Thread: Finial box

Eliza, well done!

The pace you and Tea Lady are setting for beginners like me is much too high. I'm still working on my latest box. I got a little sidetracked with some practice today, another weed pot plus some serious roughing work on redgum 125mm stumps.

Now, before the Masters have their say, can I critique the work?

1. In my mind, finials should only be used where the work is delicate. Very delicate. Not so with your box. It is a big box afterall. Nothing too much wrong with the finial though - the discs might have been a little finer. Same with the bead.

2. The foot on the base is perhaps a little small. I think the rule is one third for the base. Your piece almost seems to topple over, but that's just my opinion (coming from a Little Grasshopper no less ).

I don't mean to discourage you. It's nice when turners you respect say you're doing OK, but facts are facts - and new turners need honest feedback.

Just think about what you could turn before the Challenge - and now. I see lots of improvement there. And I hope that's what the Challenge is all about - improving our own turnings, not necessarily being measured against others.

I like it
and I think the foot is a tad too high and maybe too wide

ps a side shot might be nice

Originally Posted by ElizaLeahy

4.5cm high box total hight with finial is 11cm.

cypress I think. Mulga finial. No progress shots because I didn't know I was going to turn it, it just happened!

From the angle of the photo, the foot seems ok. Where I think you went wrong is the shape of the top.
Your box flows well from the foot to the lid join. After the jion the lid follows this line for short distance than suddenly changes direction and becomes an almost flat surface. Then there is a finial stuck on top of the lid.
If you had slowly rounded the lid towards the cente, and then blended the shape into the finial, the box would have looked better.
This is just my opinion, for what it is worth.
As Jeff said you are improving in leaps and bounds, keep it up.

Nice work Eliza

I'm starting to get finial envy

...and to add to KW's analysis, making the base of the finial convex, instead of concave, and then sweeping straight up to the first series of discs would give it a more flowing shape.

Do you have any of Cindy Drozda's DVD's? ....send me a pm, might be able to work something out.

Originally Posted by kdm

Nice work Eliza

I'm starting to get finial envy

I have box envy when I look at your boxes, so we are square!

Originally Posted by Ed Reiss

...and to add to KW's analysis, making the base of the finial convex, instead of concave, and then sweeping straight up to the first series of discs would give it a more flowing shape.

Do you have any of Cindy Drozda's DVD's? ....send me a pm, might be able to work something out.

I've seen her online. DVD's? Isn't that "old techonolgy" now?

Unfortunately I already put a convex lump on the bottom of my next one, but I'll try the other tomorrow.

Nice box Eliza as the master said it`s about flow great changes of direction have to be highlighted in some way to show a reason for it.
Hope that makes sense
Mick