A slow week...

I am currently reworking this piece - removing a textured surface with a Dremel makes it quick.

This is the state of the lathe right now. I am in the process of upgrading the motor to 3 phase with variable speed - So it's more carving for me !

Something new (for me at least).....

I prefer wet wood to turn but in this case it was given to me very dry. I did half of the work and nature the other half! 

Made from Silver Birch.The idea is to do a minimal finish to preserve the raw look.

 Made from Karee, still wet but already pushing out the base as the grain runs vertically in this one - maybe it'll turn out to be wobble pot.

1 finished and 1 in process

Small pot completed. Made from Silky oak.

 It's meant for our meeting next Saturday where the idea is to exchange items made for our wives.

A vase in process - also made out of the last of the Silky Oak.

Progress this week.......

I've made some progress this week with the majority of the shaping done.

I needed a break from all the carving so this is on the lathe right now - a small hollowform made from Silky Oak.

Some carving this week...

Some carving this week as the lathe motor is off the lathe. Trying to find 3 phase motor to fit is quite difficult.
Below are some pics of my progress this week.

I could'nt resist posting a pic of the sunset this evening.

 

There's somebody out there!

I am most heartened to realize that this blog is getting some visitors from all over the world. Thank you for your interest in my activities and I hope you are inspired and challenged to create as well.

This is what the statistics show for this week:

I am currently considering upgrading my Nova 1624-44 lathe to variable speed.

The problem is that it is a non standard shaft size for a metric motor. Something lik a 22mm dia shaft instead of a 19 mm shaft. If anybody has done this before especially from a "metric" country I'd really like to hear from you!

Some more Silky Oak

Some more Silky Oak turned into into hollow forms.  I really love the contrast that the heartwood / sapwood provides. This piece has been designed so that when the wood moves in the direction  of the pith  axis it still leaves a pleasing form. About 180 mm dia.

Tell me what you think!

Turnings for the week......

Last week we had our annual exhibition for the Woodworking Association of Pretoria and I managed to sell 4 pieces. 3 were sold sold as part of  a set (first time I've tried that - see previous post) and 1 natural edge hollow form.

This week the following pieces were turned from Silky Oak. Please note that these are pieces are fresh off the lathe, with minimal sanding, no finish, with maybe a bit of Woodoc just to help the drying process. Let me know what you think!

Count down to Pretoria Exhibition

A grouping of some turnings all from the same wood (honey locust?) Sometimes items in na group really look good rather than a solitary piece. These do not have any finish on them yet.

Still busy with this as you can see! Lots of work to do still. The tenon is still on the piece to aid holding while carving.

This is currently on the lathe. Made from Karee, still need to complete the hollowing.

The Woodturing Exhibition for the year starts this Saturday. I will be trying some new strategies to hopefully get a sale or two.

I'm back!

I attended the AWSA Symposium as I previously blogged and had a load of fun. Trent Bosch gave very good demo's and we had a visit from Andi Wolfe as well who was in SA doing fieldwork.

These caught my eye in the instant gallery:

 A rustic piece by Nico Swart from Port Elizabeth

 An incredibly delicate piece by Wally Rossini from Darling (?)

A paticularly interesting piece where the wood had several voids that were filled using black fibreglass resin and for interest brass shavings were added giving the impression (for me at least) of fossils embedded in the wood. The collar was turned from giraffe bone I think.

Plans for AWSA Conference

No pictures this week, just blogging my family's plans for the next week or two.

Our yearly AWSA (Association of Woodturners of South Africa) conference starts this week down in Port Elizabeth. We leave Pretoria on Wednesday moring early. Trent Bosch has been invited to the conference so he'll be showing us some of his techniques and probably imparting a lot of infoemation. I'll be taking some pieces shown in this blog for the gallery there and will be showing some pieces from the gallery in the next blog. For those who will be at the conference see you in Port Elizabeth!

After the conference we'll spend some time in East London and I should be back in Pretoria about the 2nd October.

Some Items completed at last

More colour......

Still doing some playing with colour, I've been busy trying to complete a previous piece as our next meeting is soon with the homework being some kind of enhancement. I figured that I have never tried being really bold with colour so therefore the experimentation.

A piece seen in the blog earlier -burnt and coloured with some fabric dye. The burning seemed to enhance the grain.

Playing with colour and what is on the lathe right now

A hollow form seen earlier on the blog, now with some colour - We'll see where takes takes me......

This is on the lathe right now, it's about 2/3 hollowed and done with the Rolly Munro hollower. My thinking currently is to leave the wall thick enough to add some carved detail. About 160 mm dia.

One piece completed and some playing with colour

At last this is finished, The texturing between the diamonds took about 3 hrs alone. If its not clear, the surface is not flat but below the level of the diamonds and is textured. About 110 mm diameter and made from Karee.

Stained White Stinkwood from my garden. About 70 mm tall and stained with cold water fabric dye (Dylon).

I think this would be a good candidate for next months homework as the subject is focused on decoration. textured with Dremel engarver with a blunt point.

Some better pictures .....

Hi All, I set up the light tent and took some better pictures.

The monster piece - the look changes from all angles.

 What I have completed this week. Made from River bush willow (Vaderlandswilg) kindly given to me by a fellow turner. No finish has been applied yet.

"Monster" piece completed

My wife's comment on this was that it reminded her of a monster so therefore the title.

What do you think? Does it remind you of a monster?

An update on progress for this week

The piece has been stained on the carved bits and some texturing applied to the body of the vessel. Finish was applied shortly after these series of pictures were taken.

Another view. The question was raised at our monthly turner's meeting as to how I was to finish the inside. I am still not too sure but if you have an idea let me know!

The view of the vessel that shows a smile. After applying the finish the white was transformed into a similar colour as the carved bits.

Showing some progress.....

It's the next meeting here in Pretoria on the 24th and I'm trying to get something completed. The sanding and finishing off seems to take an inordinate amount of time. I hope you are not bored!

  
Some different views of this piece.

Another view

If its not clear, I am recessing the backround so that the triangles are slightly raised. I really create work for myself!

My workshop and an update on work done.

Seeing as progress is slow and steady but not anywhere complete I thought I'd show you my workshop (4-5 m2)

Here's the view from the door of the workshop which is off the garage

My carving/sanding/detailing area

A view of the lathe area. Take note of all the unfinished projects on the shelf.

This is detailing I've done this week - still a bit to go though.

Week 2 in Port Edward

Well we're at the end of our second week and we'll be leaving to go back to Pretoria tomorrow. This is what I have done this week:

 Some further enhancements to this piece. I am still not too sure on where to end with this project.

 I have excavated between the blocks - still quite a lot to clean up here.

 I have finished pyrographing this piece but still seem to create work for myself by trying to create different levels on this pot with the Dremel.

On holiday - 1 st week

As I mentioned in the previous post our family is on holiday visiting my mother-in-law in Port Edward. I packed some tools to continue with some pieces and here they are so far:

Carving using a central band of colour I am attempting to give the impression of a inner vessel with an outer ridge. The marks in black are to guide me in laying out the central portion

The view from the other side.

 A piece I turned about 2 years ago but I was still waiting for inspiration. The same idea as above with bands around a central vessel

The other side. The wood had some splits when chopped down but it was too pretty to waste. My last bit of Camphor - what a smell!