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Holly vase, knots, pith and all

D

Dave Smith

Joined
Dec 29, 2004
Messages
67
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0
Location
Longview, WA
Website
www.woodnheart.com
I turned this vase from the trunk of a holly tree. Pith in the bottom and about 10 knots around the side. I almost turned through the side when finishing the inside. A dead limb didn’t survive the rough turning so there is a 3/16" hole about 1/3 of the way up the side.

Sides are 3/32" and less in some spots. The piece was rough turned to about 3/8" thickness then soaked in alcohol for 9 hours. Wrapped with paper and allowed to dry for several weeks. It was basically dry after 2 weeks as the piece only lost 0.15 ounces during the third week when I finished turned the top of the vase. It took a couple more weeks before I got around to turning off the tenon.

The vase is 8" tall and 3 1/8" wide at the base. The rim is 2 3/4" wide. All the knots and the pith remained in tack. Sanded to 600 on the lathe then hand sanded with the grain with 600. Finished with two coats of Rockler’s Gel Polyurethane. It weighs all of 4.35 ounces.

holly1.jpg

The missing limb looks like a black spot at the lower right.
holly4.jpg

Several knots that did not split and crack.
holly5.jpg

The pith is off set from center because I mounted the piece in the center of the trunk.
holly6.jpg

Top of the vase.

I need to get a longer hollowing tool or not make such tall vases.

Thanks for looking.

Dave Smith

Finally setup a photo booth in Longview, WA.
 
Dave;
That is an excellent looking vase. I have not got into hollow forms or vases and such (yet) but hopefully in the future. About the deepest things I've done so far is bowls and goblets etc. 😱 In the meantime I am learning turning tricks by asking questions and experimenting with the answers I get. However, I have always wondered about the sanding of the inside of something like that as well as the finishing of the inside. 😕 Is it just scraped smooth as possible with tools or is there some means of going through the various grits of sandpaper inside. And for the inside finish. It is just oiled inside ?? . Obviously it cant be machine buffed on the inside.
W.Y.
 
Geat Holly!

Holly can be wonderful to turn, as you have shown here, Dave. Beautifully done, and one more success story for your alcohol treatment center! Keep up the good work. Phil
 
Sorby multitip tool.

Hi William,

I use a Sorby Multitip tool for hollowing. It does a good job on things about 6" deep or less. The inside is shear scraped with the disk tip that comes with the tool. Sanding is only as far as my finger can reach. This piece was not buffed out. Two coats of Rockler Gel Polyurethane with 600 sanding in between makes a very smooth finish. The satin finish doesn't show finger prints easily either. It is my finish of choice for most things.

Dave Smith

Heading out for a late lunch with my bride in Longview, WA.
 
Very Nice Dave!
the wood looks like cream, cant wait to start doing some hollow forms still working on getting better at bowls first 🙄
Jim
 
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