Cherry Log Vase - Creation Process

[Matt Hutchinson]

Well, so as not to muddy up the subject of my other threads about this piece, and to consolidate all the information into one place, this will be the official thread for how I make the Cherry Log Vase. I will be updating it over the course of the next few months.

Here's the idea of the piece. It will be executed on a much larger scale, with the final form being over 5' tall.



Thanks for looking!

Hutch

[Matt Hutchinson]

Why hollow up from the base? Aren't buyers looking for a fully hollowed form?

A similar question to this was raised in another thread pertaining to this piece. Here's my thinking:

1. The drying process. I am taking this piece out of a full log that's curved. I have the log, but at this point I don't know where the pith will be in the final form until I decide which axis to turn it on. No matter how it's hollowed, if the cracking gets out of hand I need to be able to repair/stabilize it. If I have to work inside the form for this, I won't want to have to try to reach 5' into it and work in a 5" wide space.

2. Form. I understand what you're saying, but I don't think a potential buyer is after a deep vase for the deep hollowing. I love the elegance of this piece, and I am guessing a future buyer will too. It's sorta along the same lines as to why deep, closed mouth forms don't get sanded thoroughly on the inside.

3. Safety. I've never done this before, and though I know it can be done, there may be safety concerns that extra deep hollowing brings to the table of which I am not aware.

4. Design. I feel that as soon as the base starts to flare out, there too begins the foot. Basically, wherever the smallest diameter ends up, to me, that is the bottom of the vase.

5. Tipsiness. As you said, it certainly will raise the center of gravity a little, but if it's only 5-6" at the base it will be tipsy no matter what. I want the ability to add weight to the bottom, whether through attaching it discretely to a heavy pedestal, or actually including weight in the foot.

I guess we'll find out if all this pans out within a few months.

Hutch

P.S. I don't really like the idea of having to add weight to it.

[alex carey]

im looking forward to it, keep us posted.

[John Hart]

Hutch...I have a question.

First off...let me say...I am a big fan of doing outlandish things....no matter how badly I'll be maimed in the process...or how embarrassed I might be in the end.

I am having trouble wrapping my head around this deep-hollowing thing. I have a hollowing scraper that I call "Big Bertha". She's as big as a horse's leg, but rides like a buckin' bronco if I go deeper than 9 inches.

Then I have a hollowing rig, that gives me stability in the back-end....but even good tool steel bends if you extend the tip beyond its ability to withstand the force (over-hung load) exerted by the moving piece.

My gut tells me that you can't even create a toolrest that will withstand it at the depths you are describing.

But like you said...It can be done. My question is..."How?"

[alex carey]

well there's no question its possible, seen plenty of other people do it, just a matter of getting everything big enough.

[John Hart]

Yeah...I guess that's my question Alex...just how big to go? I'm imagining Hutch using a 2" diameter drive shaft to hold a scraping bit. I mean...if that's what it takes..then that's what it takes. Just curious.

[Roland Martin]

Wow, if & when you achieve this, it's gonna be awesome. Take your time, think things through, and by all means, "Don't Hurt Yourself"

[Ernie Nyvall]

Yeah...I guess that's my question Alex...just how big to go? I'm imagining Hutch using a 2" diameter drive shaft to hold a scraping bit. I mean...if that's what it takes..then that's what it takes. Just curious.

Uh oh, got me to thinking now, and yes, it makes a funny sound. If you made your own banjo that sat flat with the ways so that the sleeve holding the tool rest went down between the ways. This would give enough room to weld braces on the tool rest for the 5' extension. You couldn't move the banjo across the ways, but with a slight curve in the rest, it might work. You might have to rig something to pull down on the back side of the rest, but it would still seem to need a 2" bar for that length. Actually to hold the back side of the rest rigid to the ways might be the the best of these two ideas, and you might not have to go between the ways for the support.

I've seen some tall turnings, but never really wondered how they did it. oh well.

[Bernie Weishapl]

5 ft. Can anyone say pucker power. John is right he would need a drive shaft at 5 ft.

[Robert Arrowood]

There is a guy here in Charlotte NC that doe's it all the time.He is has a web site to show his trrnings.His last name is Anatolle. I think thats how you spell it.Had the site saved on another computer but it crashed.

[Matt Hutchinson]

Well, you better believe it's gonna be one heck of a ride. Right now I plan on using a couple 2" diameter boring bars. One will be about 6 feet long, and I am hoping the other will be 9-10 feet long. The shorter one will be for hollowing a couple feet deep, and the long one for the rest.

As for safety, I am definitely gonna proceed with caution. The log is setting next to my lathe. It's a good 350-400 lbs of 12" diameter crooked cherry. So spinning an out of balance 6 foot log that heavy on only a 1500-2000 pound lathe certainly makes me a little nervous.

BUT......I also can spin it at about 30 rpms, which would be ridiculously tedious, but if I have to go that route for safety I will.

Hutch

P.S. Anatoly Tsiris.....yeah, he's got it figured out. He's done 7 foot hollow forms. Hmm.....maybe someday.

[Nathan Hawkes]

Matt, I happened upon this picture looking for a picture of the small handheld Glaser hollowing rig that isn't made anymore. Frank Sudol had a pretty amazing hollowing system of his own which is much more up your alley:

[David DeCristoforo]

Here's another guy who likes to turn "big stuff"..

http://www.virgiltreeart.com/Welcome...7/Default.aspx

[Paul Douglass]

i'm think'n you attach a cutting tool to the and of a backhole.....

[Jake Helmboldt]

Here's another guy who likes to turn "big stuff"..

http://www.virgiltreeart.com/Welcome...7/Default.aspx

"Big stuff" - there is an understatement! Did you see the size of the chuck that guy uses? That is just sick!

Hutch, he even has your forklift to load the blank on the lathe.