When I first got interested in wood turning I learned about a Master Turner named Rude Osolnik. As you may or may not know Rude was famous for making hourglass shaped candlesticks that were extremely thin in the middle. They look like a simple design but looks are deceiving. It is very hard to get an even thin section in the middle of two heavier sections. The rotational and centrifugal forces put a lot of strain on that thin center section, and its really easy to tear the piece in half.

That being said I really was inspired by the style and wanted to make something that was an homage to Rude and his Legacy. So I made the piece you see here. The wood obviously is walnut, and though it looks nothing like a Rude Osolnik piece it was definitely inspired by him.

A kind of funny story about it, I made it in the fall a couple of years and and around Christmas time my wife needed a gift for a “Secret Santa” at a company party she was going to. She asked me if she could take it, I said OK, knowing it looked OK but I still had a ways do go before I would be happy with it. She took it to her party and it turned out to be the hit of the party. It was the gift everyone wanted until The executive secretary of the CEO of the company selected it and made sure everyone knew she really wanted it and nobody better take it from her! LOL. I’ve made a couple more for people including a set of two for the CEO of my wife’s company, and while it certainly cant hold a candle to Rude Osolnik’s (pun intended) I am pretty happy with my Osolnik inspired candlesticks.

This is one of my first turnings. The wood is Spalted maple the finish is Mylands Friction Polish.
It’s a simple design but very well received.

I turned it mostly with a spindle gouge and cleaned it up with my 3/4 rolled edge skew.
I sanded it to 320 grit and applied a good healthy coat of the friction polish, buffing it in with a paper towel.

I have since built many more of these slightly larger that I drill out with a 5/8” bit and insert a test tube so it will actually hold water for user as a bud vase.