#29 Big Leaf burl HF

[Scott Hackler]

I will echo the other and say that it looks great. The only problem I see is the pedestal. Something about it just doesnt flow right. I think mayb e a little taller and a wider base, with less detail work on the pedestal. The pedestal should be showcasing this piece, not drawing eyes away from it. I am always of the notion of either a simple pedestal or no pedestal at all, but thats just my personal opinion.

You are definitely setting the bar high for being a "newbie"!

[Bill Bolen]

Simply gorgeous John. Love the finial and that wood is stunning...Bill...

[Ian James Webster]

John - I am always blown away by the beauty of your work. I aspire to come close to your skill.

[Roger Chandler]

John,

This hollow form is EXQUISITE!!! The one you got your inspiration from would probably look at this HF with admiration herself. Of course I cannot speak for her or for anyone but myself, but all I can say I WOW!

The symetry is very good, with the finial and the body all in good preportion to one another, and the burl itself is beautiful, and the corresponding rings are definitely complementary to one another.

You are indeed quite skilled in turning.

[bob svoboda]

Simply beautiful, John!

[Jeff Fagen]

You are definetly giving Cindy a run for her money.
My question is how do you keep the cats away from this kind of form.

[Roland Martin]

John, I'm at a loss for words, ah,ah,ah.

[Roland Martin]

I think I can come up with something now. From the drawing board to the photography, you have an incredible eye for form and the apparrent ability to follow through with great skill. I absolutely love the justice you've done to this beautiful burl. If the tree would still be alive, I'm sure it would want to hug you! Keep 'em coming John, as you can see from the amount of replies, you inspire many.

[Jim Slovik]

John,
I agree 100% with Roland. Your work is inspiring. So many of us work on one type of form until we feel proficient at it and then try something a little different and our work evolves slowly. You, on the other hand, are fearless. We just never know what is coming next from you. Whenever I see your latest turning, I can't wait for the next.
Jim

[Joe Aliperti]

I've been spending more time on the penturning forum lately, and every time I come back here, your skills have increased 10-fold.

This piece is the best I've seen from you yet, John. Nice work!

[Baxter Smith]

A great piece of burl and I love the combination of colors. The top half is outstanding but I tend to agree with you about the lower half. Watching you refine your skills is enjoyable!

[Brian Effinger]

Spectacular, John!

[John Keeton]

All of you are so very kind with your remarks!! Thank you. I truly do appreciate the compliments.

...photos looks great as well.

Thanks, Steve!! All of your prodding/encouragement to work on the photography/display of my turnings finally sunk in!!

Like others, I think the pedestal could be a little better. I looks like to me that the diameter of the pedestal at the very bottom is less than the diameter just above it. If the curve of the larger diameter continued to the bottom, I think it would be just right.

BL maple burl is great to work with. Most years I get a 4 or 500 lb. pallet of it from Oregon.

My only suggestion is that the pedestal foot is too small. A bit wider would give it a better balance IMO. I know that Cindy makes hers small but I've seen a number of her pieces that to me look like a small breeze would blow them over.

Wally

Wally

Steve S., Wally, Steve C., and the several others that commented on the base/pedestal - I agree! Before doing this one, I studied the piece that Cindy did. While I felt the same on the base, I also did not trust my judgment. I simply do not feel I have enough experience yet. After I completed the piece, and set it up for photos, I knew I should have made it a bit wider - too late!

In fact Wally, your comment about a small breeze would blow it over is EXACTLY what Ms. Keeton said when she looked at it. She liked it, but that was her next statement - to the letter!

All of this is experimentation for me. So many new things to try, and some of them I do just to see if I can. I learn so much with each piece, as I did with this one.

I read with interest a thread from 2008 where Toney was trying to get juried, and several of the comments spoke of having a "signature" look. I haven't tried all of the different techniques and styles that I want to try, but I can say that I like doing the lidded hollow forms better than anything yet. That said, it is nice to do something more simple between the tougher pieces.

Wally, I certainly share your love of the Big Leaf burls!! They are so nice to work with, and I love walnut. The two of them go together so well. Mike Smith is on his way to Oregon as we speak to get some wood, and part of that will be the burls. Already have my order in for some more!!

PS I miss the pillow case. Did you wash it with a red shirt or something?

Doug, it was a deeply emotional experience when the trashcan/pillowcase photo backdrop was retired!! With some help from Joe Aliperti, and constant "encouragement" from Steve Schlumpf, I finally built a photo tent with some gradient paper. Steve also put me on to another software program that I am playing with a little, and that is where the shaded borders are from.

If you don't mind could you share a little bit in how you put the walnut ring on the piece? Do you turn it seperate and glue it on or is it part of the original piece? Just trying to get my mind around how something like this goes together. Thanks,

John

John, after the form was shaped on the outside, I turned a flat bottom recess in the top. Then, with another chuck, I turned a walnut disk, with a lip matching the slope of the form adjacent to the recess. The lip on the walnut overrides the recess by about 1/8" - just enough to cover the glue line.

With both pieces in the chucks, but off the lathe, I just inverted the chuck with the walnut, and glued it in the recess - with the chuck still on for weight.

The trick, however, was to make the recess deep enough so that when I hollowed the form and sloped the outside and inside contours into the opening - only walnut showed. The maple tapers out just prior to the opening.

Hope that made sense?!?!?

Thanks, again, everyone!

[Tony De Masi]

Amazing work Mr. Keeton. There's not much I can add to what others have complimented you on or made suggestions to. Can you believe all this started because you just wanted to make some table legs?

Tony

[Jake Helmboldt]

Amazing work Mr. Keeton. There's not much I can add to what others have complimented you on or made suggestions to. Can you believe all this started because you just wanted to make some table legs?

Tony

Tony, John is the poster child for the vortex, only some might get sucked in thinking they too can have this kind of accelerated curve.

John, that wood is stunning and as others have said, your eye for pairing woods is always impressive.

On a technical note, what tools are you using for hollowing? I'm about to take that leap (if I can find time to turn with my new job ).