Thick or thin. Which is in?

[Bob Hadley]

Generally, I had been making my non-functional bowls and vessels as thin as possible.

The primary point of course was/is to demonstrate a modicum of expertise. But lately, in response to some comments by the better half (a ceramic potter and art teacher), I have been adding some heft to certain projects. In some cases a little and others a lot.

For sure there will always be great wow factor for a super thin object, but sometimes it's not necessary and may in fact be, dare I say, not optimal (or maybe just wrong!). Case in point is a bowl I posted to the photo gallery last week: Aussie Burl Bowl.

I know that thin is in, but fat could be where its at for some things. Anybody else looking at things and asking: "should that be thick or thin?"

BH

PS: I had a great visit here in So Cal by Chuck Smith of Glenwood IA last week. Tales of his workshop and demo area had me drooling!

 

[Jeff Jilg]

I haven't put up many of my pieces for sale. The few that sold were functional. People did not comment on the thickness. They were 1/2" and that suited their purpose well.

Seems to me that we as woodturners make life hard on ourselves. Two of my neighbors purchased weedpots from a local woodturner who has now passed away. Both of the pots are mesquite and are about as thick walled as one can make them! The neighbors like them fine.

 

[Erwin Nistler]

When you have a piece spinning on the lathe IT IS YOUR WORLD.
Thick or thin, whichever you want is IN. 😀

 

[Cutting Crew]

Hello Bob,

It all comes down to whatever you want to make, if it's your living as it is mine you need to produce whatever the galleries and the public choose to buy.

If it's for pleasure make whatever you feel happy with.

Here in the UK the current trend with collectors is to go for thin walled vessels with some form of texture or decoration.

Regards....Mike Swain RPT

 

[Bill Grumbine]

Hi Bob

I do a lot of functional turning, and a little bit of artsy stuff. Most of my customers are regular people, as opposed to the "art crowd" types. I turn a whole range of thicknesses, but tend towards heavier walled pieces. I do make some very thin pieces from time to time, but the only people who seem to be impressed are other turners. Sure, some members of the general public are impressed with thin, but they hardly ever buy thin.

I will also add that thick can be, and needs to be graceful, and blocky or clunky does not make it - i.e. even thick pieces have to have a nice feel and shape to them.

Bill

 

[-e-]

there's no rule...

i find that the wood and shape of the piece have much to say about the thickness of a piece. some woods do better thinner. some more decorative shapes do better thinner.

but a fruit or salad bowl need to be thicker. if the piece is going to be utilitarian, then it will be thicker and have more rounded edges, easily washed and no design features that will be dented or misshaped through handling.

if the piece is a display piece, then its design must be more refined and thinness counts.

 

[Mark Mandell]

Depens

Agree with -e- because I look for wood that will produce natural voids and holes in the wall [that's "negative mass" to the art critics] and I look to preserve the character of the edge of the hole(s) much like others do natural edge bowls. Thus when hollowing, I'll often stay at 1/4-3/8" or more to keep an interesting shape for the void or hold a bark inclusion in place. If the piece is without gaps or breaks, I don't go thinner than 3/16" as I think the object becomes too delicate for my taste.

I've seen pieces done fantastically thin like the lampshade or cowboy hat stuff, but hey, I do this for pleasure, why would I want to introduce that kind of tension and anxiety into my hobby? Doing it for valid commercial reasons is a different story. In that case, I'd be laser/gps-rigged done to a 64th! 😀

Mark

 

[Anthony Yakonick]

Turners care about thickness, customers don't!!