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First ever Hollow Form

David Wyke

David Wyke

Joined
Nov 22, 2023
Messages
516
Likes
3,909
Location
Morganton, NC
This is my first hollow form I’ve ever attempted. I hollowed with the Robert Sorby gooseneck tool. GOOD news is I ordered the Lyle Jamieson system today😁.
Need opinions on how this looks for overall shape, finial will probably be black. Not sure I like the walnut lid. I can take the criticism so I’m using this as a learning experience. Finial is not glued in in case I decide to change the lid.
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I agree.. walnut doesn't really pair well with Cedar, I don't think. I'd be looking for something more along the lines of Maple, Hickory, Ash, or some other wood on the lighter end of the color spectrum... Cedar when it has finish applied can darken to a much darker burgundy color... Only wood I have tried pairing with Cedar has been Cherry and Yellowheart , which so far have been the only two woods that seem to pair well with Cedar, IMHO.
 
Brian Gustin said:
I agree.. walnut doesn't really pair well with Cedar, I don't think. I'd be looking for something more along the lines of Maple, Hickory, Ash, or some other wood on the lighter end of the color spectrum... Cedar when it has finish applied can darken to a much darker burgundy color... Only wood I have tried pairing with Cedar has been Cherry and Yellowheart , which so far have been the only two woods that seem to pair well with Cedar, IMHO.
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I have plenty of KD maple and cherry. May turn a maple tomorrow and see how it looks.
 
The form and wood are beautiful in my eyes-love that cedar! I tried my 1st hollow-form in David Ellsworth's class and blew out the sides trying to thin it out with one of his whale harpoon hollowing tools lol-haven't done one since (not knocking David's tools at all-he is probably the most inventive, imaginative human being I've ever met, and the Ellwsorth bowl gouge is the weapon I would take into war!).

I've been meaning to get back on that horse at some point, thinking about getting one of the Hunter Baron tools, as I generally love and get on well with Hunter cutters. Anyway, thanks for the inspiration-I love your work!
 
David Wyke said:
This is my first hollow form I’ve ever attempted. I hollowed with the Robert Sorby gooseneck tool. GOOD news is I ordered the Lyle Jamieson system today😁.
Need opinions on how this looks for overall shape, finial will probably be black. Not sure I like the walnut lid. I can take the criticism so I’m using this as a learning experience. Finial is not glued in in case I decide to change the lid.
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Hi David, nice to see your work. I wish my first HF looked that good, nice job. I understand why you would prefer to use my system for hollowing. It will be a LOT safer, a LOT easier, and a LOT more fun. Enjoy the ride.
 
Aaron Harris said:
The form and wood are beautiful in my eyes-love that cedar! I tried my 1st hollow-form in David Ellsworth's class and blew out the sides trying to thin it out with one of his whale harpoon hollowing tools lol-haven't done one since (not knocking David's tools at all-he is probably the most inventive, imaginative human being I've ever met, and the Ellwsorth bowl gouge is the weapon I would take into war!).

I've been meaning to get back on that horse at some point, thinking about getting one of the Hunter Baron tools, as I generally love and get on well with Hunter cutters. Anyway, thanks for the inspiration-I love your work!
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Thank you! Ellsworth doesn’t live far from me and thought about taking a class but I believe Lyle’s system will fit my needs.
I got this one a little thin for cedar and was worried it would blow up😂.
 
Lyle Jamieson said:
Hi David, nice to see your work. I wish my first HF looked that good, nice job. I understand why you would prefer to use my system for hollowing. It will be a LOT safer, a LOT easier, and a LOT more fun. Enjoy the ride.
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Thanks Lyle! Can’t wait to get your system. You could of delivered it on your way to the symposium 😂😂
 
That's nice, especially for a first go. The cedar is fantastic. You've got a good flowing curve.
The form at the top transitions nicely into the lid, but I'm with some others above that you're going to have a hard time finding the right material to compliment the cedar. There's so much going on in the cedar - color, figure, grain, knots...
To my eye, the piece without a lid is better, but the curve around the top "reaches for the ceiling" rather than closing in on itself. If I were making this without a lid, I'd continue the curve around the top, making it rounder, and add a bead detail or similar around the opening to match the foot (what I can see of it anyway).
 
David Wyke said:
GOOD news is I ordered the Lyle Jamieson system today
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Nice looking form. The jamieson system is great!

Aaron Harris said:
I've been meaning to get back on that horse at some point, thinking about getting one of the Hunter Baron tools,
Click to expand...

I had hollowed some Christmas ornament balls using a home hade scraper sort of trial and some success.
I really learned to hollow in David’s class with his tools. Then I transitioned to the arm brace. Then I went to the jainieson.All my arm brace tools fit the handle.
I found the Jamison to be faster for me than the arm brace and using a laser made going through the wall still possible but you would know it was likely if you kept cutting when the laser is telling you to back off.

What works great for me is Bosch Bars in a jamieson hanldle. Bosch visualizer added on.
 
David Wyke said:
This is my first hollow form I’ve ever attempted. I hollowed with the Robert Sorby gooseneck tool. GOOD news is I ordered the Lyle Jamieson system today😁.
Need opinions on how this looks for overall shape, finial will probably be black. Not sure I like the walnut lid. I can take the criticism so I’m using this as a learning experience. Finial is not glued in in case I decide to change the lid.
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Very impressive for the first time, the cedar has a nice pink hue and once again your curves are very pleasing and transition well. I do agree with the others, the lid looks kind of off, how about a cedar lid with a black finial? Or maybe a black lid and cedar finial??
 
As the others have said, that's a very good form for a first one. I would not comment further, except you asked.

So, I'm going to disagree with a few others about the transitions between finial and lid, and lid and base. Disclaimer: I have little artistic sensibility, but I do listen to and remember what experts say. In this situation, what I have heard is that the curve of one element should flow into the curve of the other one, or perhaps, the curve should continue, uninterrupted by the change in parts.

In your 3 part set, there is a visual 'break' between finial and lid. With a little finessing, it could probably be improved. There is also a noticeable, view interrupting break between the lid and the bottom form. The contour of the lid base does mimic the curve of the finial base, so maybe that makes them OK. As it is, IMHO, these transitions are a bit jarring to the eye, which wants things to flow continuously.

As noted, with the upward angle at the top of the base form, and also the lid, it's challenging to get the curve to flow into the part above.

With the markedly different woods involved, I think Dave has it right--go without a lid. And say the form is a reconstruction of an ancient indigenous form. That's exactly the way high priced artists talk--you can too.
 
Thank you everyone for your opinions on this form. I was unable to reply to each comment since I had granddaughter duty this week😁.
Bering the first one I need the feedback, especially from other turners. I agree it looks better without the lid. I was able to reduce the flat top by 3/8-1/2” which helped the look. I also made the lid smaller and the transition to the finial.
The lid was mainly for practice as well as the base, just pieces I had laying around. I’ll post a couple more pictures once finished.
 
Jim Reynolds said:
From the color wheel, the complementary color to purple/violet is yellow. You could paint a cardboard finial yellow to see if that appeals to you.
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Thanks. That would explain why , to me, yellowheart was such a nice contrast to red cedar... Where would one find this color wheel you mention? I have seen quite a few online and on google, but they don't seem to explicitly mention complimentary colors.. ? or is there just some logic/theory on using a plain color wheel that I don't know about (I'm deaf, so I never technically paid attention in art class - can't lipread and paint/draw at the same time..)
 
I reduced the flat area on the base and painted the lib just to see how it would look. Tried to crinkle the paint separate from the finial, again just to see how it would look. Will finish the base this weekend and probably go without the lid.
UPS is still saying I’ll have Lyle’s system tomorrow but we’ll just wait and see.
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I joined the party a bit late. I love the form. Its grain, shape, knot. All else distracts from its beauty.
I like the contrast between the pink-burgundy and brown but not here. Leave the finial alone. I would use it to compare your early work to the work you will create on your future woodturning journeys. I am a big Lyle fan too.
 
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