Functional, food-grade art

Nice work you do… and welcome to LJ.
I look forward to seeing more of your work.

-- Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

Welcome to LJ! Great work, but I especially like those napkin holders.

-- "hold fast to that which is good"

Very cool really nice work
Welcome to LJs

-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/

Ok, here we go… I like the spiral cut (or octagon in this case) basket and have always wanted to try that, but I hadn’t thought about doing it with laminates. We have one cut from a single board that Leslie got years ago, so it sits here bugging me to try it.

QUESTION: At what angle would you recommend for setting the bandsaw?

-- HorizontalMike -- "Woodpeckers understand..."

Welcome to Lumberjocks. Your work is very good and I am glad you found us!

-- Erwin, Jacksonville, FL

Mike—
Do you have a woodstove? You’ll maybe need it to get rid of the ‘evidence.’ For every basket I make, three hit the woodstove due to one problem or another. There are 69 steps start-to-finish and each has to be perfect—or it becomes fuel. I do not keep ‘seconds.’ As to the angle, you’ll have to experiment a little with some cheap lumber…but it’s generally around 11 degrees. Also, you’ll find (IF you can find them) a 4-tooth / hook/ 3/16 bandsaw blade works best. Lennox has stopped making them and I’m finding it’s a challenge to get them now. I’ve even relegated myself to putting on a 1/4-inch blade and running it with the back against a stone to acquire the proper width. I do know some folks who attempt these on a scroll saw.

In colonial days, this was the mark of a quality furniture maker. He’d usually make one (unless there was a daughter involved—then she got one for her wedding) and put it in the window to show everybody the sort of quality he could turn out. Aaah…the advent of electricity and modern methods has made these a little easier to turn out now. But I STILL find myself throwing out more than I keep.

-- Art is long, life short ...

Nice work. Everything is really nice but I especially like the napkin holders also. I have made similiar baskets on my scrollsaw but they are not as large as yours. May have to try one on the bandsaw one day.

Welcome to LJ’s

-- Paul, North Dakota, USAF Ret.

Excellent work!

You might want to show a picture of the basket collapsed to give a better idea that the handle folds down and the basket itself will spiral flat. (I bought one from a gallery decades before the wood working bug bit me. And this design has always intrigued me)

-Dave

-- I'm not old. Just "well seasoned".

Very nice laminations. I’ve done some of this type of detail work…and you are indeed correct about the fireplace fuel….My shop was quite a bit warmer when I was doing this kind of work….I am considering something like this again for Xmas presents…..without adding another reminder here….it is getting too close for us woodworkers.

Welcome aboard to LJ’s….you will definitely find alot of nice stuff here…..there are some talented and helpful folks here.

-- Woodworking.....My small slice of heaven!

Nice work. I have considered trying to make these.
I am also into glue lamination, though I mostly do bowls now.

What is the biggest diameter basket you have completed?

Thanks for sharing
Scott

-- Scott Smith, Southern Illinois

The largest (and NEVER again) was 34 inches across in a diagonal. It was a laminated basket made of Padauk, Hard Maple, Wenge and Zebra. It went to the White House in 2003. The basket on the bottom right (under the napkin holders) went to Laura Bush in 2005.

-- Art is long, life short ...

Those are awesome. I’d love to see a blog on making one. Thanks for sharing.

-- Dan - Valparaiso, Indiana, "A smart man changes his mind, a fool never does."

Great piece of table art

-- Norman

Welcome to LJ. I just made my first basket using my scroll saw. I’m impressed by the beauty of your baskets. After viewing your projects, I’ve been inspired to try more! Thanks.

-- Lorna, Cape Cod