Christmas gifts in progress

I haven't posted anything in a while, because I am working on some Christmas gifts. I don't usually post "in progress" images, but this is taking so long I needed to feel like there actually is some progress. These are the first staved piece that Tamara and I are making, and we are learning as we go (including a new and specialaized vocabulary). If all goes as planned,these will be 8 staved vases. As usual, we have bitten off more than we can chew. In Malcolm's book he suggests when making staved pieces, to make more than one, because of the time consuming setup to cut the staves. I think we took that advice to the extreme. These are a true collaborative body of work, in that we have both been involved in every step. We are really looking forward to the finished pieces on these. We may have trouble giving them away. They have become like children to us. They have certainly been that much work. The forum seems a little lite on finished work lately. Does that mean that everyone else is knee deep in gift making also? If so, show us your "in progress" images. This pic shows my new segmented press invention. The "Ammo-Can-Full-of-Rocks" press (patent pending) in stores soon.

Brian,

Looks pretty involved! I can't wait to see the finished products!

I have a gift certificate for Amazon and have been considering ordering Malcolms book.

I've turned and posted pictures lately but I've been running into problems with the turnings lately.....warping wood....cracking wood......odd ball pen barrel sizes....I spent Saturday running around town trying to locate locally a 12" disk sander. I wanted to trim an odd ball sized pen barrel and blank and for future segmented turning.

The problems have been consuming a lot of shop time.

Brian - I have no idea what you are making - but I like surprises! Sure looks like a lot of work! Some really good looking wood combos there! Looking forward to seeing the finished pieces!

I haven't posted much because I have only been roughing out bowls and hollow forms. While I figure I can wrap a blank in brown paper with the best of them - it sure doesn't make for a very interesting thread! In this bag I have a bowl, this one another bowl, this one a hollow form....

Sorry, it was late last night when I posted the pic, and after two very long days in the shop, I didn't bother to explain what they are. These hopefully will be 8 staved vases. The bottoms range from bloodwood with maple accents, zebrawood with wenge accents, curly maple with bloodwood accents, curly maple with walnut accents, and walnut with maple accents. Most of the vase tops are spaulted aspen we found in the foothills near here, and one is walnut burl. The red rings to the left of the highly technical ring presses, are segmented rings waiting to be split and added as accents to some of the vases. The tennons still have to be cut off, and the vases glued together and finished turned, but that is next weekend. I added a pic to the post to help explain. Now that I am more coherrent, maybe this pic will help the visualization process. It is a lousey picture. What do you think I am, a photographer?

Brian those are going to be beauties. I did a bowl just I did one (segmented).

What do you mean knee deep????? How about armpit deep.:eek::cool::rolleyes:

Brian, those are looking great. The hard part is done so hurry up, we are waiting:)