Cherry Crotch HF

[John Keeton]

Our turning club does an annual charity/fund raising event. We obtain donated wood from the charity, and a couple of members chunk it up, and distribute it among the members. Various turnings are done for an exhibit. Later on a sale or auction is conducted, along with some demos that day, and kind of a reception type atmosphere. The proceeds are split with the charity.

At least, this is the description I have heard! I have only been in the club for less than a year, and barely got in on the last event. While I did complete a turning, I was unable to go to the event. Last year it was an arboretum - this year a nature preserve.

I ended up with a cracked piece of cherry crotch - kind of the leftover piece no one wanted. I thought it looked promising. This little fellow is 4.5" wide x 5" tall, finished with BLO, shellac and WOP. The finial is cherry, with the cove base dyed black. I shamefully say this, but I just wasn't into spending a substantial amount of time on the finial! I probably should feel differently about that! But, last year the sale prices were ridiculously low, and I don't expect doing much with this piece would make a difference.

In any event, we were playing cards the other night, and when I saw the Ace of Spades, my first thought was - I should try a finial shape like that!! In hindsight, I am not sure it was a good plan! I guess it will work, but there won't be any more.

Now, on to something a bit more artsy!!

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[Steve Schlumpf]

The hollow form looks really good to me John! I agree with you on the finial - but it fills a need! I hope this piece does well at your auction! I figure that just your signature on the bottom of the piece added a few hundred to the minimum starting bid! Have fun at your event!

[Jim Adkins]

John....You did good, a fine looking piece and I think Steve is correct with your signature
applied to the bottom will up the ante. Good luck with the auction and enjoy winter!!
Soon we'll be mowing grass when we could be turnng!!

[bob svoboda]

John. I am beginning to believe you are incapable of turning anything that isn't great. I really like your form, and, what a beautiful piece of wood. Personally, I like the finial too-it's so hard to do something with a finial that works and is original, but I think you have done that here. A good effort for a good cause. Hope the event goes well and raises lots of $$$$$.

[Jim Burr]

$200,300 asking price...just a guess! I'll get on the finial bus, base of the cherry finial is a tad chunky, but a 7 card draw hand may hold the same results!! Best of luck on a well done form!

[Jon Nuckles]

John, you may not think that much of it, but I saved a couple of the pictures for something to try when I develop some skill at this turning thing. You turn out a lot of beautiful stuff (pun recognized, but not intended). Thanks for the inspiration.

[Brian Effinger]

A nice little HF, John. I hope (and suspect) you will do well in the charity auction.

I don't think the finial is too bad. Maybe if it were all black, or if the stem tapered a little more toward the top? Still, not bad at all, and you never know, until you try.

[Brian Libby]

Very nice piece!

[Bernie Weishapl]

John I like the HF. The finial shape is different but I like it. Really some nice looking cherry John. I agree with the others that a signature will make minimum bid $500.

[David Warkentin]

Wow John. Even the ones you don't spend much time on look GREAT! Let us know what it goes for.

[Carol Kinney]

John,
That wood looks wonderful, but yes I'll have to agree with you about the finial. It does work and you did get the job done, maybe a new trend is coming . . . LOL.

[Tim Thiebaut]

This is all so much a matter of perspective, to me that piece is very artsy as you put it. Doing something of this quality is what I aspire to do at this point in my turning life. I love it, cant wait to attemp one of these myself as soon as I get a couple of smaller projects done and out of the way.

[Baxter Smith]

Looks good to me. I don't know how you would make the Ace of Spades look like a delicate finial but its an interesting concept and something that could perhaps be applied in some other way.

[John Keeton]

Thanks, folks, for the kind words, but you all need bigger shovels for this job!!!

My heart wasn't in this one (oh yeah, it was a spade, not a heart!), and it shows. I am hopeful that there is more interest this year, but last year, as I recall, the highest priced piece went for around $150. The guys did some really nice looking bowls and turnings, and they should have done better. It probably is not the right situation to produce decent prices. To be perfectly honest, I had intended to do a bowl, as I think those do as well as anything at this event, but this was one of the last pieces of wood. It was my "Charlie Brown" chunk!

The form has been done for several days, and it did end up being a nice little form. I had to really force myself to get a finial done, and I really should do another, and may yet. I have another month before the turnings are due in.

Did learn a good lesson, though. This was the second DNA piece for me. When I roughed this one, I took it thinner than the first, since I had such good luck with the walnut piece. The crotch wood in this one really distorted. I had hollowed through about a 1" hole. I had to open it up to nearly 1.5" to get a round hole!!! And the walls on this one are <1/8"!!! I won't do that again either!

Again, thanks, but I know you are yankin' my chain!!!

[Scott Hubl]

Very Nice John.

I like it.