Red Eucalyptus Collared HF

Vaughn McMillan

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This is more red ironbark eucalyptus, about 7" wide 4 1/2" tall. The collar is maple, ebonized with india ink. Sanded to 600 grit, a few coats of Formby's Tung Oil Finish, buffed with tripoli and white diamond, then hand-buffed with Renaissance Wax.

Personally, I like the inward curve on the collar to the hole...just something different, but I think I might have left the collar a bit too tall. This is just my second collared piece, so I'm still learnin'. I'd like to see your opinion.

HF16 - 05 800.jpg HF16 - 04 800.jpg HF16 - 07 800.jpg

Critique and comments are encouraged...
 
I really like it!

In the second pic, the change in color of the wood almost looks like a void :thumb:

Very cool, the collar is certainly different, but I like it! :D
 
So, you're 'turning' out a HF every two days? Amazing.

I like this - collar looks very different from the expected - nice touch.

As alway, very very nice work.
 
Very nice Vaughn! I like that collar. I saw one the other day similar but with some detail rings cut into it that was also very pretty.
 
Great looking HF, Vaughn! The ebonized maple looks a treat, as does the finish. What grit did you start at?
Since this eucalyptus wood cuts nicely with little or no tearout, I started sanding on ths piece at 120 grit if I recall correctly. Let's see...that'd be 120, 220, 320, 400, and 600 for the sanding schedule. I'm never bashful about pulling out the 80 grit gouge, though. (Ken, I use the special negative rake sandpaper, so you've gotta hold your wrist just right to get it working.) :p

Thanks guys for all the nice words. :)
 
Très Cool!

Vaughn, I haven't done any rounded hollow forms like this. But I just received some "real" hollowing tools yesterday and today, so it's about time I started learning.

With my straight-walled boxes, finishing the bottom has been fairly straightforward using jam chucks, etc. I know that a lot of bowl turners use donut chucks and the like for the same purpose.

My question is: What is the best way you have found to finish the bottoms of delicate hollow forms like this? Something like a donut chuck with lots of padding? A modified jam chuck? Something else?

I'm sure this has come up before. If anyone knows of an existing thread on the topic, please point me in the right direction.
 
LOL:rofl: Well, I didn't mean to ask in a bad way!:dunno: ...........

I know you did not Gari, I was just laughing at the question, as I would be embarrased to say how often the good old #80 gouge has saved my bacon :rolleyes: :D

I'm finding that I use less and less of it now, so I hope that means that I too am improving :dunno:

Cheers!
 
...My question is: What is the best way you have found to finish the bottoms of delicate hollow forms like this? Something like a donut chuck with lots of padding? A modified jam chuck? Something else?

I'm sure this has come up before. If anyone knows of an existing thread on the topic, please point me in the right direction.
You might be surprised how un-delicate these hollow forms can be. As long as they're squeezed evenly, the walls are strong. (Ever try to break a raw egg by squeezing it in your hand? Even though the shell is thin, as long as you squeeze evenly the arch of the shell is stronger than most peoples' grip.)

I've been using a donut chuck to finish the foot, just like I would a bowl. I know there are a lot of other ways, and sooner or later I'm sure I'll try a bunch of them. For padding I'm just using a piece of 1/4" thick "Fun Foam" sold at the craft supply places like Michael's. (And the foam's on the faceplate part, not the donut ring. I like the way Stu's rings are padded, but I just use bare wood and sand out any faint marks it leaves in the piece.)

Here again, purist that I'm not, I use the tailstock to help center the piece in the donut chuck, but then I use a little flush-cutting trim saw to cut off most of the the tenon (with the lathe turned off) instead of turning it away. Less chance of me messing something up. ;) Then it's just a few light cuts with the bowl gouge and/or scraper to finesse the bottom of the foot. I'll try to remember to take pics next time I'm doing it. (Probably later tonight.)
 
I dunno Vaughn its a little difficult to offer constructive criticism when it looks so darn good. I like the downward collar and the ebonizing gives a nice sharp contrast.
 
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