3/4 inches
There is no finish on it, I sanded it to 2000 and rubbed it a bit with compound.
As Always, Comment and Critique Welcome (and I can handle the truth).

[Mike A. Smith]

Ooooo! Very elegant George!

[Christopher K. Hartley]

George great job and very classy with that contrast. I do wrestle just a bit with the height of the finial but that is probably just me. Other than that it's a home run! Thanks for the materials rundown as well. It really got me thinking.:)

[Steve Schlumpf]

Very nice George! Great material contrast! Really like the detail work in the finial.

[charlie knighton]

great work and great ideas! on a previous post you showed us your craft show display area, what kind of price point would you have on that unusal box of ebony and ivory at a craft show, i have not seen anything similar except for the shape and your form is excellant

[Bernie Weishapl]

That is a beauty. Great way to find stuff George.

[Barry Elder]

Very Nice, George!! But I hate to take the time away from turning to go to flea markets, etc.

[George Guadiane]

great work and great ideas! on a previous post you showed us your craft show display area, what kind of price point would you have on that unusal box of ebony and ivory at a craft show, i have not seen anything similar except for the shape and your form is excellant
Cindy Drozda would probably get $1500 to 2500 for one, but mine REALLY isn't that good - I need a lot of work on my finials. I am going to TRY and get $500.00 for it. SOME (perhaps MANY) people are going to be offended by my use of ivory, so I don't know how it will be received.
Barry, I am an Antique Dealer too, it's part of how I pay the rent, so I'm going out anyway.
Christopher, I thought the finial was too tall too, but my wife said she likes it, so SWMBO decided for us... ALSO, the finial actually bent a little, just like wood sometimes does, but I don't know how to straighten this, and am afraid that I might REALLY mess it up if I go at it again.
Thank You Everyone for your kind words!

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Christopher, I thought the finial was too tall too, but my wife said she likes it, so SWMBO decided for us... ALSO, the finial actually bent a little, just like wood sometimes does, but I don't know how to straighten this, and am afraid that I might REALLY mess it up if I go at it again.
Thank You Everyone for your kind words!George, She's the Expert! :D I know, cause so is mine! Please don't go at it again...I have ruined a number of pieces trying to improve them. It just never seems to work right.:)

[Brett Baldwin]

I like your recycling strategies George. They obviously work out well. I like your piece and the only thing I could find that didn't seem to match the rest is the flat profile of the top. With all the other curves in the piece, it seems like the top would benefit from a slightly concave or convex profile. JMHO.

[George Guadiane]

I like your recycling strategies George. They obviously work out well. I like your piece and the only thing I could find that didn't seem to match the rest is the flat profile of the top. With all the other curves in the piece, it seems like the top would benefit from a slightly concave or convex profile. JMHO.
Thanks Brett,
The pictures don't show it well, but there IS a slight break, about 1/3 up from the rim. It could probably have been a little more pronounced, but I was starting to worry about thick/thinness.
I have another "dead elephant" to play with, so I will try again.

[Frank Kobilsek]

George,

Your materials acquistion plan is great. I bought a box of old costume jewelry at an auction a while back because there was a tourquise necklace in the box. 10 bucks. A lady I know from the auctions just had to ask because she had never seen me buy anything like this before. When I told her I intended to crush the Tourquise to use as inlay in my woodturning she was very offended. Hey 'finders keepers'. People are weird.

Frank

[George Guadiane]

George, She's the Expert (LOYL)! :D I know, cause so is mine! Please don't go at it again...I have ruined a number of pieces trying to improve them. It just never seems to work right.:)
WELL, I JUST COULDN'T LEAVE IT ALONE!!!!:rolleyes:
After looking at it all weekend, and not having sold it, I decided to go at it again, against advice. I took out the "bump" on the finial and moved the "bump" on the lid a little higher and made it more pronounced.
Let me know what you think:

[TYLER WOOD]

much gooder!

[Brett Baldwin]

I think the change was a good one. More simple overall but it seems better balanced. Nice work getting it there without destroying it.

[Glenn Hodges]

George the truth is that is one elegant piece of work, and I am thankful just to see it.

[George Guadiane]

WELL, I JUST COULDN'T LEAVE IT ALONE!!!!:rolleyes:
After looking at it all weekend, and not having sold it, I decided to go at it again, against advice. I took out the "bump" on the finial and moved the "bump" on the lid a little higher and made it more pronounced.
Let me know what you think:
At a local craft show, a furniture restoration guy saw the piece and asked if I would do some small turnings for a repair, I told him I wanted to look at the job... I guess he thought the finial was good, and indicated some skill.
Long story short, I thought "NO PROBLEM..."
If you want to be humbled, try and turn 12 pieces 3 inches long with SEVERAL narrow points of about 3/16 of an inch, AND MAKE THEM MATCH. :eek:
After I stopped breaking every piece, I finally got one (close). I did a second one, also close, but different from the first. When I had 8 of them, ALL DIFFERENT, I showed them to the guy and he said finish the rest, these will do.
Now I don't normally DO "These will do," but MAN, I had HOURS in the job and no HOPE of getting 12 to match with those dimensions.
He came and picked up the 18 (so he could mix and match to get a "flow"), paid me and asked if I could do better on larger diameter pieces of the same design... I told him I wanted to try, that I thought a little thicker might give me a better chance at control. NOW, it's an issue, I am determined to get the next set right, or die trying.
Wish me luck!

[David Fried]

Looks great! The Ebony and Ivory provided a great contrast.

It's tough to make two things match, let alone 18!! Best of luck.

[Paul Engle]

Hang in there George, you're on the right track, nothing like a challenge to improve our skills and grow. :D

[Nancy Laird]

It's tough to make two things match, let alone 18!! Best of luck.

Yep. Ask Ken F. about his knobs and ship's wheel spokes.:D Or ask any woman about sewing, knitting, or crocheting anything matching. Bah!!

George, gorgeous box!!!!

Nancy (53 days)

[Brett Baldwin]

The words you dread hearing...."That's beautiful! Can you make another one just like it? I'd love a matched set."

[Ken Fitzgerald]

George....First I liked both versions of that box.

About your humbling experience. I turned some bubinga drawer knobs for a guy in Seattle. That was humbling...very humbling. Turning 12 of anything to be exactly the same.....Whew!

Then a week later after I publically stated here I wouldn't do it again, I had a weak moment and volunteered to turn 8 spindles for the steering wheel on Dave Richards sailboat. Again humbling!

Multiples of anything can be a tremendous challenge! Dummy that I am, I'll probably do it again.

I really like your box!

[George Guadiane]

George....First I liked both versions of that box.

About your humbling experience. I turned some bubinga drawer knobs for a guy in Seattle. That was humbling...very humbling. Turning 12 of anything to be exactly the same.....Whew!

Then a week later after I publically stated here I wouldn't do it again, I had a weak moment and volunteered to turn 8 spindles for the steering wheel on Dave Richards sailboat. Again humbling!

Multiples of anything can be a tremendous challenge! Dummy that I am, I'll probably do it again.

I really like your box!
Thanks Ken, and everyone for your kind words, personal experiences and encouragement.
I had a chance to pass on the next set of spindles, but I'm going to use this as a chance to improve my control, and get to be better. I don't have to like it, some learning experiences are not all that much fun, but this will make me a better person, and help keep my massive ego in check.

[Skip Spaulding]

I liked it the 1st time, still like it 2nd time around. A very elegant piece turned from very expensive materials acquired at a very modest price. I think I'll be checking yard sales etc. a lot closer from now on!

[George Guadiane]

I liked it the 1st time, still like it 2nd time around. A very elegant piece turned from very expensive materials acquired at a very modest price. I think I'll be checking yard sales etc. a lot closer from now on!
YYYYYYYYYYYYYyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh hhhhhhhhhh!
A CONVERT!
You have no idea what is out there, don't hit it every time, but devinitely enough to make it worth while!