Finial pot

[thebowlerhattedturner]

Hello all,
            it's been some time since I posted a picture here. Not my fault blame my son because he has moved out and I have to work out how to do it myself!
Any way, here is a finial pot made from Pau Amarillo. approx 140 mm. high.
Finished with sanding sealer,friction polish and Carnauba wax.
As always comments good or bad are welcome.
Regards
John BHT

[woody]

I like that a lot it is sooooo nice every thing about it is just right a good old fashioned design well turned and finished  well done you

[Bryan Milham]

John, That's a beautiful crisp bit of turning.

To tempt your collector or anyone else special in mind?

[thebowlerhattedturner]

Hi Woody and dr4,
                        thankyou for your comments. This was speculative piece that may tempt the collector but it's in the shop now so only time will tell.
Regards
John

[John D Smith]

Hi John, Lovely piece of turning nice form I agree with other comments nice crisp features.Regards John

[woodndesign]

John,  from the picture it's a beauty, as said crisp form and finish, like how you've used another glass to give a lift and show it off.

Cheers David

[thebowlerhattedturner]

Hi Guys,
        thanks for your comments,I only used the glass 'cos I'm rubbish at photography
Regards
John BHT

[BrianH]

Hi John
I'm never too shy to swim against the tide while simultaneously splitting hairs so I wonder if the base is just a tiddly-tad heavy for the beautifully turned top? From this distance I'm not sure if its the base's height or diameter (or both) which I would consider changing on the next one.
Perhaps it would start an interesting discussion if we invite those who have already written to half close their eyes and have another look and let us know if they can then see what I mean. This is, of course, an old artist's technique which cuts out the turned and grain detail and allows a closer study of the piece's basic, overall proportions.
Have no fear, though, I would still be more than happy to have made it myself and have it on the mantlepiece.
All the best
Brian

[thebowlerhattedturner]

Hi Brian,
           as always I am happy to have any opinion good or constructive. I don't have the pot here now and can see what you mean but I think it may be the camera angle (well I would say that wouldn't I ?) I'm sure the foot looks better than that in real life. I'm not back in the shop 'til the end of the month now but If I haven't sold it by that time I will take another look at it. I must admit that I do not usually use that shape foot on them I normally put a concave foot which does look more delicate.
Regards
John BHT

[Bryan Milham]

I wonder if the base is just a tiddly-tad heavy for the beautifully turned top? From this distance I'm not sure if its the base's height or diameter (or both) which I would consider changing on the next one.
Perhaps it would start an interesting discussion if we invite those who have already written to half close their eyes and have another look and let us know if they can then see what I mean.

The first time I looked at the photo I thought the finial was turned very slightly off centre. If you look at the shadow line it seems to make (at least to me) the RHS appear slightly higher. So if it's doing that to my eye's and Jon says it looks better in real life - it's possible the shadow line is affecting your perspective as well.

Lots of if, maybes and possibles there - but just a thought.

[BrianH]

Firstly let me own up to being a stranger to the gallery so please forgive me, and feel free to put me right, if I seem to be taking the matter in an uninvited and/or unwanted direction.
In actual fact John's piece itself is, to my mind anyway, of secondary importance (except to John, of course) to exploring a, hopefully valuable, critiquing(?) technique. After all the words 'wonderful', 'lovely', 'superb', etc, although nectar to the turner's ear, fail to take anyone's woodyturning anywhere.
Everybody discussing the photo alone means we are all seeing the same thing from the same angle and the piece itself has, with John's permission, merely become the study vehicle.
Or am I going wayyyyyy tooooooooooo deep here?
Tarra, I'm back to (death)bed with acute mansniffles.................oh wohh is me...................
Brian

[Roger Groom]

Brian
I dont think you are going too far in your comments. There is, as you say, nothing to be gained by just saying "I like it". Another forum has people with posts numbering in the thousands and lots of them are comments just like that.

John
The part on this which I find not quite right is the cove round the top of the vase. It is difficult from the photo to see if this is part of the lid or the cup. I think that it maybe makes the piece look a bit top heavy. Finish and detail look really good though.
Roger G

[thebowlerhattedturner]

Hi all,
        firstly let me say that I do welcome (honest) critqueing(?) for everything that I make. I also think that this forum supplies that and hopefully no one feels upset by it.
     I did/do have trouble with the photography as I am only using a cheap camera which is also a hand me down. That said I do not want to use that as an excuse but I can assure you that something has been lost in the photographic process.
          I agree that the base may appear to be a tad heavy for the intended delicay of the piece but I think that is because it is convex and not concave. The next one I did had a concave base and looked better.I think it is shadow that makes it appear slightly off centre as the whole process was turned between centres prior to the very last bits which were turned with the tail stock removed. So any perceived loss of concentricity is exactly that....perceived,possibly again caused by bad photograhy.
 Roger, the cove around the top of the bowl is part of the bowl and the lid sits inside,The cove allows a little more meat to play with when fitting the lid. That said, I cannot claim the design of this as my own, I think it is from Robert Chapman's book, I have made so many now that I forget. I did try one or two with a bead but to my eye they didn't look right, although they did sell eventually.

Brian you are right that the nice words describing my stuff is nectar to my ears but the words that allow me to improve my designs thereby making my stuff more saleable is better than that by far. I turn for aliving but most of it is commercial turning and I do not make a secret of the fact that I struggle with "contemporary" designs. So any genuine constructive comment is genuinely welcomed.
Get well soon Brian and thanks to all who bother to take the time to look at what is posted on this website.
Regards
John BHT

[BrianH]

Hey look! The mansniffles didn't prove fatal in the night, after all.
Mind you I sound like I'm gargling bricks, this morning, and have all the strength of a JCB with a hydraulic leak
John your words bring another, perhaps interesting (perhaps rambling), point to mind. We all strive to improve our work and critiquing (can someone able to spell this word properly please put us out of our misery!), either of the self-made or forum-inflicted variety, is a valuable tool in understanding how our work is percieved by the outside world.
With my own stuff, as an example, I have only myself, Wifey or, ultimately, the local charity shop to please and my only time-restraint is my natural impatience to move onto the next, possibly daft, idea. You, as a pro, on the other hand, must have a distinct target market to aim your stuff at, who are probably not woodies either by nature or training. On top of that you also suffer obvious commercial time pressures restricting what you can and can't do to improve.
So how can my, or any other perfection-seeking woody's, words of encouragement help you when you and I/they are chasing different objectives with differing amounts of time at our disposable...John, just how do you square that circle?
And while you are about it, John, what exactly is the meaning of life?  
All the best
A rather croaky Brian

[Dave Atkinson]

Hi Brian

The answer to your last question is 42.  I thought everyone know that!

Cheers Atco