Maple Pot

Bill Grumbine

Member
Messages
252
Location
Kutztown PA
Greetings all

I was in the shop taking pictures of a few pieces today, so I will inflict you all with another.

swmapleburlpot01.jpg


This is a piece of maple burl that was given to me by my tree service friend. He saw a whole tree of this stuff come down in a neighbors fence row, so he asked if he could have the wood and brought it to me. In return he gets finished pieces for his collection. This is the first piece I have gotten to turn from it.

I am not sure what kind of maple it is, but it looks a little different than what I am used to seeing, which is usually red maple burl around here. But, I am not complaining! It is approximately 6 1/2" high and 7 1/2" in diameter. The walls are 3/16" thick, tapered out just a little to give it that "Weeble" kind of action on the table. The finish is Bush Oil and buffed.

Thanks for taking a look.

Bill
 
Bill, I am in awe. I have just recently started lathe work on a Jet mini mostly doing pens. I have managed to do a couple things that resemble bowls, but I hope to be able to turn something like that one of these days. Just gotta practice a little I guess!

On a side note. Didn't you say you were coming to the event in Greensboro, NC in a couple months? If so I'll see if I can get a chance to meet you!
 
Very nice, Bill. You've been doing this a while, huh? :D

How do you reverse chuck a piece like this? Do you just finish the bottom (instead of a tenon) and use the vacuum chuck for the hollowing? Since I've not used one, I honestly don't know...is a vacuum chuck strong enough to hold a piece this size while hollowing?
 
Thanks Ed, and yes, I will be in Greensboro in Oct. I will be a working stiff there, but I will be having fun anyway.

Vaughn, don't you know I started to hook it up to the vacuum chuck, and then I remembered that hole in the side. If it weren't for that, it would be possible, but for the most part I use the vacuum bell as a friction drive to part off the tenon. Overall, the HF is turned the same way as I would a bowl - shape the outside, turn a tenon to hold it in a scroll chuck, hollow it out, and then reverse it to remove the tenon. the trick on one like this is to get as smooth a curve on the bottom, since there is no "bottom" - it is a continuous curve. There is a fair amount of work off the lathe to get it nice and smooth on that bottom curve.
 
...I use the vacuum bell as a friction drive to part off the tenon...
Ah, that's the part I was not thinking about. I was thinking along the lines of a flat plate for the vacuum chuck as opposed to a cup or bell. You had something to stick over the mouth of the vessel. I can see cases where a cup-shaped friction chuck would be real handy. Thanks for the explanation. :thumb:
 
Bill, that is pretty sweet! The color of this burl is amazing, and the figure is mind boggling. I never considered a vessel of this shape, with the rounded bottom, but I REALLY love the look of this one. You do the most amazing stuff with that spinny thing! Thanks for sharing your work........I never tire of looking at your work! :thumb:
 
Bill,

Would you please do me a favor...

Keep posting pictures of your stunning spinny work. It'll keep me from wanting to get a lathe for my new shop, since I know nothing coming off it would compare to what comes off yours! :rolleyes:

Gorgeous stuff!

- Marty -
 
Bill,

Would you please do me a favor...

Keep posting pictures of your stunning spinny work. It'll keep me from wanting to get a lathe for my new shop, since I know nothing coming off it would compare to what comes off yours! :rolleyes:

Gorgeous stuff!

- Marty -

Now Marty, we've all seen what you've been able to whip out throughout your shop thread. I'll bet that the first one you ever try will look just like that!:rofl:
 
I'm with Marty. The more that you guys bolster my inferiority complex the less likely I am to waste my time with a lathe. Thanks Bill.
 
Thanks guys, for the responses! Steve, I go wherever people invite me. I made it out to WI last year, so that was close. I prefer my truck for travel, but I have ridden the train to WI, and I even stuffed myself into an airplane for my trip to FL last March. But, I will not say more except in a PM.

Bill
 
Thanks guys, for the responses! Steve, I go wherever people invite me. I made it out to WI last year, so that was close. I prefer my truck for travel, but I have ridden the train to WI, and I even stuffed myself into an airplane for my trip to FL last March. But, I will not say more except in a PM.

Bill

bill, feel free to discuss your demos on this forum, just leave the pricing aspects to p/m`s...that and cussin`, politics-n-religion;).....this place is all about woodworkin`...be it spinnin` or cnc stuff, if it grows on trees somebody here will find it interesting and judging from what i hear your demos are top notch so why in the world would any of us take issue?
tod
 
No kidding. Please continue to inform us, the admiring general public, of your demo schedule. You made it to a club near me last year but I was on a business trip and couldn't make it. I'd love the chance to see you turn again someday.

Ron
 
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