A Southern Seas Ship's Decanter!

[Les Symonds]

I took my inspiration for this piece from one of Hughie's earlier pieces. The burr was one of the batch that I bought recently, and is a Tamanian myrtle, whilst the neck and stopper are from a piece of south African Tambooti; hence the Southern seas name.



Before turning the burr I set about it, sawing lumps off in an attempt to reduce the number of shavings left on the floor.



I decided to hollow it all out, from bottom to top, so the base was hollowed out from underneath...



....and then I plugged the opening with a disc turned out of a couple of the pieces that I'd cut off the blank before I'd started. as a little extra for whoever buys it, I set a rose-quartz cabochon into the base.....a completely unnecessary feature, but I liked it!



The overall size is 8" / 200mm diameter and 10" / 250mm high. the stopper is 1.6" / 40mm diameter.



The tambootie was a joy to turn; it was quite greasy, rather like teak, and had a sweet smell, not unlike a floral disinfectant. the burr was rather more of a challenge!

As for the overall dimensions and proportions.....I found this quite tricky. I looked at loads of pictures of traditional, glass decanters and used the proportions of them, but it didn't lend itself well to being reproduced in wood, so i feel that the neck looks a little heavy.

Comments and criticisms invited.

Les

[bodrighywood]

I do quite a few replicas of medieval chalices and goblets and have found that you need to use a bit of artistic licence in copying the shapes as what works in glass can, as you say, look a bit heavy when done in wood. If the neck flowed directly from the base it might help and perhaps the neck a little shorter?
Pete

[thebowlerhattedturner]

Hi Les,
       I think you have turned and finished this very nicely but I am unsure of the join between the 2 woods and also not sure if the 2 woods "go together". Nice concept though and I like the idea of the cabochon in the base, it gives a surprise when turned over which is always nice.
Regards
John BHT

[Les Symonds]

Pete/John....thanks for those comments, I think that it's exactly what I needed to hear . I had my doubts about the match (mismatch) of the 2 timbers, even though the strong light in the picture emphasises the difference. I've got 2 more lumps of myrtle and one of them contains burrs, but on one side only, so I could always cut it up and use a part of it to make a new neck and stopper.

As for the cabochon, I bought loads of small stone rings and cabachons, and they are remarkably cheap. This piece of polished quartz cost about 60p, but its impact adds rather more than that to the finished piece. I wouldn't use plastics (Corian etc) on a piece where the timber is so expensive, but a piece of natural stone does it for me.

[Bryan Milham]

The neck joint has been discussed so no more on that.

However I'd like to say it looks like you're developing a style that will lead you into finding your place in the woodturning world. Damn fine work there.

[Les Symonds]

Thank you Bryan, I appreciate that.
Les

[bodrighywood]

I'd send that, being prepared to experiment and try something new is the key and you definitely seem to have the key. Too many turners get stuck in a rut making the same, or similar things all the time. As a pro turner I have to make what people will buy but there is always room to try something ew and different.

pete

[Les Symonds]

Cheers Pete, thanks for that....and by the way; I might just look up that other lump of myrtle tomorrow after school!
Les

[woodndesign]

Hi Les, A very nicely taken WIP to bring over your thoughts, layout and means of going about this piece, it has been already commented on with regards to how the pieces where put together, it's maybe to followed work I've seen before, in to have a narrow collar/ring/band of lighter wood between the joint and as has been said a continual flow through more inline as a Decanter would have, then that's my thoughts.

Cheers on yet another delightful piece and use of that treasure of woods.

David

[ken rodgers]

Hi Les,
I like the concept and you seem to have achieved a good shape and overall finish.
Like the other comments already made the proportions of the neck to the main body need to be altered and the Tambooti is not a good match.
Regards
Ken

[John D Smith]

Hi Les I agree with the comments made prior to my posting I think this is a beautiful piece of work and I can't wait to see tomorrows photo if you get the time you could ask teacher if you can leave early Regards John 

[Les Symonds]

Thanks John...but who do you ask when you are 'teacher'?

p.s. ... now you're putting me under pressure to get some turning done before dusk and after a working day....wish I'd never mentioned it!

Les

[Les Symonds]

David...an interesting point you just made....in cabinetmaking, a little bead is often used to disguise a gap between two pieces of wood - as with a pair of doors on the front of a book-case, but I'd not thought of setting a small ring of lighter wood (sycamore?) into the join. I like that idea!
Les

[John D Smith]

Hi Les I guessed you were the teacher so let the Children go home early and get plenty of Brownie points then go home yourself haha.John

[Les Symonds]

A grand idea, John.....but it's a residential special school. If I send the kids back to the house early I'll get it in the neck from the care-staff on Tuesday morning. looks like I'll just have to tough it out, but it's only fair to say that the final lesson of the afternoon might be a bit odd as the teacher sits and ponders how to extract a tambootie neck from a myrtle flask without causing too much damage.
Les