Johannesburg Gold Vase

A end grain vase made from "Johannesburg Gold". It's about 190 mm (7 1/2") with quite a distinction between the sapwood and heartwood. Still to be finished....

I'm blogging again

Hi everyone, I haven't blogged anything for a while but I have been busy:)

This piece is from an unknown wood but it has been burnt and then stained with 2 colours. I am still debating what colour to make it on the inside.

Another piece that was posted earlier on in the year except that in the meantime it has been burnt and stained.....not sure what colour to make the inside.

 Some natural edges posted earlier on in the year but finished now-just in time for Christmas. Made from a shrub called Johannesburg Gold.

A piece that I am due to start some carving work on - inspired by a shell called a Chiton.
That's what Christmas holidays are for!

Another natural edge

Inspired in part by Chris Ramsey's natural edged forms I tried to put my own spin on it.....

Turned from a "Johannesburg Gold" shrub/tree, about 230 mm or 9" dia.
The beauty of turning with voids is that minimum effort is required in removing shavings from the vessel - it just falls out!

Some more of the same but with natural edges

Some small bowls made from "Golden Johannesburger"

A thin turned natural edge bowl also from "Golden Johannesburger"
The wood seems to be part of the melaleuca family according to the internet where it is know as "Johannesburg Gold".

Some "Golden Johannesburger" in progress

A natural edge with a twist. The bark would not stay on so I took it off. The idea is to do some form of shaping on this piece - over the next couple of weeks we'll see how it turns out.

A low natural edge but the bark does not seem to like co-operating. Some shaping will be done on this piece as well - watch this space.

I finished in time!

I was able to finish this vessel in time. It's a departure from what I have done in the past but I think it's good to explore other options. Made from Jacaranda, textured and stained following the prominent grain lines on the outside. It's about 300mm (12") tall.

During our yearly exhibition this Saturday I was asked to demo some techniques that I do with the Dremel and have nearly completed this piece. The vessel is turned from Golden Johannesburger, a common garden shrub here in Gauteng, South Africa.

A week away from our exhibition

It's a week away from our yearly exhibition and I'm still trying to complete stuff.

A large (for me) Jacaranda vessel that I am trying to complete. It's got great grain but I had to do something more. By following the grain lines I textured parts of the surface. This would not show contrast once the finish was applied so I coloured the textured surface. What do you think?

I believe that the signature should as much detail as the rest of the piece. It should almost surprise the viewer with unexpected detail. Here the surface was textured/burnt and then the text was added using a thin diamond tip in the Dremel. The uneven surface did not make it too easy!

The flower bowl is complete

Turned from Jacaranda, about 325 mm (13") dia x 100mm (4") tall. The inside of the bowl has been pyrographed and the exterior has been stained black. Some of the earlier posts show this in various stages of completion.

I made some shavings this weekend...

For a change I did some turning this weekend. I have been busy trying to finish some pieces for our annual club exhibition and have done lots of sanding over the last while and therefore needed a break. I am also turning "Golden Johannesburger" for the first time - I have a workshop to clean now! Note the pencil marks for further work.

I've moved onto some carving now

I am still busy trying to finish some pieces for our club's exhibition next month.

The edge of the lower petal is being carved currently - notice the hard edge.
This piece started as a bowl but a crack forced me to improvise!

Some more burning.....

A couple of hours work later -  a sneak peek of what I've been busy with. I am about 2/3 of the way with the burning. More to see next week!

A peek on works in progress

I've been burning again. A work in progress with much still to do. Our clubs' exhibition is coming up in the next month so I need to complete some pieces. Nothing like  a little pressure:)

It started life as a bowl. I had a crack down the one side and could not be functional so improvisation was in order. This also still has lots of work to go.

Taking some items further

This piece had a split down the side. I decided to do away with the split and cut a sweeping curve down the side of the hollow form. I may yet create a lip along the curve........

Last weeks piece taken a step further. I have accentuated the flow of the curve and done much cutting, carving and shaping to get to this point.

Even more unknown wood

Some more of the unknown wood. All I know it's indigenous and I have a tree like it in our garden.
Some vases turned in the last week or 2 that are blank canvases so to say. The wood is plain enough as to be able to do some embellishment to make them unique.

 A smallish  (about160 mm dia) hollow form done with a twist. I've left the facet  as is but may remove it to get away from the roundess of the hole. I have done some preliminary carving whilst on the lathe.

Some more unknown wood.....

Some more unknown wood from the same tree as last week - it looks like pine but has a much finer grain and is much heavier. About 150 mm dia (6") with a split down the side - we'll see how it turns out later in the year.

A natural edge for a change

A natural edge for a change. I don't do many so it's nice to be challenged. I am not sure what wood this is. I got it from a townhouse complex that cut the tree down. Needless to say, the turning is done but sanding and finishing to follow...

I've been working....

Since coming back from holiday last week I have been trying to get some older items done. I have succeeded to certain extent.

Jacaranda bowls I finish turned this weekend. They were originally turned about 3 months ago.

I've been making smoke this last week and was able to finish this Karee (Rhus Lancea I think) calabash form.

Status and new developments....

I have been away on holiday so there were no postings  - but I'm back.

BonzaBay beach, East London

There have also been a new development on the internet side.

This is my 3rd year of blogging my activities and I have felt that in addition to this blog I need to have a more static space on the internet as well. Therefore I have registered the url www.abwoodturning.co.za

Please feel free to visit the new website.

A Eucalyptus vase

A vase turned from Eucalyptus ( I'm not sure what sort). About 160 mm (6 1/2") high. The piece has a couple of coats of shellac applied as a sealer - I recently started doing this and seems to produce a better finish. This wood was dry and comes from a tree that had to be removed from my garden a couple of years ago. Tell me what you think!

Ringholders completed and Saturdays meeting

The ring holders are completed in time. The 2 outer ones are made from Jacaranda and Imbuia while the inner 2 are made from Cyprus and Imbuia.

We also had a woodturners meeting yesterday with the highlight being a demo by At Smit who turns deep hollowed elliptical vessels.

The tallest vessel shown is 450 mm (18"). Something unique for sure!

Some production items

My wife asked me to make her some ring holders. Here they are in-process. Made from Jacaranda, Imbuia and Cypress.
See below for the original......

Made from Yellowwood and Imbuia, many years ago.

An attempt to do something different....

Once in a while I try to get out of my comfort zone and try something new for a change. This is one of those times!
here I'm combining two mini hollow forms into one object. The shapes are not as good as I'd like them to be but access to turn the form was severely hampered by the tailstock of the lathe.
It's made from Jacaranda and the fattest form is about 50 mm (2") diameter. Shortly after this pictures was taken I went through the wall of the thinnest vessel:( Maybe a bit of piercing is in order!

Wood is unpredictable......

Over the last week or two I have shown some of the wet turnings I have done. If you've been following you'll recognise the two vessels shown. Both were turned wet and with the pith slightly off-centre.
They are starting to dry and have shown more movement than expected. The vessel on the right has some cracks that are not shown. We'll see how well they dry and if "design opportunities" present themselves.

One and a half vessels completed

I say one one and a half because one of them is still on the lathe. See below

Made from River Bush Willow (Vaderlandswilg in Afrikaans), turned while wet hence some distortion. About 250 mm (10") tall.

This is still on the lathe. It's about halfway hollowed.
Also made from River Bush Willow (Vaderlandswilg in Afrikaans).

A first for me!

A Jacaranda hollowform following on from last week. Its about 325 mm (13") tall - the deepest I've ever gone and I think the maximum for the Rolly Munro hollowing tool that I use when the form's mouth is larger.

A small natural edge made from Jacaranda from an offcut - about 100 mm (4") dia.

Back to basics

I have not turned bowls for a couple of years now so the opportunity arose when we has a couple of holidays this week coupled with some wood to turn. Here are the results:

I am left with a pile of shavings on the floor and 2 Jacaranda bowls, 375 mm (15") diameter and 325 mm (13") diameter respectively. They have been rough turned and while be turned to final shape and thickness once dry.

I have doing some burning as well  - I do believe it will come out well:)

Some more Indian Mahogany

About 150 mm (6") dia, made from Indian Mahogany - I just love how the grain flows around the opening!

Also from Indian Mahogany, about 200 mm (8") tall. Some distinctive grain that catches the eye. A portion of the grain has been accentuated by texturing, following the grain lines.

I tend to work on multiple projects....

I tend to work on multiple projects at once. This is what I've done this week.

I have 3 different levels of depth on this vase and I started carving out the curves. The grid helps to layout a smooth line.

One of my hollow forms that have holes in the side. Made from Cyprus and about 180 mm (7") in diameter.

Keep watching this space to see how they develop..........

The completed piece....

The vessel is completed at last. Made from Jacaranda, it's about 275 mm (11") tall. I learnt about the impact a lighter burn can make when coupled with a dark one. I am already busy with the next burnt piece......

The last teaser for this vessel.....

The secondary colour has been added and I'm busy with the texturing. A couple of hours still but I'm nearing the end. The texture is created with a small point attached to the engraver

Some in progress teasers.....

I have been doing some burning on a vase and still have a couple of hours to completetion

I am also working on another vase. I have added some texture, following the grain patterns between the heartwood and sapwood. I think this will be most attractive with the contrast between the smooth/rough surfaces. Texturing is done with a engraver using a fat point.