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Work In Progress - 5 Foot Cherry Vase

Thanks for the updates. When I was young I would build things even though I didn't have the skill. I'd just go for it. I didn't know that you weren't supposed to be able to do that, so I just did it. Now that I'm older I tell my self you can't do that and I often don't. You've kind of given me the incentive to get back to the young me who built whatever he wanted. Just invent a way to do it.
 
Thanks all!

I am really excited and relieved now that it's beyond the actual turning. I will be installing it in 1 month, so it's crunch time. Luckily it seems to be drying quite quickly since the inside is not sealed at all.

Hutch
 
Hi Matt

I've been following your progress with great interest. Sort of like what John Lucas implied, sometimes you just have to say damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!! And boy, you blew those torpedoes out of the water! Well done!

I'm curious, as a former Grand Rapids resident (born and raised on the west side, near Stocking and Walker), is there an active woodturning club in GR? I still have all my family there (60 or so, if you count the extended -- 2nd and 3rd cousins), and get back there every couple of years. I would love to come to one of your meetings, if they coincide with a visit back home.

By the way, the photos of your shop that show your garage doors brought back some fond memories of my grandfather's garage.🙂
 
Goin Well

Matt Glad to see that your project is going well. Look forward to seeing your project when done. I will be downtown at Leos's on the 25th with my entry. Hope to see you then. Keep up the good work 🙂
 
The Stress is Killing Me

Yeah, tell me about it.....my install date is this Wednesday. Right now I still have to build the pedestal base and paint it, plus I have a couple more coats of shellac to apply before I rub out the finish.

When you're on a tight schedule, waiting for finish to dry can make one go insane. Luckily it's a finish that dries quickly. 😀

Hutch
 
So close.....

Thanks Ron! Right now I think the shellac (that wasn't drying after all) is hardening a little more. So I think I am able to breath a little easier now. BTW, anyone finishing with shellac may want to use caution when using a pre-mixed product from a can. I think the stuff I got had been sitting on the shelf a bit too long. It worked great when applied thinly, but when brushed on it didn't want to harden.

Anywho, here's the latest progress.

Photo 1.) Here's the 2" sanding pad on the "lighter" 10 foot bar. I simply drilled another hole in the dual use cutter tip and used the same set screw. It worked great!

Photo 2.) Here's the inside, formerly very VERY rough, now smooth. I made my own 36 grit sanding discs by cutting a course sanding belt into circles, applying spray adhesive to it's back and the face of a 320g loop backed disc, and then pressing together after the adhesive dried. It tore through those knots like they were nuthin'!! The 80 grit discs weren't doing squat. I never thought I would EVER use 36 grit on a woodturning, but then again, those knots were ridiculously hard.

Photo 3.) The rim is finally thicknessed, and man were my hands tired. My arms look like Popeye's now. Glad that's over.

Photo 4.) Another view of the bark edge

Photo 5.) And here's the general idea of that the piece will look like on exhibit. Too bad my camera is a piece of junk, but you get the idea despite the blurriness. The base shown is only a mock-up I used to determine proper proportions. I am currently painting the real one.

The final pictures will be coming very VERY soon!

Hutch

P.S. When on the base, it stands just under 6.5' tall.
 

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Perseverance!

Matt, Great job. I have been following your posts in progress and have been in awe of your "Perseverance". I think this piece should be titled just that. Great work. Cannot wait to see the final pictures. 😉
 
Very Impressive Matt

Great job thanks for the play by play I enjoyed following your progress. I see you have a Festool sander in the one pic how do you like it? Does it perform much better than a regular DA?
 
Very Impressive

The finished work is outstanding! Good luck on the exhibit!

And I agree with an earlier post -- the title, if you don't already have one --should be perseverance! Thanks for the photo essay of your journey, too.
 
Congrats

Matt great job. I can't wait to see the piece. I will be by to see it. Let me Know when you might be around. If you are downtown on the 25th stop by Leo's and I will buy you a drink. I will be there noon to 4 pm.

Again congrats 🙂
 
Wow! Even after watching the blow by blow turning show, I'm still immensely impressed. Beautiful, unique piece.
Dean Center
 
Finally have a moment to breath!

Ok, now that I finally have my website up, and we're past the first day of the ArtPrize event, and can actually get to updating this thread.

The last week before install was terrible. I had so many finishing issues it was ridiculous. I even pulled an all-nighter working 27 out of 30 hrs......with unacceptable results. Needless to say, that was a tough day emotionally. Luckily I was able to have my install date pushed back a couple days. The funny thing is, I probably wouldn't have had the issues if I would have known I had the extra couple days of cure time! Ah, the joys of working within time constraints.

After the first night of voting (the public votes for which art they like, and that artist wins the $$$), I was in the Top 100 for a while (out of over 1700 pieces)!!! I dropped down this morning, but that is still cool to think that I am likely in the top 10 percent!!

Here are the pics of the finished piece.

Thanks for all the support and encouragement!

Hutch

P.S. I will keep you updated if my rating rises. There may be as many as 50,000 people viewing it this weekend!!! They expect around 100,000 visitors over the course of the 3 weeks!
 

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Outstanding !

That came out beautifully Matt. Congratulations ! Sorry to hear about the finishing trouble but you got-er-done. Looks great with the base too.
 
Great job and I agree with Richard. You deserve to be in the top 10% if not win the event. The finished 5 foot vase looks spectacular.
 
Thanks everyone!

I will let y'all know how the results end up. If I don't make it into the top 10 (which is SUPER UNLIKELY), then I'm out of the money. Right now my goal is to make it into the Top 50. 🙂

Now that the lathe is available, I hope to get to finishing some other pieces that have I've been wanting to work on.

Hutch
 
Congrats

Matt congrats on being the the top 75. Sorry we missed each other on Sat. I know how busy the museum was. I was very busy too and did not get over to see you. Keep hustling votes. We need to talk, I have had several calls on my pieces.😀
 
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