Tweaked the Rim on my Bunya

Vaughn McMillan

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
36,054
Location
ABQ NM
No, I'm not talking about a sprained muscle or something. :rolleyes:

Some of you may recall a bunya pine vessel I made a while back. I wasn't happy with the way the rim came out, so a few days after posting the pics, it went back into the shop for trimming.

The first trick was to mount it on the lathe. Since the bottom had the pith of the log (and some small cracks in it) I didn't use the vacuum chuck. Actually, I did use the chuck, just not the vacuum pump. I put the base of the vessel in the padded vacuum chuck, then jammed it in place with a 3" or so diameter dowel attached to the tailstock with a scroll chuck on the live center. (Shoulda taken some pics. My bad.) :eek:

After it was mounted, I still didn't want to risk blowing it up, so I marked a line around the rim with a pencil, then used a fine-toothed flush cut saw to trim a bit off the rim. I finally powered up the lathe to sand the rim smooth, then re-did the finish on the rim, and it was done.

Here's the outcome:

HF 047 Comparison 800.jpg

I'm glad I took a few quick pics of it after the modification, since it sold the next weekend. I do like the revised rim better, and have some ideas for the next piece of similar wood, whenever it happens to cross my path.

So what's your vote? Before or after?
 
I also prefer the "after" one. The first one had the rim disproportioned in respect to the body, but it wasn't as evident as now that we see it next to the last version.

Sometimes is good to let projects rest and forget them for a while, so that when we see them again we see them with fresh sight, and we see things that couldn't see before because we were so absorbed.

It was good job before but now it is much better!!:thumb:
 
OK, I'm not a turner (as such), but I do know what I like, so here's my .02 cents. I really didn't care for the "Before", because of the proportion & shape of the top area AND there was too much Plain wood Above the nice grain rings a little lower.

Now with the After shot, It's a Real Beauty to me, because the shape & proportion is perfect now, AND the Grain Pattern circling the piece provides a very aesthetic border as such around the Rim.

Beautiful rework.:thumb::thumb::thumb:

In looking at the pics again, I noticed you had rotated the piece 180* in the second pic, and there appears to be a "FACE" on on that side also, (but with a different expression), so I think you Should Have NAMED the Piece, "The Two Faces of Bunya".
 
Last edited:
I like both, but the second one just seems to be more 'balanced'. Not sure how to describe it but to say that it feels right compared to the first! :thumb:
 
I didn't notice it before, but with those two knots in it, It almost reminds me of a face. Sort of like Edvard Munchs painting 'Scream'. :eek:
 
Vaughn,

I originally thought the piece looked fine, but now that a comparison is at hand, the new really looks better. Great job.
 
Thanks for the comments, all. :wave:
...In looking at the pics again, I noticed you had rotated the piece 180* in the second pic, and there appears to be a "FACE" on on that side also, (but with a different expression), so I think you Should Have NAMED the Piece, "The Two Faces of Bunya".
Norman, there are five knots evenly spaced around the whole piece, so there are actually five different Faces of Bunya. :)
 
Top