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How did Luce turn this?

It is a very cool looking piece. I'd really like to see more photos of it. Did you try asking him how he did it? Very few turners are that secretive of how they do stuff. (the ones that won't at least share some hints, seem like jerks :confused:)
 
He passed away so we can't ask him. I'm guessing the outside was turned on 2 axis. Without holding it in my hand I can't begin to guess how it was hollowed.
I'm puzzled and really curious--how would holding it in your hand tell you how it was hollowed, John? (I'm puzzled and curious about how it was done, too, but that may remain a mystery)
 
I'm puzzled and really curious--how would holding it in your hand tell you how it was hollowed, John? (I'm puzzled and curious about how it was done, too, but that may remain a mystery)
I don't think it could be hollowed by spinning on a lathe and mirroring the outside shape without removing one face and regluing it. Close inspection could show if that happened or if the inside was carved out. I can visualize milling out the interior on a lathe without making a full circle.
 
Based on the limited view, I believe the exterior is a 3-axis turning, and the interior was cleared with live tooling. The interior inflections would be impossible to turn in either single- or multi-axis manner.
 
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Based on the limited view, I believe the exterior is a 3-axis turning, and the interior was cleared with live tooling. The interior infections would be impossible to turn in either single- or multi-axis manner.
I don't know about that. Seems to me the exterior could be turned on one axis with some carving to remove the tenon on one broad face. What do you mean by "live tooling" and "interior infections"?
 
I suspect the opposite “broad” face is convex just like the one we see. Live tooling would be a spinning cutter head. LOL - Inflections, (fixed it) - I’m also speculating that the interior mimics the exterior, thus the interior surfaces intersect as relative inflections, though there may be small radii between them.
 

This doesn't help answer your question but it's some info about him. I would guess it's a two axis turning and he carved out the interior.



This says that on his website he describes how each piece is made but the site doesn't seem to be there anymore. I've seen a few links to his site but none work. Looking at the first pic I think it's safe to say he had some impressive carving skills and tooling.
 
This says that on his website he describes how each piece is made but the site doesn't seem to be there anymore. I've seen a few links to his site but none work

Did you try accessing the website through the Wayback machine, the internet archive? It’s slow, but I’ve I’ve accessed (and downloaded) pages from websites that are no longer available on the internet.


JKJ
 
Did you try accessing the website through the Wayback machine, the internet archive? It’s slow, but I’ve I’ve accessed (and downloaded) pages from websites that are no longer available on the internet.


JKJ
thanks for the suggestion. However, when I useWayback, any .HTMLlink to his old site seems to only give me Wayback-Calendar information (how many times it was updated) and not the page itself. I can get his old images, though. I'll keep playing with it and see if I can find something.
 
For those that can't access it via the wayback machine, perhaps this will be easier. If this violates any forum rules, I will be happy to remove it.

Featured Piece - November 2011



1103_2011_11_02_web.jpg


Faccetta Serie #2 (2011)


This image is a teaser on the November featured piece. I will later update the page to show the piece in fuller detail. Check back soon.



Nov 8: Here's a more revealing shot. This title of this series is Facetta Serie which is Italian for facetted series. It involves groundbreaking work merging the lathe, the chainsaw and other sculpting tools.



Faccetta Serie #2 (2011)

Douglas Fir, pigment

13 ½ inches long x 8 ¾ inches high x 8 ½ inches wide

Lathe turned, sculpted, sandblasted



This piece has been purchased by the Yale University Gallery for their permanent collection.

As always, email comments regarding this piece (or any other piece on the site) are welcome.

If you would like to be notified by email when this site's currently featured piece is updated, please email me.
 
"It involves groundbreaking work merging the lathe, the chainsaw and other sculpting tools."
What do you suppose "other sculpting tools" means. CNC? CNC has been used in sculpture from sketches or small models for years. Walla Walla foundry, across state from me, is one of the primeire art foundries in the country with extensive use of CNC machines of all types. Of late their website has de-emphasized their technology, probably to allow visitors to envision the place with craftsmen toiling away on difficult works. The design is the important part here, the methods or techniques used shouldn't be a consideration.

Given the big chunk of fir that would be a nice piece to do on my CNC.
 
Did you try accessing the website through the Wayback machine, the internet archive? It’s slow, but I’ve I’ve accessed (and downloaded) pages from websites that are no longer available on the internet.


JKJ

Thank you for the link. I had heard of that but never tried it. His site is there and I copied the following.

"In the last few years my explorations have included an increasing use of non lathe tools directly with my work, including chainsaws. This allows me to explore forms with a lack of symmetry and uniformity not possible using the lathe alone. Some of my newer vessels are created using both the lathe and other tools, while others do not involve the lathe and are primarily sculpted with a chainsaw. As with all my work, these less traditional vessels are simply a continuation of study of simple forms incorporating visual patterns available in wood structure."
 
There is a long recent article on Bill Luce by Malcolm Zander "Bill Luce: The Quiet Power of Understated Form" in American Woodturner 39:5 [2024] pp 30-38. Reviews his methods, career, and interests.
 
What do you suppose "other sculpting tools" means. CNC? CNC has been used in sculpture from sketches or small models for years..

Despite Luce’s previous career in software, I would bet a rather large sum of money that he didn’t (and wouldn’t have) used CNC in pieces like that. That seems about as far away from the way he worked and approached his art as one could get.
 
Has anyone seen the back side of one of these vessels? Because of the photo angle you don't know if it mirrors the front or looks like the one I did a few years back. Even doing it the way I did, it's not the easiest shape to hollow. To go in the opening and take a flat left turn and then down a flat wall is challenging. With a tiny opening it would be really tough. I love the shape and idea though.IMG_4706.jpgIMG_4707.jpg
 
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