Spalted Beech Hollowform

[Bryan Milham]

Hi Guy's,

I've been practising hollowforms (still managing the occasional TARDIS) but this one worked.

Especially pleased as this months club turning competition was 'Hollowform' and this won it for me.

Spalted Beech from a tree trunk I got from a tree surgeon I know, 155mm (6") dia by 65mm (2 3/4") high wall thickness around 3/8".

C & C Please and for all you lurkers out there, thanks for peeking!

[bodrighywood]

The overall shape is good IMHO. A lovely curve right round. I personally think that the carving on the rim is unnecessary with all that lovely spalting. With your entry hole the size it is I assume the inside is well finished? LOL

Pete

[arcos]

BEAUTIFUL!

I love spalted wood!

The carving? Hmmm 

I must admit I like the beauty of the spalting so much that I think the carving, in some way, detracts from the piece.

But thats just being hyper critical....

It is a beautiful form!

[Terry Miller]

I agree with Pete and Arcos regarding the carving and I also like the spalting and overall a very nice piece.

Regards
Terry

[Bryan Milham]

Thanks Guy's,

Pete, yes the inside is sanded to 600, the outside to 2000 and then both buffed with EEE. It then got a pass across my home-made 3 wheel buffing system and a carnubra wax finish. Truthfully the first buffing wheel was maybe a bit much, if you run your hands around it and feel carefully, you can feel irregularities in the softer wood.

Thanks for liking the form, I still can't understand the shape of an attractive turned foot, so I did away with it completely, sweeping the shape down to sit on a 3/4" base and as it is to live on the sideboard (as seen) it's reflection was part of the design - to make it sort of appear to float. You need to see it for real to get that image.

It has the rim as it was originally intended to have an infill on the top with a much smaller hole, it also still has the step inside to allow this as a future option. But the workshop has been making bookshelves the last few weeks for SWMBO so it was a case of snaffling an hour on the lathe to finish this for the comp and I needed to do something with the proud rim, hence...

[Terry Miller]

What is EEE cream?
Terry

[Paul Disdle]

The natural colouring of the spalted wood is nice and I like the no foot look.

You buffing system sounds interesting too, could you share a little more info on that

Paul

[Bryan Milham]

Paul,

my buffing system is based on the Beall Buffing System http://www.bealltool.com/products/buffing/buffer.php, which I think is overpriced.

It will be easier to explain with photo's, I'll take some tomorrow and put up a thread.

But if you want to jump ahead George Watkins (of this forum) has a similar system and shows how to use it in a short video on his website http://www.fromthetree.co.uk/shop.html.

[Paul Disdle]

Thanks I have had a peak at the video and it looks interesting I wait further information tomorrow.

Thanks

[woodndesign]

Nice form and finish, Bryan, well done on the win.

Cheers   David

[thebowlerhattedturner]

Hi Bryan,
           similar comments to those before me, I like the wood and the shape and the turning and finishing quality but I'm just not sure about the carved rim, but then again that is an emotive issue.
Regards
John BHT

[George Watkins]

hi Bryan

firstly for me this is a closed form not a hollow form but that’s by the by, the carving isn’t to my taste but I can understand why you did it as the piece did need the neck "framing" somehow.

EEE is a cutting paste- it’s also a play on words EEE = Tripoli

I've always looked at buffing compounds and mops as being an extension of your sanding system- the idea is that each mop and compound have a grit/cut/polish range
as an example and from memory ubeauts EEE cuts at around 800 grit so if you sand above 800 then EEE you are going back on yourself
the advantage of mops is that you are not limited to the lathes rotation and can manipulate the piece in several directions thus eliminating the lathes scratch mark direction.

[Paul Disdle]

Sorry I have to ask what's the difference between a closed form and a hollow form?

Paul

[bodrighywood]

Sorry I have to ask what's the difference between a closed form and a hollow form?

Paul

I have always understood that the two terms, closed and hollow, mean the same thing and are used when the form has an entry hole that is a third or less of the diameter of the form. George does a lot more of these than me so I'll be interested to hear his definition.

Pete

[George Watkins]

for me a closed form is a bowl shape where the sides are rolled over and/or you can easily see the cutting tip whilst hollowing and/or get your hand inside the form.

a hollow form has a much smaller hole where you wouldn’t stand a chance of seeing the cutting tip (hence the term blind turning) and would struggle to get a finger inside the hole.



sorry for taking your thread of topic slightly Bryan