3 Oak Vases

About a month ago a couple who are great friends ask me to make 3 large vases and deliver before Thanksgiving. I delivered them this past Wednesday, just under the deadline. All three are oak brought down in a wind storm locally at Wakonda Golf Club about a year and a half ago. The husband of this couple is in charge of the grounds at the club so him getting the oak back is all the more special. (I already gave him a bowl for his desk at the club, see here.)

The tallest and smallest vases are 2 pieces turned seperately and then epoxied. The tallest vase is 22" tall and the small one is about 14". Due to time constraints and not yet having a good steady for longer pieces, these are not hollowed completely. Instead they have a 2.5" cylinder cut out with a forstner bit and some bit extenders. This allows a space to add dried flowers or something similar. They are very happy with them and I am very happy to have had the opportunity to make them. They hosted 30 for Thanksgiving dinner too, so I hope to maybe get some more orders too.

Comments and Critique away...I just now noticed the rather abrupt curve towards the top on the middle size vase...didn't see it until now though.

For some reason they all look antique. That is a compliment not a criticism, I happen to like antique wood. Perhaps it's because they are dark, maybe the style. Whatever it is it really works for me.

Pete

Thanks Pete! I like old wood too and many of my oak pieces end up with that look. The danish oil and cracks helps it along.

I like the look of the wood as well. All three pieces compliment each other well Jeff, nice work!

It works for me too. I even like the abrupt curve on the middle vase.

You did the OAK proud!! beauties....

it does look old. I rally like all 3. Real nice

Really nice pieces.nothin wrong with any of them

Nicely done, Jeff. The wood is very nice and (with the exception of the slight bump in the curve of the middle-sized vase) you did a fine job turning it. The forms aren't really my cup o' tea, but that's a personal preference. The forms have several abrupt line changes, and the various shapes don't seem to have any relation to each other. Like I said though, those are just personal preference observations, not an invalidation of your work. While they might not necessarily appeal to me, there are others who will love all three pieces.

Jeff very nicely done. I like the old look to.

Thanks everyone.

Vaughn, I agree the three don't have much in common as far as shapes. When I first started them they all were shaped the same with slight differences in the burnt lines. I showed some pics of that to my friend and she said, "Oh, there all the same?" I was suprised, but my wife told me when I started to make each one unique, I disagreed...that will never happen again. When I delivered them, I was afraid she say, "Oh, none of them are the same?" As Frank says, people are funny critters!

I'm afraid the various forms are not to my taste Jef, but as has been said, that is just personal perceptions, the fact that you have managed to master such relatively young chunks of Oak in those proportions and get a good finish on them is achievement enough in itself.