Bowls 2003, Part 2
01 / 20
Mahogany 10 1/4 square x 3 high My original router jig rotated around the x axis only, with the rotating point on the bed of the lathe. I made a new jig with the rotating point elevated to the centerline of the lathe and created a universal joint so that I can rotate both x and y axis. The result is the ability to create shapes as the piece shown above.
02 / 20
Detail of corner. While the new jig is a pain to set up, the results are phenomenal. I can use it as a carver, rotating both up and down simultaneously, to create hemispherical shapes. The petals are raised about .050" and are connected by two bands on the bottom.
03 / 20
Mahogany 11 x 6 7/7 x 2 high Fiona and I met a metal worker by the name of Tom Joyce. His work was inspiring. He spoke about the "Golden Mean" (.62:1). This is my interpretation of that. There are progressively smaller squares (more visible on the larger picture), down to about 1/8 square. At that point the router bit became too big.
04 / 20
Type Wood?? 7 3/4 x 1 5/8 high This is another example of a classic petal bowl. I had made this out of Cocobolo and the small sapwood inclusion was much more dramatic.
05 / 20
Cocobolo 5 7/8 x 1 1/2 high I have this in here to remind me not to spend a lot of time on a bad piece of wood. The sapwood was spalted and ratty looking when I started and it didn't get any better by the time it was finished.
06 / 20
Goncalo Alves 8 x 2 high I can"t remember where the idea for the design of this bowl came from but it is, as far as the work I have been doing, unique. I tried to duplicate it, but couldn't figure out the spacing.
07 / 20
Maple 10" x 2" high I did five bowls using my two axis jig. To do this I lowered the center and raised the angle to 1/16" below center. Some of the bowls, cut both sides, have voids. While the idea is interesting, there isn't enough interest in the form. I cut this front and back. It didn't help.
08 / 20
Center detail.
09 / 20
Bloodwood 5 3/5 x 1 1/4" h I was invited to participate in the "'04 Small Treasures" exhibition at the delMano Gallery in LA. That got me thinking about reducing my forms to the minimum. This was one of the first. I have made open foot pieces before and I got the idea of extending the petal to inside the foot. The math was based on the bit diameter and the circle root diameter.
10 / 20
Detail of open foot.
11 / 20
White Prickle, Babinga 6" h x 6"d The White Prickle wood was given to me by Avelino Samuel last year. I had been looking at it for a long time. Last year I made a similar piece from Amboyna.
12 / 20
Satinwood, Thula burl The running commentary is over for the next few frames.
13 / 20
Canary wood, Amboyna, Ebony
14 / 20
Boxwood 1 3/8" h x 4 3/4" d
15 / 20
Thula Burl.
16 / 20
Amboyna Burl. 7/8" h x 3 3/4" d. This piece weighs about 2/3 oz.
17 / 20
Shedua 1 7/8" h x 5 3/4" d. Turning bowls with exterior rings is nothing like turning interior rings.
18 / 20
Mahogany 3" h x 10 1/4" d After doing the small stuff for the show, I was itching to explore some ideas I had for what I now call "Double Petal" bowls. Over Christmas I made three of these. The first two provided nice warmth. This is really an extension if the double center idea, just extending the arcs.
19 / 20
Detail of bottom. I like this form. There will be more of this to come.
20 / 20
Swiss Pear 2 3/8" h x 9 7/8"d This is the most wonderful wood to work with. It has a submittal grain, is light, cuts beautiful and is VERY stable in its kiln dried state. My '04 folder will have two or three pieces.