Some pieces just aren't meant to be.

**Skew ChiDAMN!!** · 31st January 2013, 08:36 PM

A couple of years ago I was flicking thru pix of one of our members Art Shows when inspiration hit me. Well... a sense of "I can plagiarise this" anyway.

But I thought I'd try a 'concept piece' to see if what I thought would work would. (And, if all went well, perhaps it could be my next entry into the Woodturning Exhibition.)

So I promptly mounted up a piece of wood and started turning...

Then I went to Canada for a year, came back married, moved interstate, etc., etc., etc. and forgot all about the piece. For two years! Until I went to bring one of my big lathes up North and there, still hanging in the jaws...

I've totally forgotten what wood it was; I know it's an Oz native but beyond that... well... To make matters worse it had ovalled & warped significantly, making it impossible to finish the inside properly. It looked reasonable enough; a little rough in spots but I thought I could hand-sand those out. So I to simply reverse-mounted it with Cole Jaws and finished the foot.

To finish the 'concept' I ran a blue wash thru the inside.

That was my second big mistake. I hadn't hand sanded inside anywhere near enough and the blue dye exaggerated the rough spots.

Definitely not an exhibition piece... not even sellable. I decided to finish it off as a proof of concept anyway.

So, went looking for a nice, pale timber to make the egrets from. Found a garden stake, docked a few inches off... and... the first one turned nicely. Very, very nicely! Things were looking up!

Dock a few more inches from the stake, turn the second... oh, BUGGER! There was a split in the centre of the wood which I found when nearly finished and turning the legs. (Found by the simple expedient of watching the pieces fly over my shoulder, then the base falling in two when I removed it from the chuck.

)

OK, OK. Dock another piece from the stake and examine it carefully. No obvious crack. Try again and... yup. "Tick-tick-tick... Houston, we have take-off!"

Using the last piece of the stake and several tubes of CA, I finish the 2nd egret. This turned very roughly and had huge, gaping pores and capillaries. Isn't it funny how two pieces from the same stock can be sooooo diffferent? But bugger it. Nuffin' that a little grain sealer won't fix.

I wanted a bit of ebony for the baby egret, to contrast with it's parents, but seeing as how the rest of the piece wasn't going so well... well, it would've been a waste, wouldn't it? So out came the redgum. I'm actually quite happy with how that 'un turned out.

So, assemble the piece and decide I'm not happy with the poses of the egrets. They're alright, but not what I wanted and I'd had enough of this thing anyway by now. Decided that now I know what changes I need next time, so gave the whole thing a coat Danish.

Even that didn't go to plan; the pale timber of the garden stake browned up quite considerably. Until 'twas almost as dark as the redgum. From one coat!

3rd (or 4th or is it the 10th by now?) mistake... I should've tested how it'd look finished before even choosing the wood, right?

All in all, I consider it a failure in all ways bar one; it does show the idea is workable, if only I'd stop effin' about and do it properly next time.

(Dunno why I'm posting the pix... but at least being here on the forums is keeping me away from the disaster area I call my shed!

)

**Sawdust Maker** · 31st January 2013, 08:47 PM

Interesting

I like the way you managed to get the tide marks in the water effect!

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

...

Then I went to Canada for a year, came back married, moved interstate, etc., etc., etc. and forgot all about the piece. For two years! Until I went to bring one of my big lathes up North and there, still hanging in the jaws...

...

serendipity

**Skew ChiDAMN!!** · 31st January 2013, 08:50 PM

Tide marks? Tide marks? Oh. Yeah, that's totally what they're meant to be!

(I like the way that you think!

)

**TTIT** · 31st January 2013, 11:01 PM

Good idea Skew - I like the concept and the egrets are cool

When my 'prototypes' aren't quite up to scratch they go to family and I rarely get around to making "The Good One'

**dai sensei** · 31st January 2013, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by TTIT

Good idea Skew - I like the concept and the egrets are cool

**dr4g0nfly** · 1st February 2013, 05:58 AM

Okay, so it's a proof of concept.

There is only one thing wrong with it that I can see. Egrets don't stand around for fun - there's no fish in the pond though!

**gidgee 1** · 1st February 2013, 06:42 AM

Interesting concept,`tis always good to see something unusual.
The timber may be English Elm?
Cheers
Gidgee 1

**wheelinround** · 1st February 2013, 08:06 AM

Skew I recall that piece saw it recently somewhere.

Think you've done well being away from it so long.

If you throw a bit more sand at it maybe the tide mark will disappear

(I have the same problem with a bowl ATM)

**Skew's_Girl** · 1st February 2013, 09:16 PM

The one thing I really like that the photos don't show is the two 'Adults" are sort of looking in the same direction into the bowl while the fledgling under mumma's wing is looking off into the distance.
It adds a subtle touch of wimsy to the piece.

When Skew showed it to me he didn't really say anything just "Here, .... what do you think?"
So I thought the 'tide marks' were like a sandbar under water and these were 3 cranes or herons.
We have tall Herons and cranes back home that stand on the tide bars pecking amungst the kelp for shoal fish.

**powderpost** · 1st February 2013, 09:59 PM

Well I reckon it looks pretty cool.

Looks a bit like white cedar to me.
Jim

**Skew ChiDAMN!!** · 1st February 2013, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by powderpost

Looks a bit like white cedar to me.

Originally Posted by gidgee 1

The timber may be English Elm?

I'd swear that the timber was an Aussie native, but the more I look at it the more it looks to be European. It's well-aged and rock hard, though. Somewhere between Rock Maple and Ironbark. The next time I'm in Vic I'll have a look at the slabs I cut that blank out of (I have several natural edged slabs of it down there - I'd planned to make a coffee table or three) and see if I can ID it from the bark.

Or at least take some pix for the Timber ID threads.

**Paul39** · 4th February 2013, 12:07 PM

Skew,

I think it is fine, just as it is.

**artme** · 4th February 2013, 05:58 PM

`Great concept and well done with the patience and persistence!!

I like the look of it despite the flaws you see!!

**dai sensei** · 4th February 2013, 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by powderpost

Looks a bit like white cedar to me..

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

I'd swear that the timber was an Aussie native... It's well-aged and rock hard, though. Somewhere between Rock Maple and Ironbark..

I was also thinking White Cedar too, not sure if it is a native, but it does grow here and can also be very hard.

**rodent** · 5th February 2013, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

Tide marks? Tide marks? Oh. Yeah, that's totally what they're meant to be!

(I like the way that you think!

)

You remember tide marks Drew ,the two of you did enough beach walking down here . PS when are you going to turn that Boomerang on the lathe . No tide marks please .

As for sand try this from Brian Stone Inlay in Woodturning - YouTube

But use the powder maybe Powder to Suit Stone (25 grams) - Woodturning Tools and Timber, Woodturner Accessories, Woodcarver Supplies, Woodturning Equipment

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