Not your average Pot Pourri

[dai sensei]

Where I am working has just moved offices. The women at the front office had some lavender oil in a small dish to get rid of the new carpet smell, but not many of us really liked the lavender, but she said that was all she had. I mentioned I had some rose pot pourri and rose essential oil at home, but the container she had was not suitable, so thought I would make a special one that could take its place on the front counter.

Whilst at Q-Turn I started making a pot pourri lid from Ebony and random drilled holes, as I couldn't find any of my normal bought ones, and learnt a bit after 3 failures. So I thought to myself, what about an ebony lid with a finial and stand, similar to my little trinket boxes (ala Cindy Drozda type).

http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=139346&stc=1&d=1276494726

http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=139347&stc=1&d=1276494726

http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=139348&stc=1&d=1276494726

The main bowl is Blackheart Sassafras (Atherosperma moschatum), the finial/stand from Queen Ebony (Xanthostemon melanoxylon), all finished in Shellawax. The sassi disn't play ball, plenty of tear-out on the inside, not to mention a massive dig-in that split the bowl in half, but an epoxy glue-up and plenty of sanding fixed both :rolleyes:.

It's 120mm dia and 230mm high overall. I'm pretty happy with the overall result :;, what do others think.

Cheers

[mkypenturner]

neil
thats stunning :2tsup: and a really great way for the pot pourri container instead of the pewter lids

[tea lady]

:oo: Wow! A pop pouri thingy I won't mind having. :U You'd better make some more for all those people who will come into the office and want one too.:cool:

[artme]

Gorgeous Neil!:2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

That Sassy looks like it's spalted, maybe that was the cause of the problems when turning.

Any I have turned cuts like cheese.

[munruben]

Great work Neil, looks terrific:2tsup::2tsup:

[RufflyRustic]

Brilliant Neil! Beautiful both on the eye and the nose:):2tsup: I can't even see where the join is, but I'm glad you decided to save it.:2tsup::2tsup:

[gawdelpus]

too dam delicate for words lol, If you put a match stick up against the finial it might show just how fine a turning this is :) not the sort of thing to be turning with "hay-fever" or the "D'T sss" hehe a fine example of a delicate touch and a steady hand to be sure , cheers ~ John :2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

[dai sensei]

..That Sassy looks like it's spalted, maybe that was the cause of the problems when turning....

You are right, thin CA and the 40 grit chisel did the trick :U


..I can't even see where the join is, but I'm glad you decided to save it.:2tsup::2tsup:

The break is obvious to me, right in the front of the photo, but it just blends in to the spalting :2tsup:.

After I finished assembling it, I thought the base stem could have been more slender, but it is already pretty fragile.

[dai sensei]

.. put a match stick up against the finial it might show just how fine a turning this is...

like this, and yes, that is a standard match

[gawdelpus]

hehe, yep puts it in a better perspective :) cheers ~ John

[orraloon]

I like that a lot. So much better than those cast metal pot pourri lids.http://cdn.woodworkforums.com/images/smilies/actions/2thumbsup.gif
Regards
John

[Texian]

Very nice, and pretty woods. Good idea from T.L. (make a bunch more for sale).

[TTIT]

Very nice Neil :2tsup: I sort to agree with you that the stem doesn't quite fit but I think it's through lack of detail rather than slenderness :shrug:

[wheelinround]

Neil thats a nice bit of work there, love spalted timbers the lid looks impressive.

Is it random drilled ?

What set up did you use to do that?

It reminds me of a tall building somewhere around the world.

[Ed Reiss]

Potpourri never had it so good !!! :2tsup:

[Ozkaban]

Wow! That's awesome!

I'd make sure you bolt that thing down, 'cos if it sits on the front desk it's gonna grow legs pretty quick :C

Cheers,
Dave

[dai sensei]

Thanks for the comments :B. I really enjoyed getting back to turning something other then pens :U. Q-Turn really got the juices going :cool:


..Is it random drilled ? What set up did you use to do that? ..

I mounted the blank and marked out the area for holes first, then drilled randomly, just put it in under the drill press and used 4 different sizes where ever it looked right :shrug:.

I then turned final shape at the edge, but only to rough shape (to 5mm thick) in the area of the holes before final shaping there by sanding (to less than 2mm), to avoid the breakage between the holes. The first top I made at Q-Turn I drilled after turning but broke it, the second I drilled first but turned to final shape and lost a few joints, hence my final approach using the 40 grit chisel :U (with a good stiff belt grade).


..I'd make sure you bolt that thing down, 'cos if it sits on the front desk it's gonna grow legs pretty quick ...

I hope not. I put a card next to it saying the usual "Fragile, please DO NOT touch" etc. Also told reception to tell people "if they break it, they have bought it" and "it is a gallery piece, not a market piece, so they probably can't afford it :U". I didn't think of thieves :~


.. I sort to agree with you that the stem doesn't quite fit but I think it's through lack of detail rather than slenderness

Hmm yes perhaps. I was going for a simple stem, leaving the detail to the finial, although I stuffed the lower fin/disk of the finial (it is half the original size intended after a misplaced chisel :-). I'll have to look at other's pieces for perhaps a better stem shape, as you suggest.

[Sawdust Maker]

That is one very nice piece of work
the front desk should guard it with their lives

I'd thought the bottom 'stem' could be a little shorter or that it could easily look great sitting on a foot, (my halfpenny's worth)
In any event it looks absolutely brilliant as is :2tsup:

[wheelinround]

ty Neil :2tsup: