Start to finish… "Parfait" step by step.

[David DeCristoforo]

"Here I was thinking that most pedestals were one piece turnings ...This is brilliant!"

Not so much brilliant as cheap!

[David DeCristoforo]

Today I got the finial done. It was not easy! Four separate, very small pieces with tiny tenons on the ends. I decided to go with the embellishment that represents a small version of the main form. The reason I landed on that one was because... well... I just wanted to! I also went with the elongated "onion" shape for the main piece of the finial. My thinking was that the cove element is repeated several times as is the "ogee" shape. The one thing that did not repeat anywhere was the stem of the pedestal. This finial incorporates a reflected repeat of that shape. I have to apologize for the crappy cell phone pic and also the lack of pics of the various components. I took them but they are all so blurred that they are not worth messing with.

This was to most divergent from the drawings of all the various pieces that have gone into this. I modified everything "on the fly" because they all looked "fat" when turned to the drawn dimensions. So everything was scaled down. Here is the finished finial:

finial_1.jpg

Tomorrow I will get it all put together and post pics of the finished piece...

[Roger Chandler]

Very unique! The rosewood replication of the form is quite good, David. I like that you were able to get some sapwood in the replication as well. Looking forward to the finished piece...........I think we need a grand orchestra to play an appropriate fanfare intro to your debut!

[John Keeton]

Well, aside from the crappy picture (yes, it is crappy!!) it looks great!! I sure am looking forward to seeing it put together, David.

[David E Keller]

I like the finial as a stand alone element, but I can't visualize the finished piece... What are the odds of you poking that finial in the top and that pedestal in the bottom and giving us all a little peak? Patience is a virtue that I've not attained.

[David DeCristoforo]

"What are the odds...giving us all a little peak?"

Zip! Sorry... just no time. But I promise... tomorrow...

[Trevor Howard]

OK its Tomorrow

Seriously, thank you for taking the time to document this piece. Hopefully when I improve I can come back and re-fresh on how to do one.

[David DeCristoforo]

I wanted to thank everyone who took the time to check out this thread and comment on it. It's been "fun". I also should apologise again for the appalling photography of the finial. I was really pressed for time when I was making it so even though I did stop to take pictures of each component, I was just in too much of a hurry and they were all blurred beyond what the "sharpen" filter could rectify.

Please do not make the mistake of seeing this thread as a "tutorial". It was not my intention to do a "how to". One of the things I learned in doing it is that many of the processes I have evolved over the last year are a bit cumbersome and in no way represent the "best way" to get things done. I've probably learned more from doing this thread than anyone!

[David DeCristoforo]

Since Greg Ketell has seen fit to add this to his "sticky" Start to Finish thread, I thought I'd better add a finished pic! Thanx Greg...

parfait_finished_1.jpg

[Greg Ketell]

Thank YOU, David. This was an awesome thread and a freaking beautiful finished piece. You did stellar work!!


(for future readers, you can find more pictures of this gorgeous piece of art here: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...The-Anticlimax)