Re-turn

[Doug Barratt]

This was my first ever attempt at turning spalted beech 7 years ago.



I was never happy with it for many reasons particularly the fact that overnight it went from round to oval (over a 1/4" out) & I`d bought the blank supposedly fully seasoned, I`ve certainly learnt a few things since then 

The last 2 months have seen a major reshuffle in the workshop with the need to accommodate new machines, whilst moving gear round I found this bowl full of nuts n bolts & rather than throw it in the fire pile I put it to one side till I had time to see if i could re-turn it.

Last night I gave it a go, I mounted it in cole jaws & cut a shallow socket.



You can see not all the buttons were touching due to its shape & at this point I thought I may be wasting my time. 




Fortunately I managed to get a clean cut all round before running out of wood & whilst it wont win any prizes for design the finished article is far more pleasing than the original 




Cheers.

 

[Doug Barratt]

Thanks George.

I should have said it`s 5" x 2 1/2" & finished with the Chestnut buffing system.


Cheers.

[bodrighywood]

I like the lovely simple shape that lets the wood do all the talking. Not so easy to get a good curve as you have done,.

Pete

[Bryan Milham]

I like the shape of the re-turned bowl, but following on from a previous thread's discussion.

What have you now got to look back on and make comparisons to then (when you started) and Now, the now that stretches into the future, and see how you've progressed.

But it does look a whole lot more elegant.

[Doug Barratt]

Thanks for the comments

What have you now got to look back on and make comparisons to then (when you started) and Now, the now that stretches into the future, and see how you've progressed.

I agree, but would add I`ve quite a few pieces of my very early work to look back on & it seemed a shame to have such a striking piece of timber tuck at the back of a shelf whose only use was to hold old nuts & bolts.

It`s been allowed to stay in the house, the ultimate seal of approval 


Cheers.

[thebowlerhattedturner]

Good job Doug,
I hate to see nice wood wasted for the want of a bit of time.A good rescue.
As far as keeping early bits for comparison,I do have one or two from my early days but embarrassment forced me to either sort the others out or put them through the bandsaw for firewood (which incidentally I don't term as wasted )
I like the form of the finished item and think it was well worth doing.
Regards John BHT

[Jim]

Definitely got better with age .. Well done ... 

[Woodcrafts]

I agree it's useful to keep pieces as a record of earlier work, but with the ease of use of digital cameras; taking the pictures, storing them, showing them and even passing them out to friends, I think some good pictures (of both good and bad bits of our turnings) are adequate record, although I still have one of my 'turnings' from when I was six (a VERY long time ago!)

And if the end result is something that gives more pleasure and satisfaction, that, to me, is the deciding factor.

Maybe more of us should 'review' our earlier turnings

[woodndesign]

Doug, that's become a very nice piece, good job, first off it was so chunky, room to play.

Paul, it's always nice to have pictures, thankfully I've alot of 35mm pictures of early work/WIPS not all come out well, such an advantage with digital today, if there stored safely, alot of mine seem to go missing .. a picture is still not like having the piece in your hands, many times the comment is the picture dosen't do it justice and it's 2D and then colours can be completely different.

'Review' of earlier turnings ...     ..  if you show your's ..    ...

Cheers