Bad, no matter how you look at it!

[Curt Fuller]

I turned this upside down, bell shaped box, which I don't really care for these shapes in the first place so I don't know why I did it. It was a waste of a nice piece of walnut with some nice grain and a little bark inclusion. Then I started screwing around trying to find a way to make a silk purse of the ugly thing. I made a skinny pedestal to sit it on and got it too skinny so it looked like it would break. Then I saw that the box had gotten a crack in it anyway which was getting bigger every time I looked at it. So I started screwing around with it and re-arranging things just to get some ideas.
This is how it was to start with.....I just don't like anything about it.


Then I tried flipping the pedestal around the other way.....still ugly.


So I traded places with the pedestal and the knob on top just to see if it might look better with a short pedestal and a tall finial. Still butt ugly.


Then I stuck the knob in the bottom of the box, turned it upside down and put the pedestal in the top of the lid and it ended up looking like some kind of a lamp.


Then I threw the whole danged thing in the garbage!
It looks pretty good sitting in there.

[David DeCristoforo]

And I thought I was hard on myself!

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Ahh that last picture reminds me somehow of Darth Vader, not so sure there's not someone that would really like this, but I guess it is tooo late :-((

[David E Keller]

That's pretty funny, Curt. I've got a pile of 'parts' from turnings past that I continue to detest. Occasionally, for no good reason, I sit down and try to make something attractive by assembling the bits and pieces... I've yet to succeed in making anything that appealed to me. Maybe if there are others out there, we should exchange 'scrap piles' to see if one man's trash is really another man's treasure.

FWIW, I actually like the bell shape on that piece, and the final arrangement is pretty cool... faux lamp!

[Steve Vaughan]

Not just Darth Vader but Darth Vader in the Mel what's his face comedy re-make...the little short guy with the great big helmet. Actually, I sort of like it, and I'd bet that there's someone out there that really would have appreciated it. But as Leo suggests, it just might be too late.

[David E Keller]

Not just Darth Vader but Darth Vader in the Mel what's his face comedy re-make...the little short guy with the great big helmet. Actually, I sort of like it, and I'd bet that there's someone out there that really would have appreciated it. But as Leo suggests, it just might be too late.

Rick Moranis' character in Space Balls

[Steve Vaughan]

That's it!

[Baxter Smith]

I can't say that I think 2, 3, or 4 were improvements, but #1 doesn't seem that far off. I haven't been turning long enough to have a great collection of these, but at this point, I would have kept it on a shelf in the shop to remind me of little things I didn't like. You must have really disliked it!

[Scott Hackler]

HAHAHA. At least you didn't super glue it all together before you wanted to try different ways to assemble it. I am usually locked into the goof up.

For me, with the current parts, the second one is the best. Utilizing this setup, I would suggest a thicker stem and a taller finial to offset the width of the bell. It is an easily salvable piece, IMO.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Great story Curt! Glad to see you keeping busy!

I actually liked the first version - with the exception of the knob. A finial that was closer to the pedestal in shape would have worked just fine! Maybe not something that you really liked but I'd bet one of those charity auctions would love to have a donation like that!

Looking forward to the next one!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Curt I like the first pic's. I can't tell you how many I have in the fire wood pile.

[Reed Gray]

While I almost never comment on pieces, I like the first one, but the lid does seem out of place.

robo hippy

[Fred Perreault]

Curt... I think that you were correct on all counts, right up to the point that you threw it/them away. I'll bet some neighborhood dog would have liked to play with it.... er... any of them, as a chew toy. It would have died being loved.

[John Keeton]

Curt, I guess the crack sort of cinched the deal for you, but I actually like the first pic - without the lid/finial. Or, like Steve, do a finial replicating the pedestal. But.....I think the last pic of the mushroom lamp/Darth Vader thingamajig is just too cool!!!

[Tim Rinehart]

Curt...that's too funny. I have a similar concoction of parts (including the bell shaped section) out of a very nice piece of figured walnut that is currently sitting in a box with finials, base, lid...and while I like the individual parts...the sum of the parts is less than I'd expect.
I may have to just post it as you've done to see what others think...or it may never come out of it's box!
Oddly enough...I enjoy the last pic, kinda mushroomy lamp ... but the first pic is my next favorite, and would do well with a bit more lid finial similar to base. I was shooting for my primary vessel (the bell) to be about 2/3 the height of the stand, and for the finial on the top to be 2/3 the height of the bell. FWIW.