While going through the "Finish on Wet Turning" thread, which got into grain orientation, shrinkage, tension and cracking, the question I asked earlier about the misuse of wood was given more support.
My original question was:
Why make hollow forms out of wood when there are other materials and methods which lend themselves to these forms much better - and easier? A bowl, hollow cylinder or almost closed hollow object can be made much more easily and quicklyr in ceramics.
The "drying, shrinking and cracking" issue with "hollow wood forms" just adds to the question. When you try and make anything do what, by its nature, it doesn't naturally want to do, aren't you spitting in the wind?
Perhaps it's a "transient experience" thing - the journey being the goal, not the destination.
I really enjoy setting up a piece of a branch, green or dry, with the bark and maybe even some moss on the outside, turning on the lathe and, in a shower of bits and pieces that turn to curlies and then very fine shavings, watch a shape appear as the various tools move acrossed its spinning surface, changing it as they pass.
There's a mild adrenaline rush as the roughing gouge makes the first contact with the surface - the sound and feel of the initial chatter, the occasinal chunk of bark flying god knows where, the bump of a not previously noticed knot. As things progress, things get quieter, the outline of the spinning wood changes from a blurred shadow to an ever more defined outline, the chatter diminishes and the flying debris ceases.
A calm sets in, in both the tool and this turner. The sound of the tool's edge at the wood quiets to a whisper as a form develops, sometimes as if by magic. The grain appears and gets cleared and clearer as the surface gets smoohter and smoother. Awareness of the passage of time begins to diminish and then disappear.
The shape may change to exploit an appearing grain pattern or to show off or hide a pin knot or worm hole. A crisp line may be cut in, or a nice curve swept in, blending seamlessly with a previously turned area.
The focus continually shifting from the overall to this specific area, the concentration rising as the skew approaches the spinning surface with an awareness that a potential disaster waits for an opportunity.
The feel of sandpaper smoothing and then almost polishing the surfaces not already smoohted by the bevel or of previously used tools.
A handful of shavings pressed firmly against the devoloping surface, the warmth, then heat of the shavings on the fingers and thumb as they burnish the surface to smooth and shiny - magic. The way the appearance changes as the first coat of finish is applied - "Oh! Look at that!" (or "Where the hell did THAT come from?")
Then the parting off, with a concern for what will happen when the piece is freed of its spinning axis. Will it hit the tool rest. or roll off onto the cement floor? Is this where The Catch comes in?
And finally the piece seen upright for the first time. The "Ah.." or "AH!" (or "AH S**T!) moment.
Perhaps there's a subsequent period of examination and refelction, sometimes a "Did I really make that?" (and sometimes a "What the hell was I thinking when I ...."). There is often a series of "If I'd only done ___ instead of doing that." as well as "This part is really nice. I'll have to use that again sometime."
Knowing that there's always more wood to turn and an infinite number of curves and lines that can be combined in some future journey - perhaps that's why things are turned in wood that will be transient in nature - post cards from the trip, reminders of when things went "just so".
rambling mode is now being switched to "off".
charlie b
someday I'm going to have a go at doing a hollow form