Thread: Moon ball.

Originally Posted by Jonzjob

D-fly, I have never really understood why, but if I am turning something to a definate plan it can be difficult or it can be easy. If I try to do 2 things, a pair of goblets for instance, one can be easy and the other a real pain in the sit-upon. It can either be the first or second. If I put a lump onto the lathe with no idea and just go and follow what seems to be what the wood wants then it's easy. If I try to change that the fun starts. It sounds bloody stupid to me as I try to explain it, but that's how it feels. I am not a 'tree hugger, vegan, plant worshipiping hippie'. Far from it, as friends will confirm, but I just don't know how else to explain it?

I do mostly bowls from wood picked up along the road. I heat with solar and wood so nothing goes to waste. I like stumps, crotches, twisted trunks that have been constrained by vines, spalted, etc. I have a general idea what the final piece will look like, but very often something inside, either nice grain or a bad flaw will change that completely. So the wood does tell me what it will look like in the end. The first photo is of a bowl made from a piece of firewood from a friend. I had gone there for dinner and he said ha had cut down a dead locust and cut it up for firewood. I wanted to see what he had and I got two blocks from him. There was imbedded barbed wire in them which I followed with a junk tool removed and proceeded with my $$$ bowl gouge. The mushrooms are from tree limbs trimmed by a neighbor. The vase was turned from the cedar lump on the lathe, I had no idea what the outcome would be. One of the turning rules is to not have the center of a log in the piece. You see how well I take direction. I love the moon ball. Do not worry about winning competitions. If a piece pleases you and the purchaser or recipient, that is all that counts.