Project Information
This is a manzanita plank experimental turning … its a bowl, sorta I guess? It's not really round, but its got a bowl shape in the middle. It's about a 12/4 piece of manzanita trunk, I wasn't sure exactly what I was going to do with it when I bought it. This seemed appropriate, first hollowing it out then looking at it as a rather boring object, just a plank with a hollow section.
This felt like I was attempting to stick a finger in an airplane prop! The whole concept was rather disturbing. Somehow, I needed to get past that fear of turning things that are not fully there. Everything doesn't have to be a completely round object in order to spin it. Just keep your RPM's up and your touch VERY light. That, at least, is the theory … cause otherwise, the tool pops up, your piece slams to a stop, belts squeal, and you yank back fast HOPING to avoid being smacked with the tool or getting your finger sucked in between the piece and the rest. (ugh) ... This was setup with a heavy 6" cast iron faceplate and it probably weights 10-12lbs itself. A lot of mass spinning there, it was not going to stop without a good amount of resistance.
I still have a distinctive hesitation when turning things like this, I have a ways to get past that feeling that I'm gonna loose an arm. It feels like the whole time I'm doing this I am trying to counter the recoil of a gun. That tense feeling that makes you mess up a shot when you anticipate it. Definitely need to relax.
Anyway I avoided getting smacked in the face with a tool today, but … there's always tomorrow for that! I stopped to drop off the red mallee bowl as a present for a friend who owns a local vineyard, sat down, and had a nice big glass of Barbara when this was done. A well deserved drink I think!
Not sure what this piece is worth, I think I'm gonna keep it around at least for a while just to prove to myself I can do this. My next steps will be to try it with some of these weird oblongish elongated burls and weird sections of tree.
Still building the finish up a bit, natural just Waterlox. I've been taking the photos before they get too glossy to avoid glare. I think this one is going to get a pretty high polish in the bowl section then a satin around it on the flat (which does have a bit of shape too it) then I will high polish the ends and edges. We'll see …
This felt like I was attempting to stick a finger in an airplane prop! The whole concept was rather disturbing. Somehow, I needed to get past that fear of turning things that are not fully there. Everything doesn't have to be a completely round object in order to spin it. Just keep your RPM's up and your touch VERY light. That, at least, is the theory … cause otherwise, the tool pops up, your piece slams to a stop, belts squeal, and you yank back fast HOPING to avoid being smacked with the tool or getting your finger sucked in between the piece and the rest. (ugh) ... This was setup with a heavy 6" cast iron faceplate and it probably weights 10-12lbs itself. A lot of mass spinning there, it was not going to stop without a good amount of resistance.
I still have a distinctive hesitation when turning things like this, I have a ways to get past that feeling that I'm gonna loose an arm. It feels like the whole time I'm doing this I am trying to counter the recoil of a gun. That tense feeling that makes you mess up a shot when you anticipate it. Definitely need to relax.
Anyway I avoided getting smacked in the face with a tool today, but … there's always tomorrow for that! I stopped to drop off the red mallee bowl as a present for a friend who owns a local vineyard, sat down, and had a nice big glass of Barbara when this was done. A well deserved drink I think!
Not sure what this piece is worth, I think I'm gonna keep it around at least for a while just to prove to myself I can do this. My next steps will be to try it with some of these weird oblongish elongated burls and weird sections of tree.
Still building the finish up a bit, natural just Waterlox. I've been taking the photos before they get too glossy to avoid glare. I think this one is going to get a pretty high polish in the bowl section then a satin around it on the flat (which does have a bit of shape too it) then I will high polish the ends and edges. We'll see …