Gabriel
6th August 2016, 09:46 PM
Whilst I have been slack over the winter (playstation doesn't care if its cold or wet) I have managed a little shed time.
My first official commission pieces!!
I wasn't able to post pictures of my work until now as the pepper/salt grinders were for a wedding gift (wedding now done and dusted) and the pens have now all been handed out (or enough that I was given permission to let the cat out of the bag).
The pepper and salt grinders were asked to be made by a good friend of mines parents. They are from England and had the wedding of their niece to attend. The parameters I was given were "they like natural timber, could you do something from some australian
timbers?".....
Leaves a pretty open canvas, so (some may remember my hunt - thanks for all the tips) I found a design of a pepper grinder I wanted to attempt. Its from a book called "Salt and Pepper Shakers and Mills" by Chris West.
His final product differs ever so slightly from mine (more due to me not being able to follow directions than anything else)
but I am happy with my final product. Upon taking my grinder to the monthly Melbourne get together at Box Hill RSL (shameless plug!!) for some feedback, Simplicity and OldGreyBeard both liked the final product, but thought I should definitely produce a salt grinder to complete the gift.
The thought of trying to replicate turning is quite daunting for me as my skill level is greatly challenged in this area.
But hey - you only live once. The salt grinder actually came out looking pretty bloody close (in my opinion) on my first attempt, so after some late night finishing touches (description card on the timbers, gift box etc) JOB DONE
Here they are,
Main body: Mulga
Huon Pine
Top Pin: Ancient Red Gum (pepper) Holly (salt)
Finish: Shellawax Glow
389811
389821
389812
Although the Holly isn't native to Australia (I think my piece was from the USA) I took some creative license as I didn't know or have quick access to a native 'white' timber.
My other commission was for a friend who has recently started up a company. For his 'first birthday' of the company he wished to hand out some Australian timber pens to his clients (he had previously seen some of my work and loved it).
I could have taken the easy way out, produced a dozen pens and be done with it.... BUT NOOOOOOOO.... I have to go and make life difficult for myself.
Surely I can get his company logo onto a pen I think.....and so (I asked a few questions on here about this one again) I got into waterslide decal logos for the pens.
A very quick learning curve. As I was using clear decal paper, I had to use a logo that didn't have any white in it (I did try some that time timber grain came through the 'white' sections (which ultimately come out clear) and they did look good, but not as professional as I wanted them to look. Also using lighter timbers as the black company logo didn't stand out on
a lot of the timbers I enjoy.
The final product - 12 Australian timber pens with company logos, small description card of the timber in a gift box (nothing special, but nicer than a tube or pocket).
Here are a few examples of the pens (I won't bore you all with 12 of them). All with a CA finish
I particularly like the way this Sheoak looks, Its the first time I have used a Dayacom kit, very impressed!!
The pen, and how it was presented to the client
389819
389820
And some shots of some of the others
389813
389814
389815
389816
389817
389818
All comments welcome, thanks all for the help and I promise to put the playstation controller down and get back to turning
more often!!
Cheers
Gab
My first official commission pieces!!
I wasn't able to post pictures of my work until now as the pepper/salt grinders were for a wedding gift (wedding now done and dusted) and the pens have now all been handed out (or enough that I was given permission to let the cat out of the bag).
The pepper and salt grinders were asked to be made by a good friend of mines parents. They are from England and had the wedding of their niece to attend. The parameters I was given were "they like natural timber, could you do something from some australian
timbers?".....
Leaves a pretty open canvas, so (some may remember my hunt - thanks for all the tips) I found a design of a pepper grinder I wanted to attempt. Its from a book called "Salt and Pepper Shakers and Mills" by Chris West.
His final product differs ever so slightly from mine (more due to me not being able to follow directions than anything else)
but I am happy with my final product. Upon taking my grinder to the monthly Melbourne get together at Box Hill RSL (shameless plug!!) for some feedback, Simplicity and OldGreyBeard both liked the final product, but thought I should definitely produce a salt grinder to complete the gift.
The thought of trying to replicate turning is quite daunting for me as my skill level is greatly challenged in this area.
But hey - you only live once. The salt grinder actually came out looking pretty bloody close (in my opinion) on my first attempt, so after some late night finishing touches (description card on the timbers, gift box etc) JOB DONE
Here they are,
Main body: Mulga
Huon Pine
Top Pin: Ancient Red Gum (pepper) Holly (salt)
Finish: Shellawax Glow
389811
389821
389812
Although the Holly isn't native to Australia (I think my piece was from the USA) I took some creative license as I didn't know or have quick access to a native 'white' timber.
My other commission was for a friend who has recently started up a company. For his 'first birthday' of the company he wished to hand out some Australian timber pens to his clients (he had previously seen some of my work and loved it).
I could have taken the easy way out, produced a dozen pens and be done with it.... BUT NOOOOOOOO.... I have to go and make life difficult for myself.
Surely I can get his company logo onto a pen I think.....and so (I asked a few questions on here about this one again) I got into waterslide decal logos for the pens.
A very quick learning curve. As I was using clear decal paper, I had to use a logo that didn't have any white in it (I did try some that time timber grain came through the 'white' sections (which ultimately come out clear) and they did look good, but not as professional as I wanted them to look. Also using lighter timbers as the black company logo didn't stand out on
a lot of the timbers I enjoy.
The final product - 12 Australian timber pens with company logos, small description card of the timber in a gift box (nothing special, but nicer than a tube or pocket).
Here are a few examples of the pens (I won't bore you all with 12 of them). All with a CA finish
I particularly like the way this Sheoak looks, Its the first time I have used a Dayacom kit, very impressed!!
The pen, and how it was presented to the client
389819
389820
And some shots of some of the others
389813
389814
389815
389816
389817
389818
All comments welcome, thanks all for the help and I promise to put the playstation controller down and get back to turning
more often!!
Cheers
Gab