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Here is a very quick and simple vase.
By quick I mean that it was started and completed in a few hours. That is what I enjoy about turning. There are some projects (hollowforms/urns) that aren't so quick. Aside from seasoning the wood I will turn them and then let them move (wood moves). Once its stablized through moisture content loss then I will go back and true them up and add the other components. This could be weeks or months (or longer I've heard).

This vase is simple because it is once turned and I know it will move. I will not re-turn it to true up the exterior or the opening. Quick and easy! The wavey appearance of the vase is due to the chatoyance of the crazy grain. It is very smooth and not rippled to the touch.

I used a piece of chinaberry that was a crotch were the main trunk branched out into 4 smaller branches. The wild grain really shows this. The original blank was much larger and I hoped to get a larger vessel. The areas where the branches grew together were still separated from each other by the bark so I was only able to use a small portion of the blank.

This piece was a joy to turn but I decided to use a shellac sanding sealer because of the crazy end grain. This inadvertantly filled the end grain pores with a shellac and dust slurry that caused a blackish tint. I spent 30 minutes sanding those areas with a fine sanding mop to remove the stain. I'm fairly happy with the final finish.

I've been moving away from wipe on finishes and even shellac and sealers because the Beall buffing system really is a great finish in itself. The fiasco with the shellac sealer was a lesson in what not to do so I won't be making that mistake again on end grain in a face grain piece. I did use Howard's Feed and Wax after the buff with the white diamond compound. I really like the way the orange oil in it makes the grain pop. That was followed by buffing with carnauba wax.

The Chinaberry Live Edge Vase is 6 1/2" tall x 4" wide. It is very thin walled at just under 3/32's of an inch.

Thanks for looking and C & C's are welcome.

Here are a couple more pics of the Chinaberry Live Edge Vase.



Gallery

Comments

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freakin amazing my friend ! you always teach and or inspire me.
 

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Absolutely beautiful….love the wavy grain!
 

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That is a wonderful turning, I like the grains it is showing and the darker upper lip. Well done and thanks for sharing.
 

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Beautiful, my friend!
 

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Congratulations. You said in a previous post that you admired the pottery work of George Orr and you are well on your way to replicating that in wood. Excellent use of grain patterns to cause the illusion of rippling - shades of Surrealism and Op Art. I like the way the piece looks different from every angle. Keep up the good work
 

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Nice vase. If there were a handle on it it would make the perfect juice pitcher. Love all the swirl in the grain.
 

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Why make one when you could just buy it from Exork1962???? 8^)

At first look I thought those folds were real! At < 1/8" that has to be light as a feather.
Everything is spot on, color, shape, finish. A trifecta!
 

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That's amazing grain in the vase, nice shape too, love it!
 

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Hello Everyone!
Thanks for all the great comments.
I have a few more pieces of the Chinaberry. I knew the crotch piece had wild grain so I hope some of the other pieces have that grain. Even if they don't, I hope they have the same great coloration.

Pottz~
Thanks my friend! What a great compliment. We all learn from each other.

Tom~
Thank you. I loved the grain too. I could tell immediately the grain would be wild.

Eric~
I love the color around the lip too. It was very light at first but it is a great silver and pewter color now.
Thanks

Jeff~
Thanks!!! I had fun with this one.

Leafherder~
Thank you! This one has the illusion of folds like Orr's work but soon I'll do something that has carving inspired by his work. The chatoyance really enhances that look in this piece.
Thanks!

Broden~
"Wow" is an excellent compliment and I am happy to get that response.
Thank you Sir.

Brian~
Thank you! Sometimes the color and grain of the wood really makes the piece. I think that happened this time.

Dave~
That's how I have described it to other people. It reminds me of a pitcher too.
Thanks for the comment!

Bruce~
I'd buy Chinaberry blanks from Extort1962 all day long >=P
Thank you. Yes this one really came together.

BB1~
I love this one too but I say that about all of them (well most of them).
Thanks!

John~
Thank you. Along with the shape I really took time to reposition the blank to get a good orientation for the live edge rim. That is kind of a first for me. Thanks again.
 

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Nice work, Jon. It's a pretty one, and good job turning it that thin without some sort of incident.
 

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Thanks Dave~
I wish I had a lot more of this Chinaberry. Its beautiful. Its still green so I know it will warp and move and the thin walls will probably warp more than other pieces I've turned.

Ben~
Thanks! Number 1, 2 and 3 are my favorites. 1 and 3 really show off the chatoyance of the wood.
Thank you.
 

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Crazy vase Jon. You started with a fabulous piece of wood, and did the best that piece of wood could have done to it. Nice job. Greater vision.
 

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Thanks George~
I had fun with revealing the grain in this one. My intention is keep finding interesting wood with crazy grain.
 
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