Wolf Kiessling
02-13-2004, 1:57 PM
I used to think that the devil came in the guise of my ex-wife but I now know better. Satan comes in the shape of a Delta 46-701 lathe.
After I finished my wormy maple bowl last weekend, I finished off the last of my magnolia "paper weight" series of bowls which had been sitting around waiting for the cracks,that developed when I first turned it, to close. I then promised myself I would not do any more turning until I finished the cowboy bust. I even went so far as to clean up the lathe shavings which were starting to encroach on the chips and sawdust in the carving area of the studio (read shop). I had one more bowl blank sitting on the shelf but I figured I'd let that go until I finished the bust. I actually worked on the bust faithfully for three days.
This morning I went out to the shop and worked on the cowboy for about an hour. I then got thinking about that bowl blank sitting on the shelf. I swear, it actually started calling me. Really, I heard it plainly. I'm telling you, turning is a disease, an insidious one at that. Doggone if I didn't mount the blank on the lathe. I thought, no harm no foul, it can sit on the lathe as easily as on the shelf. I went back to the cowboy bust - for all of 5 minutes. Guess what, I again have a whole collection of shavings under the lathe. I'm sick, I need to have my head shrunk. Dad gum it, I have will power (I was able to quit smoking after 35 years), I can do it. As soon as I sign off this durned thing, I'm going back out to work on the cowboy. Right..... I will..... Sure..... Really.... I mean it.......
After I finished my wormy maple bowl last weekend, I finished off the last of my magnolia "paper weight" series of bowls which had been sitting around waiting for the cracks,that developed when I first turned it, to close. I then promised myself I would not do any more turning until I finished the cowboy bust. I even went so far as to clean up the lathe shavings which were starting to encroach on the chips and sawdust in the carving area of the studio (read shop). I had one more bowl blank sitting on the shelf but I figured I'd let that go until I finished the bust. I actually worked on the bust faithfully for three days.
This morning I went out to the shop and worked on the cowboy for about an hour. I then got thinking about that bowl blank sitting on the shelf. I swear, it actually started calling me. Really, I heard it plainly. I'm telling you, turning is a disease, an insidious one at that. Doggone if I didn't mount the blank on the lathe. I thought, no harm no foul, it can sit on the lathe as easily as on the shelf. I went back to the cowboy bust - for all of 5 minutes. Guess what, I again have a whole collection of shavings under the lathe. I'm sick, I need to have my head shrunk. Dad gum it, I have will power (I was able to quit smoking after 35 years), I can do it. As soon as I sign off this durned thing, I'm going back out to work on the cowboy. Right..... I will..... Sure..... Really.... I mean it.......