Lidded Segmented Urn

[Michael Stafford]

I just returned from John C Campbell Folk School after experiencing one of the most exhilarating and tiring weeks of woodturning you could imagine.

I took a course entitled "Turning an Old World Urn, Polychromatic Style" taught by Mr. Don Russell and assisted by Mr. Troy Bledsoe.

I have previously posted some pictures of segmented bowls I learned to construct and turn in a class with Don 18 months ago.

Don brings more than 40 years of turning to class. He had concerns about whether we would get everything done he wanted to get done in only 5 days. He has not taught the class in such a short time. He managed to extend the week by cracking the whip. We worked 3 hrs. Sun, 8 Mon, 9 Tues, 10 Wed and Thurs and 3 Friday before packing up.

Don encouraged us to be creative in our choices of wood and patterns and designs. He also wanted us to top our projects with spouts or lids.

Attached are photos of the lidded urn I finished. It is 9 1/2" dia. and 7 1/2" tall and is made from yellowheart, cherry, walnut, bloodwood, mahogany, maple and dyed veneers. Final wall thickness is 3/8"-1/2".

The other photo is one of Don's works in progress. His feature ring of stars has 256 pieces of wood in it alone.

In a separate thread I will post pictures of a spouted urn that did not get finished.

I hope you enjoy the fruits of my labor as much as I do. Thanks for looking.

[Dave Crabbs]

Mike,
The only thing I can say is WOW!!! I like the shape and the contrasting woods you used. How thick are the walls on the urn they look awfully thin?
Thanks for sharing,
Dave

[Michael Stafford]

I apologize for getting the pictures in the wrong order. Pilot error! Doh!

[Michael Stafford]

Dave, I inadvertantly left that info out but added it to the post- 3/8"-1/2".

[John Shuk]

Mike,
That is awesome. Some things I look at and think Someday maybe I'll get there. Other things like what you've done here I think no way. Really nice work.
John

[Jim Becker]

Beautiful job, Michael. It sounds like you had a great learning experience, too.

[Ted Shrader]

Mike -

Sure looks like you were a good student. The work is beautiful and you carried away a vast amount of knowledge.

Ted

[Tyler Howell]

Bravo, Bravo! Oscar Oscar!

Great performance Big Mike.

[Richard Allen]

What a huge effort! The urn looks terrific. You said you were in the shop 10 hours a day. That leaves 14 hours a day. I know you have to sleep but that leaves a little time. Could you discribe the John C Campbell Folk School experince beyond the woodturning classes?

I would also love to hear about about the process you went through in the class, like day one, day two...

GREAT work on the urns.

[Michael Stafford]

First and foremost the experience at JCCFS is wonderful. You sleep in houses with the other students, no tv, no radio, no phone, fax or internet. You eat in a big dining hall family style. I have never met a person I didn't like. The food is wonderful, plentiful and enjoyable.

As far as how things went:

Sunday when we got there we selected and turned a bottom bowl section and fitted a bottom to it and glued it up and clamped it.

Monday you reversed the bottom and attached it to the center/face ring assembly. Then after lunch we went to school on cutting bowl sections, frame ring sections and center ring sections.

Perhaps I should list from bottom to top what you see. A bowl bottom hidden in the base( still visible in the spouted urn), a 16 segment bowl, 3 ply veneer plywood, 24 segment mitered frame ring, veneer plywood, 16 segment center/feature ring, veneer plywood, frame ring, veneer plywood, and here it differs depending on what you want to do, either a 16 segment top or a 24 segment diffusion ring followed by the top as in the spouted urn.

Monday night we cut and glued diffusion rings and assembled them.

Tuesday we turned the glued assembly that we made Monday before lunch and flattened the diffusion ring so it could be attached to the top of the feature ring. Then we glued it on. Back to the mitersaws to learn how to construct the various rings.

Wednesday, turn the top of the diffusion ring flat and blend it into the rest of urn. Cut and construct top rings. More detail on decorating and designing feature rings.

Thursday attach and shape top rings. Start sanding process and finishing. More cutting of segments for other parts of bowls to replace some we had used.

Friday finish, some minor turning. Clean up, pack up and attend student display. Sit and relish the oohs and aahs...

A little simplified but I think you can see a very busy and well organized class. I took copious notes and many pictures...

The only caveat I have is that I would have been thoroughly intimidated had I not had the previous class with Don where you learn all of the cutting, assembly and turning techniques. He says it is an advanced class, but I believe anyone can learn to do it with Don's guidance.

[Dick Parr]

WOW Mike, very nice. You have moved up a notch or two with this one. Beautiful.

[Bruce Page]

Michael,

I uasually don't comment too much on round stuff but those are beautiful.

[Glenn Hodges]

Glad you had the chance to go to John Campbell. Looks and sounds like it was well worth the trip. This time of the year should have been a beautiful time up there. I have been up there, and really liked it. Thank you for sharring your experience with us, and your beautiful work.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Beautiful.....exquisite....gorgeous......just can't decide which or all to use for those!

[Charles McKinley]

Great work Mike! It sounds like a great week.