A series of turnings featuring elegant black finials and highly figured spalted and burl hollow forms. These pieces were turned for the Chesapeake Woodturners Winter Exhibit at Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis. Details about the exhibition are included in this site's Activity Log. Specifications for each of the five pieces will soon be added to the LatheScapes web site.
These commissioned turnings were created from limbs of a single red mulberry tree. The large tree stood in downtown Annapolis until it was blown over during a storm last winter. Red mulberry wood is photo-reactive: over time the color of each of these pieces will gradually turn to a rich dark brown. Woods like cherry, osage orange and purpleheart (see below) have similar characteristics.
Hollow Form w/Raised & Pyrographed Collar Catalog #161 Red Mulberry Base: 1 11/16" dia. Height: 5 1/2" Max Diameter: 8 7/8" Wall Thickness: 3/16" (typ) Diameter of Opening: 1 3/16" Finish: Pentrating Oils & Wax (Sale Pending)
Footed Natural Edge Hollow Form Catalog #156 Red Mulberry Base: 1 1/4" dia. Height: 5 3/8" Max Diameter: 4 1/2" Diameter of Opening: 1 3/4" Wall Thickness: 1/8" (typ). Finish: Penetrating Oils & Wax (Sold)
Footed Hollow Form Catalog #154 Red Mulberry Base: 3 3/8" dia. Height: 4 5/16" Max Width: 5 7/8" Diameter of Opening: 1 1/2" Wall Thickness: 1/16" (typ). Finish: Penetrating Oils & Wax (Sold)
Footed Natural Edge Closed Form Catalog #158 Red Mulberry Base: 1 7/8" dia. Height: 5" Rim Dimensions: 5 1/8" x 7 1/2" Wall Thickness: 1/8" (typ). Finish: Penetrating Oils & Wax (Sold)
I have recently turned a number of belaying pins in an effort to assist with the restoration of the USS Constellation. This magnificent vessel was commissioned on July 28th, 1855 and was the last all-sail powered warship built by the US Navy. The Chesapeake Woodturners have volunteered to turn belaying pins out of purpleheart supplied by the USS Constellation Museum and many small poplar spindles for decorative ballustrades in the ward room.
The process that I used to turn belaying pins for this project can be downloaded from this site as a Microsoft PowerPoint(tm) slide show. Click on this link: USS Constellation to initiate the download. It is also posted on the Chesapeake Woodturners website as a Java(tm) slideshow. It can be linked to via: Java Slideshow.
Historical information about the USS Constellation and the efforts to restore her are available on-line at the USS Constellation Museum website.
The USS Constellation at anchor in Baltimore Harbor.
Several of the belaying pins that I turned for the USS
Constellation Museum. The last pin that I turned for this group is on
the right. The first is on the left. Note the graduated color change
from brown to deep purple.
"Longevity", a commisioned turning, was created from a piece of the historic Wye Oak, Maryland's most famous White Oak tree. This
venerable tree stood proudly on the Eastern shore of Maryland for more
than 450 years before it was blown over during a severe thunderstorm on
June 6, 2002. Its weight was estimated to have been in excess of 200 tons,
measured 31'8" in circumference, was 96' tall and had a 119' crown
spread. This tree was 100 years older than the state of Maryland!
The
tree was in pretty bad shape before it fell. It was loaded with insect
and disease damage, structural defects, restoration artifacts including
concrete (mixed with asbestos), steel cable, eyebolts, and
insecticides. Less than 1% (excluding the bole) was considered usable
for conversion into sawn boards.
The image below shows the completed hollow form (right) and an offcut (left). The mirror image insect holes are readily seen in the image. The hollow form was very difficult to turn as the bark inclusion extended through a 270 degree arc.
"Longevity" is now included in the Maryland Department of Natural Resources on-line Wye Oak Gallery.
Catalog #143 "Longevity" Natural Edge Hollow Form White Oak (Quercus Alba)
Base: 2 1/4" dia.
Height: 3 1/2".
Width at rim: 1 3/8"
Max diameter: 4 1/2"
Finish: Waterlox/automotive rubbing compound/carnauba wax buffed with Beall system. (Sold)
This turning is an example of a prototype that I often do to work out the procedural aspects of a project. In this instance, it was important to develope a procedure for blending or conforming the square-based finial into the shape of the hollow form. The techniques will be applied to follow-on turnings using similar design elements.
The finial was formed from two pieces of Madagascar Ebony. Some detail elements were turned into the underside of the finial's square base to add interest to the piece.
Finialed Hollow Form Prototype Chestnut Oak (Quercus Prinus) and Madagascar Ebony (Diospyrus perrierii) Base Diameter:1 1/8" Hieght: 7 1/2" Max Diameter: 5 3/8" dia Opening Width: 1 1/4" Wall Thickness: 1/16" at opening (Sold)
"Dawn's Edge" is an example of a commisioned turning. Please contact us if you have a specific type of turning, wood variety, or finish preference. Even very vague initial ideas can result in some wonderful results, as is illustrated by "Dawn's Edge".
Natural Edge Open Form in Cherry Base: 1 7/16" dia. Height: 3" Width at rim: 7 3/8" x 5 5/8" Finish: Waterlox & Carnuba Wax (Sold)
A functional turning created from locally harvested Black Walnut.
This is another example of the turnings that may be commisionned from LatheScapes. Use our convenient Information Request form for more details.
Sassafras Natural Edge Bowl March,
2006 Source: Ft. Smallwood Park, Pasadena, Maryland Catalog #127 Base: 1 1/4" dia. Height: 4 1/4" Width at Rim : 11" x 7" Wall
Thickness: 3/16" (typ) Finish: Oil and wax (Sold)
The second in a series of natural edge turnings in sassafras, Sleigh Runner II (SRII) releases the wonderfully ordered structures that were in the standing tree. The light sapwood "runners" contrast nicely with the deep reddish-brown bark and the green-hued heartwood. The growth rings run uniformly down to the foot at the bottom of the bowl. This turning was an entrant in the American Association of Woodturners Spring Turning Contest and is the subject of a heavily-visited thread on their forum entitled "How do you do that?".
Danish Modern Candlesticks
Set of candlesticks turned in the style developed by Rude Olsonik. This style is also referred to as Danish Modern. The pieces are turned from Mahogany and Wenge. The height ranges from 11 1/8" up to 13 1/4" and base diameters range from 1 9/16" up to 1 7/8". The base on each piece is hollowed out to accept weights for improved stability. A green felt pad is inserted into a recess on the bottom that covers the weights.
This set is an example of the type of turnings that may be commisionned from LatheScapes. Use our convenient Information Request form for more details.
Note: The timbers used to create these candlesticks were obtained from our friends at Exotic Lumber of Annapolis.
NFS
Walnut Serpentine Bowl November, 2004 Catalog #90 Source: Small farm near Warminster, MD Base: 1 13/16" dia Height: 3 5/16" Max Width : 8 1/2" Wall Thickness: 1/8" $200
"Spectre" Catalog #88 Flamed Box Elder Vase October 2004 Source: The Hockenberys in Annapolis, MD Base: 4 3/4" dia. Height: 6 7/8" Max Width: 7 3/4" Wall Thickness: 3/16" NFS
Walnut Hollow Form Catalog #57 August 2003 Source: Private residence in Columbia, Maryland Base: 1 1/2" dia. Height: 4 1/2" Opening Diameter: 2 3/8" Max Width: 9 1/2" NFS
"Ringelformig" Cherry Catalog #87 October 2004 Source: Private Residence in Columbia, Maryland Base" 1 3/4" dia. Height: 4 1/4" Width at widest point: 7" Wall Thickness: 1/8" (Sold)
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Site Last Updated: March 22nd, 2008
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