Crucible - An Alchemist's Dream

[Nick Simpson]

This is an industrial landscape in the same series as 'Firepit'.
It stands 300mm high with a 300mm diameter floor. Flames and base section are from sycamore and the 'crucible' is a scorched ash hollow form. Flames were stained with spirit dyes and lacquered. Faux rust on the 'floor' is a mixture of sand, gypsum and acrylic paint.
While constructing this I was taken by Steampunk as a genre and added the motorised rotating plinth and 'boiler' with gauges. All except the copper pipes and elbows are made from sycamore. The overall height when assembled is 500mm

A YouTube video ....https://www.youtube.com/embed/AUcltG3LAgw

C&C always welcome
Regards Nick

[Lazurus]

That's cool, unusual, but cool.

[Les Symonds]

Well, Nick, that's rather special and you've certainly put your scorching skills to great use with this piece and we also get to enjoy some excellent texture and effect work on other elements. It strikes me as being one of those pieces that you've just got to make and from which you get great enjoyment. Is it to be kept by you, or have you made it to sell?
Les

[Dave Atkinson]

I have seen this piece "in the flesh" at the Border Woodturners Open Day.  It is fascinating and very well executed.   You can spend ages looking at it and finding new things to look at.   It was one of the reasons that led me to judge Nick's club worthy of 1st place in the competition.

Cheers Dave

[Bryan Milham]

Steampunk woodturning, what's not to like.

Beyond that, each of the parts may be fairly standard tuning work but I think you've created something unique, out and away from the norm, when you've put it together into the finished piece.

I can almost see the alchemist leaning over it, watching for some sort of reaction to take place.

[edbanger]

Nice work Nick Look's great 

All the best

Ed

[Nick Simpson]

Thank you to all who have added to this discussion.
This was a narrative piece constructed for entry into a regional inter-club competition.
It was never intended as high art/craft and was distressed at all opportunities to give an industrial 'feel'.
I am not a colourist and this was the first piece to be totally covered in some sort of colour/texture.
Yes Les, it was a labour of love and would fit well in a shop window if I had one, but will be a 'magazine' feature on my website soon.
It has been fun and I am already working on a sequel in the Victorian Romantic genre. That sounds really pretentious.
Kind regards and thank you for taking the time to post
Nick