workshop pics - oak vessel

[George Watkins]

hello folks

here are some quick camera phone pics of an oak vessel being turned earlier today.

I had cut the blank from a much larger log a few days earlier, i start it between centers, its approx 6" by 14"


Mounted onto a faceplate now, I find knots at both ends which I want to avoid


I remove a couple of inches to get rid of the upper knot


the vessel starts to take shape, i stop at this point and hollow down to final wall thickness to about 2/3rds of the overall depth


a bit of winter sun!


hollowing in progress, I want a 1/4" wall thickness as i am to carve the piece once it has dried.


tools of the trade


once i had hollowed the inside to 2/3rds I go back to the exterior and remove the waste wood which was adding strength during hollowing and shape the bottom 1/3rd, then i go back inside and finish the hollowing.

all hollowed out and ready to sand



the finished vessel

 

[George Watkins]

10 pic limit

 

[Jim]

That is a cracking Vessel George .. Why do pictures make it look easy ...

 

[Vic Perrin]

That's a lovely looking piece George. How long will it take it to dry and will it move much ?

Vic

 

[George Watkins]

thank you Jim & Vic

it will take about 1 or 2 weeks to dry at this thickness, because its end grain and it was cut from a big log a few inches away from the pith you shouldn't be able to see any movement. if you look into the vessel from above, you might see a tiny bit but it might only be a mm or two out of round.
If i had cut it from right alongside the pith it will bulge towards it and that stands out like a sore thumb and ruins the shape.

 

[Vic Perrin]

I really need to get my head around wet turning George. I have got Tracey Owens book but at times it gets a bit technical for me.

I have just cut up a load of Spalted Sycamore that has some lovely grain and Spalting in it. It's been down about 7 years so it is well seasoned. If I wait for it to dry I might not get to turn a lot of it if you know what I mean

Vic

 

[Dalboy]

Very nice indeed George. Does it have a small flat spot to sit on or will it have a separate stand to keep it upright, or even will it lay down for a display

 

[Terry]

Nice one George. Thanks for the info !!!

 

[Penpal]

Special treat with the show and tells this morning thanks for your George I bought an SKF 350.000 rpm air driven drill to carve rims etc takes dental dill sized shafts how will you carve yours mate is it piercing or carving you intend (silly question a goblet after all ).

Peter.

 

[chas_41_uk]

Very nice indeed George

 

[wm460]

Good one George.

 

[George Watkins]

thank you for all of your comments

Vic: i'm not familiar with the book you mention, I've always turned green wood vessels and hollow forms and the two things I have found most helpful is to avoid the pith in the finished piece & keep the wall thickness consistent so the piece dries evenly.

Derek: it does have a flat base about 1 3/4" wide its just the pics don't show it very well.

Peter: I've not done any piercing yet, i was thinking about marking out for a spiral cut and shaping the top then maybe scorching it, I use a mixture of carving tools & a foredom and different shaped burrs then lots of sanding.

 

[stevenw1963]

Looking forward to seeing the end product of this George.

 

[Bill Mooney]

Great start George, looking forward to the finished vessel.

 

[Jimjam66]

Thanks for sharing George, I've long admired your hollow forms. As Jim says, you make it look easy!

 

[George Watkins]

thank you for all of your comments

 

[Terry Q]

I am not a fan of turning Oak but I love the end result. The grain pattern is lovely. Hats off to you. Are your hands black after turning?

 

[George Watkins]

I am not a fan of turning Oak but I love the end result. The grain pattern is lovely. Hats off to you. Are your hands black after turning?

thank you, yes my hands are black and the tool rest and other bits of bare metal, all part of the fun!!

 

[Vic Perrin]

thank you for all of your comments

Vic: i'm not familiar with the book you mention, I've always turned green wood vessels and hollow forms and the two things I have found most helpful is to avoid the pith in the finished piece & keep the wall thickness consistent so the piece dries evenly.

Derek: it does have a flat base about 1 3/4" wide its just the pics don't show it very well.

Peter: I've not done any piercing yet, i was thinking about marking out for a spiral cut and shaping the top then maybe scorching it, I use a mixture of carving tools & a foredom and different shaped burrs then lots of sanding.

George no wonder you are not familiar with the book it is not by Tracy Owen it is a book called "Turning Green Wood" by Michael O'Donnell its my age George

:oldman:Vic:oldman: