A little catch up, a wood gloat, and a quiz!

[John Keeton]

Thought I would post a little catch up on my recent shop time. Had a lot of 'stuff' going on, and haven't gotten in a lot of turning time. Did finish up the pot pourri bowls/pots - between the Monster hollowing rig and the new Holdfast vacuum chuck this project went pretty fast!
POT POURRI.jpg
Then, while Ms. Keeton had a group of ladies out, I turned a cherry bowl from a piece of the dry cherry that I recently got. 11.25" x 3.25". Walls are 3/16". For all you guys that turn bowls, I want you to know how much respect I have for you!!! Honestly, turning a HF, with a stem and pedestal is easier!
CHERRY BOWL.jpgCHERRY BOWL2.jpg
Then, today, a box showed up and inside was this neat piece of sycamore from Mike Cruz!! I have this sitting on my workbench and starting to get some ideas on what I could do with it. Thanks, Mike!!!
SYCAMORE.jpg
And, lastly, for the quiz - this is one part of a multi-part turning that is my current work in progress. Anyone want to take a guess as to what it represents? BTW, I turned this on just the 3" vacuum chuck pulling 22Hg!! It was 11" wide, and I honestly didn't think it would hold. Never budged!
1.jpg

[Bernie Weishapl]

John those are some really nice pots. Looks like the monster worked well. I am not going to venture a guess on your last piece. Maybe a vacuum chuck lid???

[Fred Perreault]

Then, while Ms. Keeton had a group of ladies out, I turned a cherry bowl from a piece of the dry cherry that I recently got. 11.25" x 3.25". Walls are 3/16". For all you guys that turn bowls, I want you to know how much respect I have for you!!! Honestly, turning a HF, with a stem and pedestal is easier!

John, It was kind of you to think of us mere mortals in your post, but patronizing those of us that couldn't even begin to create the kind of "stuff' you and your ilk complete is , well, well, ....I dunno. You are definitely a major leaguer, and when I grow up I hope to be able to finish at least one of those flying saucers on a stick
Good luck with the sycamore.... we have lots of that in my area, and I just opened some up that was incredibly curly. Ho, hum.... another platter or bowl.

[David DeCristoforo]

"...take a guess as to what it represents? ..."

I'm seeing ripples here....

[John Keeton]

"...take a guess as to what it represents? ..."

I'm seeing ripples here....

You may be on to something!

[patrick michael stein]

hi john,


i say a cymbal as in drums lol

[alex carey]

Looks ALMOST like someone threw a rock into a small pond and now its rippling out.

[Steve Schlumpf]

John - your potpourri bowls sure turned out nice!

Very nice Cherry bowl! I really like the classic form!

Can't help but notice that the detail work on the bottom of the Cherry bowl looks somewhat similar to the piece on the lathe. That's all I'm saying.... it looks similar.

[Tom Sherman]

Got a feeling there is going to be a stick going into the hole in the middle. Will it be a holder upper or a sticker upper?

[Jon Lanier]

Quiz..... Woofer? Sub-Woofer?

[David E Keller]

Nice looking bowl, John. That's what a good salad bowl is supposed to look like I think.

As for the quiz, I'm envisioning an artistic piece that involves some type of suspended form with the rippled piece shown as a base of sorts. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing more.

[Michael James]

nice potpourris.. I keep seeing these glass ones at work with a tenon looking neck and base.....this is a much better design. thanks!

And "what does it represent?"..I could get into the infinity of the circle, the alpha / omega of the cycles of life, or just say... "Heck.I have no idea". Nicely done, whatever it is!

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Nice looking potpourri bowls John, something I don't like making much, but I think these will be treasured .

I like the Cherry bowl, good shape and good color now (will get even better later) though 3/16" is a little thin for a bowl that size I'd think, the foot/base looks good as well.

Now for that Sycamore, It looks pretty rotten from down here ;-))) .

Big(ger) disk, would be a good base for a spinning spray finish top , good size for a skeet object also

[Jon McElwain]

My first guess on the quiz was the cymbal and drum set like Patrick said, but upon closer inspection, I'm guessing you are making ripples in water from a drop of water or small object dropped into a round pool of still water.

Oh, and one problem I see in the photos with the shop in the background is the distinct lack of sawdust! I mean, you probably need to post some shop photos with a little dust and dirt around to make us believe it's all real!!

[John Keeton]

Thanks for the nice words on the pot pourri bowls and the cherry bowl. Leo, I don't like doing the pot pourri bowls either!! But, I was committed to doing them as Christmas presents. I really had no idea how heavy the cherry bowl might be, and so I took the walls down a little. Surprised me as to how light weight it really was!

The sycamore is rotten in the top area (pith area) but is rock solid on the bottom. It is about 3.5" wide, and I am thinking about doing a very petite hollow form with a figured wood inset collar.

Some really good comments on the quiz!! I have highlighted some key words - I believe many of you are onto the general theme of the construction. The interpretive side of this piece would be very difficult to guess without seeing the whole thing. Hope to make some good progress on it over the next few days.

...a small pond and now its rippling out.

The 'rippling out' has much to do with the theme.

...a stick going into the hole in the middle...

Of sorts - much more involved than that.

...artistic piece that involves some type of suspended form with the rippled piece shown as a base of sorts.

'Suspended' is a key word here, and this is the base, or a portion of the base. Still undecided on whether there will be more to the base.

...the cycles of life...

This is a key element of the theme, but much more to it.

...object dropped into a round pool of still water.

Sort of, but not an object per se - 'still' or calm is an element, too.