Nag, nag, nag!

[TTIT]

While checking out an old growth stand of inland rosewood a while back, I got the idea for this piece but decided it was too hard and I'd look for another species with a fluted trunk instead . Problem was, everytime I walked past this piece in the wood-store it would start on me - "Carn ya mug! Ya know what ya gotta do ya wooz. Scared of a bit good ozzie hardwood eh! Weak as a white-ant ya poonce - they won't tackle me either!!!". Bloody smart-???? wood - nothin' worse . The only other wood I could find with a fluted trunk was some Bendee but it's not much softer either so I gave in and gave it a shot. There was times I wish I had ignored the bugga - man that stuffs tough!

Pic 1. Nagging loudmouth blank loaded on the stubby
Pic 2. Taming the beast
Pic 3. Gluing the tea-leaf-like bark in place with CA
Pic 4. Starting the hollowing with a big saw-tooth bit
Pic 5. Got too greedy with the hollowing and started to lose bark everywhere. Resorted to finer cuts and more frequent sharpening which helped a little.

[TTIT]

Pic 6. Almost done and this is how it sat on the lathe with a plastic bag over it for 5 weeks while I looked after my late dad's affairs in Coffs Harbour.
Pic 7. A couple of dig-ins while trying to take 'just one more pass' put Big Bertha's shaft into the side and cracked the wall. Heap of CA and some masking tape (no give in it) was in order - wasn't going to give up after getting this far!
Pic 8. Sanded off what was left of the bark with the Dremel drum sanders to expose the sapwood and power-sanded the whole thing including most of the inside to 400 grit. Sanded to 1000 grit by hand. Changed the shape of the foot too cos I just wasn't happy with it the way it was
Pic 9. My favorite bit - the first coat of oil. Mmmmmmmmm!
Pic 10. Finito! Cos the top was too fragile to hold in a jam chuck, I cut the spigot off with the bandsaw and power-sanded the waste off the bottom. Trickiest part of the whole thing was making sure I got a good finish on the inside because it was going to be so exposed. Lucky that as hard as inland rosewood is, it actually shear-scrapes nicely and sands really well too. (200 high, 155 wide)

[TTIT]

And another couple....

[DJ’s Timber]

Bloody awesome work Vern. You have pulled that off nicely

[Wood Butcher]

Beautiful work!!!!

[mick61]

Very nice work,you would have to be happy with the result.mick

[BobL]

Fabulous isn't enough!

[Stu in Tokyo]

man, you must have some.......... well, I'd be really worried about standing near that sucker when it was spinning

The results are spectacular

[lubbing5cherubs]

Vern she might of nagged but so worth it. GORGEOUS> you should be very proud of that..that is specatacular
Toni

[tashammer]

me bows at one knee and thinks, "What a bloody ripper".

[Wild Dingo]

reaction 1... ooooohhhhhhhh yeah drool factor of 10



reaction 2... YERFRIGGINWHAT???



reaction 3... sigh oh well into the scrap bin start again



reaction 4... FLAMINJEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAAAZUS!!! YERWHAT????


reaction 5... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DONT BE MAD YER BUGGAR!! I LIKE YOU!!!


reaction 6... friggit another bloody hospital bloodfest coming up



reaction 7... mmmmm IF any wombat can do it this one can


reaction 8... YERFRIGGGGGGGGGGGGINWHAT?? NOBLOODYWAY!!!


reaction 9... Howdyerdothat?


reaction 10... ooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh Drooooooooool



Final reaction... Yer a friggin allstar flamin legend mate!!

[OGYT]

Awesome job on that Rosewood, Mate! I like everything about it.
'Cept one....
Won't hold water.
Exceptional perseverance, Vern! Museum piece.

[joe greiner]

Yowee! Pucker factor at least 10.1. Fabulous work.

Joe

[KevM]

Ripper, bloody beauty, bonzer mate.

[Gil Jones]

WOW, Vern, that is sure a sweet piece!!
I expect it was interesting turning too.
Very well done.