Critique pictures. Read 1st post

[Soren]

OK, I'll be game
Have so far turned 3 pieces, the first being done at the course undertaken at the 'introduction to woodturning' from sassafras

the second being the goblet made from "tree wood" !!

the last bowl being the latest project from the elm trees cut down at Lilydale, finished with EEE and 'Glow'. The reason for the shape, was due to a massive dig-in by the bowl gouge when shaping the outside, but I wanted to retain as much of the original timber as possible.

Go for it, as I want to learn.

[reeves]

Don't hold back, I will take it on the chin

hey good piece DJ, very nice wood and done pretty well..

i pretty much agree with what else was said, a few things is 'perfect' deisgn terms..

1) lack of definition of the 2nd ring outside of the rim, maybe it got softened in sanding i dunno, maybe try and different chisel angle and make more of a ridge

2) the wings either need curving tot he ground as Chris said or just a small curve, about 5% leaving them to dip below the bowl height, they are kind of just hanging there a bit

3) the bowl bottom or curve is pretty flat, could be tighter....

but its a good mate peice mate, i dont find blackwood that much fun to turn, weird, a bit hard but light, can be catchy etc so ya done a good job..

cheeeeeers
john

[reeves]

John, lovely timbers, colour contrasts and finishes.

Maybe go for an acorn shape in the main body and scale down the lid and finial. (Sketching out beforehand is worth every wasted moment you do it.).

thanks good comments Ern, i hadt thought much about design on that one, my only aim with that piece was to make a small box from burl as i hadnt yet and try a finial that needed blackening (ebonising sounds a bit wanky). To honest i was surprised the burl looked ok as it was half rotten and brown. The HP was just lying in the workshop from an older lid so it kind of fell together as an exercise.

I agree with the sketching comments, unfortunaltey i am as good a sketcha as i am a dancer and while my sketches give an idea of what to make i have trouble with proportions in them so have been considering the creative woodturner software, might be useful, google sketchup is also useful. I guess some graph paper and practise would make the sketching better..

In fact the area u you have touched on is one where i have been having a bit of existential debate with myself, defined design vs inspiration form. I have been reluctant to try exactly measured and adhered to proportions cos it may 'kill' spontaneity and discovery but i feel the need for better design and more precise turning practices in order to make the work better. The few i have tried to be exact with have failed rather dismally, something always seemed to push them into improvisation a little or a lot.

My plan is to imporo (with a basic concept) a few of any one design then settle on proportions once i have proven to myself thats what need to make a good piece and have some demand (hey i want one !) or good response from people about that piece.

I think over the next few months these dual intentions may confluence a bit more and eventually meet and resolve themselves, i dont want to be a 'stiff' turner producing repros or stringent ideas but i feel the need for better design practices that still allow some flow and inspiration...and then theres the wood..

Soren, nice looking pieces mate, i cant really crit them, same as most of us learnerturners, better form, sharper lines, more definition.

Pat, you are doing pretty well for having a go at some coolibah first up, pretty hard stuff. I found when i started that using softer wood easiliy avilable woods like cypress pine, silky oak and camphor laurel was good so they are easier to turn and form shapes than the harder woods..i found slots of bits at the local tip....after about 6-12 months i moved in to harder stuff like redgum and mulga etc and its a different ball game, need different approach and chisel technique to do harder woods well...

look for a timber recycling yard, garden waste...or some blanks suppliers iwth decent costs...Dan at barking log is good..

http://stores.ebay.com.au/Barking-Log-Products

and there are a few others that are not too pricy..

have fun all and cheers for the comments..

[rsser]

Hi John,

Yes, I guess the difference is between a sketch and a tight design. I tend to the sketch end just to see what profile looks promising; aiming for rough proportions, checking the flow of curves etc. Often this will mean eg. reducing the thickness of the blank because its raw proportions just won't lend themselves to something that looks good on paper.

And yes, of course when you start turning the lump, things appear (like checks or grub holes or a nice bit of figure) that encourage or require you to vary the idea.

[dai sensei]

...Dia Sensi who called d me skew?.

Sorry John

[Christopha]

OK, I'll be game
Have so far turned 3 pieces, the first being done at the course undertaken at the 'introduction to woodturning' from sassafras

the second being the goblet made from "tree wood" !!

the last bowl being the latest project from the elm trees cut down at Lilydale, finished with EEE and 'Glow'. The reason for the shape, was due to a massive dig-in by the bowl gouge when shaping the outside, but I wanted to retain as much of the original timber as possible.

Go for it, as I want to learn.

Soren ( and others), Just a suggestion that may work for this new critique section... Perhaps.... When posting a piece that you would like critiqued then perhaps you could tell us what you think may need attention?
Also could I perhaps suggest just one article per posting?

[RETIRED]

Soren ( and others), Just a suggestion that may work for this new critique section... Perhaps.... When posting a piece that you would like critiqued then perhaps you could tell us what you think may need attention?
Also could I perhaps suggest just one article per posting?

Gotta stop this. I agree with Chris. Closest I can find to a slap.

[mobjack68]

This is my first attempt at a bowl on the lathe. Please note at the time I only had a faceplate, thus the blocky appearance.

Your first attempt is far greater than my first attempt....thank goodness evidence of my project vanished long ago!! Pat, one of the great things about turning....materials abound!! the more you do, the more you will learn about form and function. Keep at it. On to the faceplate thing, try gluing a waste block onto the bottom of your good block. Waste block needs to be as big as the faceplate diameter, maybe 1" thick and at least as hard as the material you are turning (I have cheated with softwood waste block, hardwood turning block...wait til later) The wb (waste block) is what holds the screws, which means you can turn more of your "good wood". the wb also allows tool access to the bottom of the block, you can be as creative with a "foot" and bottom as you can the rest of your piece. Happy turning!!

[JackoH]

IMHO. It's all been said (or most of it!)
But pleeease concentrate on the "flow" of the article, also most of the pics show work that is too "heavy". Thin down the walls of your bowls, and boxes. Knobs and finials should look as if they are all a natural part of the work. The finished article should say "Hey look at me. I'm beautiful" not sit on the shelf like a big overweight blob.Pay attention to the matching of different woods. Ask yourself "Do they really go together, or are they clashing"? Concentrate on the finishing. Often more time should be spent sanding and polishing than turning.
As I said IMHO.

[reeves]

Hi John,

Yes, I guess the difference is between a sketch and a tight design. I tend to the sketch end just to see what profile looks promising; aiming for rough proportions, checking the flow of curves etc. Often this will mean eg. reducing the thickness of the blank because its raw proportions just won't lend themselves to something that looks good on paper.

yes i agree Ern, one of the reasons i like do a few protoypes is to try and suss out the deisgn to follow and have a good idea of the dimensions, then blanks can be cut to size when doing production or potentially saleable items if it goes that far...or just to improve work..

I have found myself sketching on the blank while on the lathe a fair bit, tracing potential curves, dimensions, width etc, its fun drawing on the wood and can be somewhat helpful...

And yes, of course when you start turning the lump, things appear (like checks or grub holes or a nice bit of figure) that encourage or require you to vary the idea.

yes always exciting, i was rough turning a particularly gnarly chink of bluegum a while back and a small scorpian shot out of a splitty bit...

But pleeease concentrate on the "flow" of the article, also most of the pics show work that is too "heavy". Thin down the walls of your bowls, and boxes. Knobs and finials should look as if they are all a natural part of the work. The finished article should say "Hey look at me. I'm beautiful" not sit on the shelf like a big overweight blob.Pay attention to the matching of different woods. Ask yourself "Do they really go together, or are they clashing"? Concentrate on the finishing. Often more time should be spent sanding and polishing than turning.
As I said IMHO.

all good suggestions mate, worth following but as with these kind of things the devil is in the detail..like how does a learnerturner on their first quickly get the technique to turn thin or understand flow iwthout going thorugh months or years of practice, how do you match wood without a diverse collection of dry woods at your disposal and an intimate knowledge of how the wood behaves, darkens or finsihes..how do you get finisals or knobs to flow naturally iwth the pieces when you have only tried a couples of projects iwth them..

obviously practices in the key, critique definaition and more practice, whiles entry level comments is potentialy useful, some examples of what you mean, some rundown of technique, some explanation of your own expereinces may help learners and developers do better work..

my 2 bits worth..

[JackoH]

Practice mate, practice! "There is no quick fix".

[canchippy]

OK let's jump in at the deep end New to forum and a Canadian so tell it like it is Been turning as a hobby since 2000 and this is where I'm at.
First one is a cheeseboard of apple 16" x 5" mouse is cherry, cheese is unknown
Attachment 57147
Next is 11" x 5" Natural Edge Box Elder (Manitoba Maple) with bug holes. Lacquer and waxed
Attachment 57148
And the last is 12" x 5" Natural Edge London Plane (American Sycamore). Outside was left with tool marks and then burnt and finished with matte lacquer. Inside was sanded and lacquered with semi gloss.
Attachment 57149

[Christopha]

They look pretty good to me and from whaT I can see It would be a tad rude of me to criticise your work when it appears fine..... except to ask, are London Plane and American sycamore the same species?

[reeves]

very nice pieces mate, cant crit them at all, really enjoyed looking at the pics...maybe a touch tighter on the overall curve maybe not

i thought london plane was like lacewood or silkyoak but i could be wrong

cheeeeeers
john

[RETIRED]

very nice pieces mate, cant crit them at all, really enjoyed looking at the pics...maybe a touch tighter on the overall curve maybe not

i thought london plane was like lacewood or silkyoak but i could be wrong

cheeeeeers
john

London Plane in Australia is known as Lacewood.