Prototypes, mockups, maquettes!

[Gregory Hickman]

In the beginning there is a blank slate. Toy may approach your next project with a piece of wood in mind, you might have an idea of what you want to make, or you might just want to turn for turnings sake. How each person approaches their creative endeavor can be a very personal procedure.

When many artist/creators undertake a project they may start with a sketch, but do any of you build prototypes. The title of this thread might have a word you've never heard, maquette. A maquette is a study made by a sculptor to look at shape, form or arrangement. While the term probably doesn't directly apply to woodturning, woodturners are sculptor in some sense.

Why i bring this up you might ask? I'm wondering if anyone uses these methods to understand their next piece. There are many sculptural forms that I've seen in the community. There are many highly detailed pieces that require vast amounts of planning to execute, and the like.

So I'm curious if anyone makes prototypes or should we say maquettes? I'm very interested in making boxes, both endgrain and cross-grain, and plan on making several maquettes after i work through sketches. I think having a representation of forms to look at, touch and experience that I'll be able to craft boxes that work. These are usually made at a scale other than full, but with the types boxes i plan on making that is probably isn't needed. So I'm curious what others do in regards to prototypes.

Gregory

 

[Steve Tiedman]

I've not made prototypes, but they can be useful.

Two books that may also be useful-

https://www.amazon.com/Shapes-Woodturners-David-Weldon/dp/0713481390

https://www.amazon.com/Woodturning-Source-Shapes-John-Hunnex/dp/0946819459

Similar titles may be available. Also look for similar books from the pottery and ceramics world.

Richard Raffan would turn shapes and then spray paint them black so he could concentrate on shape and not be distracted by grain and color. He'd also band saw the pieces as to see how interior shape compares to exterior shape.

 

[Gregory Hickman]

Richard Raffan would turn shapes and then spray paint them black so he could concentrate on shape and not be distracted by grain and color.

I plan to do just this, based on his mentioning it. Next week I'll be picking up a bunch of poplar in varying thickness to turn different box designs. I'm torn between full boxes or just exterior shapes to figure out what i like the look of before doing a full box. That is a bridge I'll cross when I get started.

Like I started earlier i plan on starting with endgrain boxes. I'm thinking I'll also do this with finials. It will be good spindle training exercise and give me reference material for box making. After completing a series of exterior shapes and finial shapes I then can focus on the complexity of box turning.

I've seen Richard show his box in cross section, which i hadn't thought to do myself. It is a good idea though and something i will do when I get to that stage in my progression. I can see how that will give insight into a design as well as evaluate my turning performance of hollowing.

Gregory

 

[Steve Tiedman]

Full boxes. Practice is never waisted.

 

[Gregory Hickman]

Practice is never waisted.

I agree that practice is never wasted. That applies to everything that we are trying to learn.

Since I'm totally new to turning in focusing solely on spindle orientation to start. After I get my Lab up and running my day will consist with doing bead and cove sticks, skew only sticks, then one or two project type turnings (wand, outside of a box, or the like). I can even see just practicing turning until the stick disappears.

It's my goal to build muscle memory for each of the tools, but create an object that is project like at the end of the session. Keeping these project like objects over time will help me see my turning progress. After I've made some progress I'll undertake the next step doing the studies that this thread was created about.

I'm under no illusion that I will have to put a lot of effort into learning to turn. This is why I've prescribed for myself the schedule above. Even after developing my skills, I'll continue to do practice sticks as a warm up to a session. Over time maybe that will be once a week instead of at each session. Only time will tell, but I think it's a solid plan to learn a quick as possible.

Gregory

 

[Michael Anderson]

I’ve made a few miniature versions of larger projects. Not necessarily perfect miniatures, but rather just smaller prototypes to test out concepts. I find it helpful. That said, I still approach the prototype as if it were a primary project.

 

[John K Jordan]

I do sketches instead. I often make several sketches with small variations before putting tool to wood, sometimes on either side of a vertical line to make comparison easier. So far, I'm able to visualize the final piece from the sketch. To my satisfaction.

 

[hockenbery]

I do prototypes when i need to discover things i can’t see in my mind or on paper.

Prototypes give feed back on
Holding methods
Process
Design dimensions ratios
Tool choices
Construction
Painting order
Feasibility
How much fun it is to make

Pro-types are low stress because it is planned as throwaway
A have had second thoughts with some prototypes and never made the piece

More than once the prototype has gone so flawlessly that I didn’t find problems until number two and I make an unintended throw away. But I learn enough to succeed with trial 3


Not really prototypes - I’ve made a few series that run through transitions or evolution. Useless simple to more complicated smaller to larger ….

 

[Gregory Hickman]

I do prototypes when i need to discover things i can’t see in my mind or on paper.

Prototypes give feed back on
Holding methods
Process
Design dimensions ratios
Tool choices
Construction
Painting order
Feasibility
How much fun it is to make

Pro-types are low stress because it is planned as throwaway
A have had second thoughts with some prototypes and never made the piece

More than once the prototype has gone so flawlessly that I didn’t find problems until number two and I make an unintended throw away. But I learn enough to succeed with trial 3


Not really prototypes - I’ve made a few series that run through transitions or evolution. Useless simple to more complicated smaller to larger ….

These are three stated purpose of maquettes. Bring a new turner i look at this type of turnings, iterations of a conveyor can give inspiration or a what was in thinking moments. With the added benefit of lathe practice. Thanks for sharing.

Gregory

 

[Bill Alston]

I don’t make prototypes, only failed projects - that end up in the bin! 😂 I do sometimes though make sketches on the computer to check dimensions etc. I also sometimes make templates or jigs though.

 

[Bill Blasic]

I would suggest a book by Chris Stott Turned Boxes 50 designs. You will find this book in most places sell for $40 and up. I found a copy here (www.thriftbooks.com) for $18.98. This is my goto book for box designs.

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

I do prototypes if it's a form I've not made before. Here's a prototype of a judge's gavel I did a year or so ago. I intended to make a couple of these for lawyer relatives but I never got back to it.

 

[Gregory Hickman]

I would suggest a book by Chris Stott Turned Boxes 50 designs. You will find this book in most places sell for $40 and up. I found a copy here (www.thriftbooks.com) for $18.98. This is my goto book for box designs.

I have it and Raffan's box book. I do like them and will consult them often. There is also Pintrest for inspiration. The idea of making the maquettes though is to see variation and create the forms. They are something I can make as i learn to turn.

Gregory

 

[Dave Landers]

I'll sometimes do throw-away pieces (whatever name you want to give them) when I'm exploring something new. Not always, but if I can't adequately sketch it or otherwise have problem visualizing some part of the piece.
I also find it useful when I need to explore how to hold an unusual piece on the lathe, or to explore order of operations on something a bit complicated.

 

[John K Jordan]

I don’t make prototypes, only failed projects - that end up in the bin!

I put my small failures in my “Box O’ Shame”. Great to show someone when they have a problem. I think I'll take it to my next demo.

I do prototypes if it's a form I've not made before. Here's a prototype of a judge's gavel I did a year or so ago. I intended to make a couple of these for lawyer relatives but I never got back to it.

View attachment 71471

I like the gavel design! I'm glad you posted that - reminds me that I told our lawyer I'd make a sounding block for her. Yikes, that was 6 months ago...

I’ve made several. One tip if you haven’t thought of it: I once read of a gavel where the glue joint loosened with use. I started making them with threaded joints, glued. A bunch of years ago I found the wood tap and die sets for cheap at Woodcraft - I suspect they are available elsewhere too.

The 1/2" thread seems to be the right size for the gavels I make.



I started making them with pieces cut from the same chunk of wood to get the best match.

JKJ