Tulipwood Vase Thingy

[Mike A. Smith]

6.25" tall and 5.5" at the belly. Not turned thin, probably 1/2" at the thickest point, wanted this one to look/feel solid. I struggled a lot on picking the second wood with all the colors in the tulipwood; ended up with purple heart that I let darken to burgundy, the light band is maple. Sanded to 400, 000 wool, then multiple coats of lathe applied wipe on poly. I'm afraid to wax it because of the pores in the purple heart.

Comments/critiques always welcome...

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Excuse the multiple pictures, but with everything going on in that tulipwood it looks different from every angle.

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[Ken Fitzgerald]

Mike........I like the form....the wood combinations and the finish. The wood combinations really please my taste.......Nicely done sir!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Mike - great color combinations! Very pleasing form and finish! Nice work!

[Tom Sherman]

The form and combination of wood looks good to me Mike.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Mike that is a great looking vase. I really like the wood combo. Finish looks good.

[Glenn Hodges]

Ditto to all the above comments, plus I like it.

[Arlan Ten Kley]

Nice combination of woods, Mike. I like that shape too! Is the Tulipwood what others may also call Yellow Poplar or Tulip-Poplar? I'm still relatively new to the southeast and am trying to learn a whole new set of trees!

[Mike A. Smith]

Sorry Arlan, this was purchased so all I know is that's what they called it.

[Christopher Hunter]

Love it!
The shape woks well with the contrasting colors
Great Job!!!!
--Chris

[Pete Jordan]

Very, Very Nice!

[Jim Becker]

That works pretty well, Mike. Nice contrasts in the material and a somewhat "classic" vessel shape.

I am thinking I'd like to see another one of these with the top half reduced in weight and diameter...a little more delicate in that area, perhaps. Take some chucks of "whatever" and experiment with just the form. Don't bother hollowing, just do several, changing the proportions. Part them off, spray them with flat black paint and put them on a shelf side-by-side a few feet away...and stare at them! You may be surprised to find some variations that are even more pleasing.

Great piece!

[Brian McInturff]

Wow, always thought of tulipwood as being pretty bland. I'm impressed with what you were able to do with it. It's a beautiful piece.

[John Fricke]

N ice looking piece. My dad used to make a lot of pens with Tulip wood that was higly figured. I'm pretty sure it was an exotic wood, not a local species.

[robert hainstock]

very nice combination of woods and the form is great. Any open grained wood like purpleheart can be sealed up with multiple coats of finish if thats what you are doing. Then you can wax away. just sand the finih between coats with wet, (wet or dry) 600 grit to the surface. :)
Bob

[Ben Gastfriend]

Great form. I like the contiuous curve from the base to the neck. I'll concur with the above- nice color combos!