Odd reason I enjoy woodturning…

[John Ames]

I’ve thought about this before, but reading the recent thread on miniature turnings, I wondered if anyone else has this thought…

Generally speaking, the turnings I enjoy and appreciate seeing the most are the ones that I have absolutely ZERO interest in attempting myself.

I see miniature turnings and think
“WOW, That’s awesome!” But I’ve never turned anything small and have no interest in trying it.

I see basket illusions and just stare at them in wonder… again, no interest for myself.

I see a nice pen and think
“That’s cool, and practical!” But I’ve never turned a pen or anything else like it…

I’ve glued together many pieces of wood and turned them into bowls but on a scale of 1-100 of segmenting proficiency in the classical sense, I’d give myself a solid 3/100.

Hollow forms? Super cool… elegant… always get my attention, especially when they are simple and clean. But I’ve never done one and have only the tiniest interest in maybe trying it many years down the road….

I feel like I have my little niche in the darkest corner of the woodturning world and I enjoy the challenge of what I do and I’m proud of what little I’ve accomplished compared to those who I view as the true artists in this field.

I just feel like I want to get better at what I do best… I have very little interest in attempting other styles. But it’s those other styles that I appreciate the most. And I appreciate the turners who can do it all!

 

[Alan Weinberg]

I agree with a lot of that. But I do want to explore hollow forms. What is your niche?

 

[John Ames]

I agree with a lot of that. But I do want to explore hollow forms. What is your niche?

I turn really crappy pieces of wood anyone with any sense would throw away and I combine that wood with resin or other hunks of wood to make a whole piece. I’ve been doing the resin work for about 12 years but it’s just gone mainstream in the past couple years….

 

[Jerry Bennett]

Interesting John but…
There is another way to look at it. I was adamant about not taking a woodturning class that Peggy wanted to take. I always worked with steel, machining, welding etc. Wood was not gonna ever happen. Well, It was a good thing I gave it a try. I could not imagine me doing it then, now I cannot imagine me not.

 

[Doug Freeman]

I did a lot of segmenting when I started turning. I didn’t know/understand about log to blank and wet wood turning. As I began to explore taking a log to finished piece(s), I realized what I enjoyed about turning was getting a tool cutting wood, and how ell can I do that. I lost interest in segmenting - too much time not turning on the lathe.

While I have great appreciation of basket illusion, carving, and other approaches, I’d rather be spinning the wood into chips. The form doesn’t matter - bowls, vases, hf’s, boxes, etc. doing a lot of fine detail work by hand is just not my thing - but how well I can control a tool on the lathe, and how creative I can get within those constraints, is.

 

[John Ames]

Interesting John but…
There is another way to look at it. I was adamant about not taking a woodturning class that Peggy wanted to take. I always worked with steel, machining, welding etc. Wood was not gonna ever happen. Well, It was a good thing I gave it a try. I could not imagine me doing it then, now I cannot imagine me not.

I completely understand that….

My grandfather had a metal shop
My father had a metal shop
I never liked working with metal - but I inherited the love for machines…

And now, just in the past couple years there’s been a super persistent little demon sitting in my brain saying “you really need to learn how to work with metal…”

I swore I’d never work with metal but I think that’s where I’m headed next in my journey…. Incorporating metal with wood. I guess it was bound to happen…

 

[R Henrickson]

I did a lot of segmenting when I started turning. I didn’t know/understand about log to blank and wet wood turning. As I began to explore taking a log to finished piece(s), I realized what I enjoyed about turning was getting a tool cutting wood, and how ell can I do that. I lost interest in segmenting - too much time not turning on the lathe.

While I have great appreciation of basket illusion, carving, and other approaches, I’d rather be spinning the wood into chips. The form doesn’t matter - bowls, vases, hf’s, boxes, etc. doing a lot of fine detail work by hand is just not my thing - but how well I can control a tool on the lathe, and how creative I can get within those constraints, is.

Exactly! My sentiments, although I did little segmenting.

 

[Mark Fairchild]

Off the top of my head I can’t think of a reason I don’t enjoy turning wood! I started turning 3 years ago when I bought a small lathe to turn my own carving mallet. If someone had told me then I would be making basket illusion or hollow forms I would have called them crazy.

 

[Darryn Achall]

Like John I appreciate all forms of wood turning. A simple well-formed bowl is as interesting as a glued together segmented sculpture. I've turned bottle stoppers and pizza cutters, bowls, goblets and other practical and useful items, but what really makes me smile is making something artistic that is made to be looked at and never used.

 

[JeffSmith]

but what really makes me smile is making something artistic that is made to be looked at and never used.

I’m just the opposite - While I spend a good deal of my time turning bowls and exploring that form, what I really enjoy is turning things that actually work - salt pigs that only require one hand to use, but close definitively when you’re done. Door bells that actually work and are a joy to use because they are simple machines made from native woods and offcuts. Boxes and larger lidded bowls with captive lids that allow you to transport the makings of a meal then, when you’ve arrived become a serving set with a large bowl, smaller serving bowl, platter and condiment bowl. Many people just have them to sit on a shelf and admire, but I find more joy in knowing they’re being used in the way they were intended.

 

[Jerry Bennett]

I completely understand that….

My grandfather had a metal shop
My father had a metal shop
I never liked working with metal - but I inherited the love for machines…

And now, just in the past couple years there’s been a super persistent little demon sitting in my brain saying “you really need to learn how to work with metal…”

I swore I’d never work with metal but I think that’s where I’m headed next in my journey…. Incorporating metal with wood. I guess it was bound to happen…

Never say never!

 

[Daniel Henry]

Never say never!

I KNOW THAT'S RIGHT!

 

[hughie]

I took up wood turning to a large extent based on my childhood experience in my Dad shop and his old Taiwanese lathe. This has morphed into enjoying the challenge of challenging myself with new, more and more difficult projects. Its a bit of ' its never been done' or 'its too hard' kinda gets me going to give it a crack. The harder or more difficult it is, the more I like it. The downside is I probably have some of the most elegant fired wood in the street where I live

 

[Dave Hulett]

I’ve thought about this before, but reading the recent thread on miniature turnings, I wondered if anyone else has this thought…

Generally speaking, the turnings I enjoy and appreciate seeing the most are the ones that I have absolutely ZERO interest in attempting myself.

I see miniature turnings and think
“WOW, That’s awesome!” But I’ve never turned anything small and have no interest in trying it.

I see basket illusions and just stare at them in wonder… again, no interest for myself.

I see a nice pen and think
“That’s cool, and practical!” But I’ve never turned a pen or anything else like it…

I’ve glued together many pieces of wood and turned them into bowls but on a scale of 1-100 of segmenting proficiency in the classical sense, I’d give myself a solid 3/100.

Hollow forms? Super cool… elegant… always get my attention, especially when they are simple and clean. But I’ve never done one and have only the tiniest interest in maybe trying it many years down the road….

I feel like I have my little niche in the darkest corner of the woodturning world and I enjoy the challenge of what I do and I’m proud of what little I’ve accomplished compared to those who I view as the true artists in this field.

I just feel like I want to get better at what I do best… I have very little interest in attempting other styles. But it’s those other styles that I appreciate the most. And I appreciate the turners who can do it all!

I'm just the opposite. I want to try everything. I've done bowls (of course) pens, miniture lanterns, hollow forms big (8") and tiny (1.5"), pewter rimmed bowls, basket illusions, wave bowls, burls, two piece hollow forms, platters, spheres, tangential twist, spiral illusion, pyrography, segmented (open and closed) and just finished a couple of HF's made with OSB. Would like to try piercing but have to get good enough to turn things to 1/16th of an inch. I love trying new things and love 'em all!

 

[Brent@TurnRobust]

- salt pigs that only require one hand to use, but close definitively when you’re done. Door bells that actually work and are a joy to use because they are simple machines made from native woods and offcuts. Boxes and larger lidded bowls with captive lids that allow you to transport the makings of a meal then, when you’ve arrived become a serving set with a large bowl, smaller serving bowl, platter and condiment bowl.

Jeff, I'd like to see examples of all of these. You have my email if you don't want to post them here. Thanks