AWGB Woodturning Forum
General Category => Gallery => Topic started by: Twisted Trees on October 09, 2019, 06:17:17 PM
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We popped into an aquarium on a recent trip to Cornwall and I liked the shape of a ray moving over a rock in the tank, I took a photograph of it then pondered what to do with it.
This is what I came up with, in order to stand it I created a fake rock and suspended the box 5mm above it on a dowel.
C&C welcome
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Love the idea but as the box is so dramatic think a more subdued base e.g. black japanned base, would be better to show off the wood of the ray?
Pete
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I have seen ray bowls before and this takes it a little further. Nice job. I agree about the base but then I am not the best at matching things up
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Thanks Pete & Derek, I was unsure what to do with the base, needed to be fairly large as I wanted the "ray" to be at an angle plus it is 8" wing tip to wing tip and in Yew, so quite heavy. As it is just connected with a dowel I do have the option of playing with the base some more.
Incidentally Pete my wife was at Wisley at the weekend, came home with some pictures and your card. She was very impressed
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Thank you. Apprreciated.
Maybe something like this would work? The ray could be pinned to the support at whatever angle you wished.
Pete
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Quite like that stand, perhaps in a more organic mock driftwood construction.
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Another suggestion is go to you local garden centre and buy a piece of rock. This is what I did for one of my pieces I got a nice piece of purple slate.
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I agree with what's been said about the unsuitability of the plinth and I'd also add that the piece of yew is an absolute stunner, but what doesn't work for me is the oak (?) knob/finial on the lid; it seems a little out of place. Either a piece of yew or a timber of good contrast would surely have worked better, but the existing one seems a little bland.
Les
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I did try a stained black tail and knob, it seemed to me to detract from the Yew, so I went for bland. the original lid was dished to make it more like the actual fish shape, but I didn't like that much so tried another more traditional pot shape lid.
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I agree with what Les has said about the knob, perhaps alternative ivory would work better? But a stunning piece of wood very sympathectically worked and a beautiful concept.
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Thank you all for your comments so far, I have not had time yet to work on plinth ideas, but I have reworked the lid it wasn't pleasing me properly, so I have remade it completely with a starting point of 2 handles, the flame spike style because I enjoy cutting this pattern, but also a button style, both are made from the Yew sap wood that was trimmed from the lid blank, so more patterned than the oak, and maybe a step towards the suggested alternative ivory idea that I like the sound of.
C&C welcome
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This is just a personal thing but the graining on the finials both seem to be too much. I would go for a simple black fimial preferably pointed to some degree with a black plinth. As said just my taste. Got a thing going at the moment for japanned bases LOL.
Pete
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Thanks Pete, I agree on pointy not button, but tried black finial and it was wrong. Going to see what off-cuts I can find that are white to cream colour, also got a different shape in my head at the moment still pointy but more of a ball with thinner spike on it. I have not glued the finial so I can play some more yet.
I am supposed to be building my workbench really, but there are moments when I can play on the lathe and call it thinking time ;)
I do like the plinth you have on the bowl, but not decided yet what I want for this fish, think it needs to be organic rather than formal, but maybe I need to reduce the display angle to help it disappear.
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Good idea not to glue up until really happy with it. Play and experiment until you are happy...or the boss is LOL.
Pete
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How about a base which is suggestive of the sea floor with clouds of sand whipped up by the movement of the ray ?
ATB John
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How about a base which is suggestive of the sea floor with clouds of sand whipped up by the movement of the ray ?
ATB John
I wouldn't know where to start on that idea John. I am going to do some Glue Up on the bench today, which will free some time to play with the lathe, may have something to show tonight.
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How about a base which is suggestive of the sea floor with clouds of sand whipped up by the movement of the ray ?
ATB John
I wouldn't know where to start on that idea John. I am going to do some Glue Up on the bench today, which will free some time to play with the lathe, may have something to show tonight.
How about a flat square base which is level underneath the ray with big radiating "ripples" like a pebble dropped in a puddle ?
ATB John