Yew vase...demo piece

[Les Symonds]

Way back in December I set up the format for this year's demos and decided to work on two-part vessels. The plan was to rough-out, cut into two and then hollow out the vessel in the first half of each demo, then take it home to glue it together. In the second half of each demo, I'd already have a demo piece hollowed and glued together, which I could then finish off. Thus at each demo, I would start off one and finish another.....and each of them would eventually end up on the shelf of my shop.

So here's the part-2 piece from this week's demo at Merseyside Woodturners. It wasn't without its problems because when I got there, their chuck had only 7mm deep jaws and wasn't really up to the job, but with some creative thinking we got through.

It's a piece of yew cut from a dry log. One minor crack, filled with epoxy and copper-dust. It's 12" tall x 4" diameter, reducing to 1.25" at the neck. Wall thickness 9mm at the flat of the base, 7mm half way up and 3mm at the lip. One of the scorch lines conceals the join, the rest add to the illusion.

C&C always welcome...Les

[John Plater]

Hello Les,
An interesting idea, I like the basic form of the piece and then the scorch lines which contrast well with the bold grain markings. Thankfully, it also doesn't look too glossy, which usually puts me off a piece as it still looks like a piece of wood ! I think that a two part turning is a workmanlike way of producing a deep piece with efficiency, complete with a fine finish (I assume) on the inside. Nice one !
On another tack, demonstrating can be a problem and I quickly learned that a plan B was needed as one never knows what one will be faced with. If their lathe is M33 or they have an Axminster chuck I take my own chuck and/or jaws to be sure. I also learned to have different timbers in different sizes ! Usually between demonstrator and members something can be worked out. My best one was a jammed tailstock quill and the piece needed to be mounted between centres........!
ATB John

[Duncan A]

Very nice indeed. The scorch mark spacings are interesting - is there a mathematical progression to them or some other system, or are they just done by eye?
Duncan

[Les Symonds]

....is there a mathematical progression to them or some other system, or are they just done by eye?
Duncan

The first line goes over the join, then I mark 1 line above the join at whatever looks right, I think it was a 12mm gap, then each space above that increases by a regular amount, so 12/14/16/18 etc. Likewise, below the joint I decrease the spaces at a regular amount each. I find that as the lines get closer, under the base of the vase, they visually give it weight and make it look more stable, whereas as they increase in distance apart, it gives the appearance of being lighter. An effect that works well on a vase.
Les

[Duncan A]

Hi Les
Thanks for the explanation, I thought there would be a good reason for the spacings. They do work well and accentuate the form in my opinion. They also make it look "smarter" somehow, a bit more formal.
Duncan