Finished up the other State Fair of Texas Entry and dropped off for judging today. Don't know how many have tried to turn Douglas Fir, but extremely difficult, it is very soft between hard growth rings and even sharpening often would tear on end grain side, also split off the chuck once and because I had already drilled the hole to depth thought it was firewood. I loved the grain though and kept looking for a way to salvage.
Finally remembered back to days before chucks, and watching my old high school crafts teacher, and a former Tuskeege Airmen, demonstrate using newspaper, glue and waste block and face plate and I was back in business. The finished piece ended up being about 1/16" thick on the bottom but stayed intact. The transtint dyes are two days and 4-5 hours of manipulating and layering.
image.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpg
So kind of have a space theme for this years entries and will know in a couple weeks how they did.
Building them both, from wood brought to me by a friend that passed last year from cancer, and persevering past all the difficulties both projects threw at me, in order to achieve the vision I had for both pieces, all while pushing my skills to new levels is already rewarding enough, and just makes me ready to tackle the next challenge (of which the design band with 370 pieces, is already complete).
To those just starting out, push your limits, (safely) use your imagination and challenge yourself! While you will fail at times, in the process you learn, and grow and when you succeed the reward is far greater.
Reply With Quote