• It's time to cast your vote in the January 2025 Turning Challenge. (click here for details)
  • Conversations are now Direct Messages (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Alan Weinberg for "Elm Burl Bowl" being selected as Turning of the Week for January 27, 2025 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

Decorative or feature ring

Eli Polite

Eli Polite

Joined
Jun 13, 2018
Messages
44
Likes
300
Location
Harrington, Delaware
I’m new to all things wood turning. I have only had my harbor freight wood lathe for about 3 years the first year I had it I never used it. I have mostly interested in segmented turning. My current project is a vase that I will be turning live on my Instagram page. The vase is basically one big feature ring with almost 130 hours of work at this point. I’m guestamating that this will be a 160 hour project when it’s all done. Here is what I consider the main feature ring of the project. What do you think ?

AA06E2D6-110A-47E6-991B-962D543F89B3.jpeg
 
They do go all the way through. I made a block 18” long and cut it like a loaf of bread. The process was extremely time consuming. I have a lot of picture and videos but posting theme here is pretty difficult compaired to other formats.

578B094E-8DE1-4F02-AF11-792B0813ABDA.jpeg
 
Wow.....that is impressive. Thanks for posting.

Can you give us some hints on how you did it? Is the white material resin?

Maybe one of the moderators could help you in posting videos, etc.
 
The white is maple. 1/42” thick veneer. I have all my pictures and videos on my Instagram page for this particular project.
 

Attachments

  • FEE70929-90E3-441E-97E5-6A026BB20635.jpeg
    FEE70929-90E3-441E-97E5-6A026BB20635.jpeg
    405.6 KB · Views: 48
I forgot to mention it in the tutorial, but if you don't select where you want to insert the picture it will just show up at the bottom of the post in a box labeled "attached files". with a default thumbnail setting. I'll try to find time to post some additional tutorials on image posting in the near future.
 
You can use YouTube or Vimeo, but if you were to upload directly from your computer to the forum, the video file would be using up our storage resources rather quickly. YouTube is pretty easy to use and several forum members use it to post turning videos.
 
Eli, that's just fantastic. One thing that's taken a very long time to sink into my rock hard head comes to mind here. I now practice my turning skills, especially when it's been a while since I've turned or done a particular technique. I also make prototypes to learn how to do a particular new project, find out where the problems are going to occur, and figure out solutions.

If I had such a unique and time-expensive piece of wood, I would work on throw-away wood mocked up into a similar piece until I could do the turning in my sleep. Only then would I risk screwing it up (and I'd probably ding it, anyway).

A friend sent me a piece of koa that I figured I would never have the chance to turn again. It sat in my shop for 4 years before I felt I had the skills to risk trying it. Even then, I spent time with one of our club's mentors learning some of the unique features of koa, before I really got after it. Your woodworking skills are obviously excellent. Do you think your turning skills are ready? Have you considered working with a club member to bring them up to the level of your woodworking skills?
 
Very nice work Eli. I can tell that there is a lot of work and time going into this piece. The reward will be in the finished piece. ;)
 
Dean Center said:
Eli, that's just fantastic. One thing that's taken a very long time to sink into my rock hard head comes to mind here. I now practice my turning skills, especially when it's been a while since I've turned or done a particular technique. I also make prototypes to learn how to do a particular new project, find out where the problems are going to occur, and figure out solutions.

If I had such a unique and time-expensive piece of wood, I would work on throw-away wood mocked up into a similar piece until I could do the turning in my sleep. Only then would I risk screwing it up (and I'd probably ding it, anyway).

A friend sent me a piece of koa that I figured I would never have the chance to turn again. It sat in my shop for 4 years before I felt I had the skills to risk trying it. Even then, I spent time with one of our club's mentors learning some of the unique features of koa, before I really got after it. Your woodworking skills are obviously excellent. Do you think your turning skills are ready? Have you considered working with a club member to bring them up to the level of your woodworking skills?
Click to expand...


My turning skills are there. It’s already under way. I will be doing the main portion of the turning live on Instagram and face book. There is so much more to this project than that one ring. The entire vase is one huge feature ring. I calculated the materials cost last week I have $550 in materials. That includes glue sandpaper and so on. Every single aspect of this has been planned out for nearly a year before I cut the first piece of wood. The photo attached is missing several rings but it will give you an idea

4D7003A8-A39A-4DEE-93F9-2FE58E444F11.jpeg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top