Its been a relatively quiet few weeks in the workshop but I have been working on a few interesting things…
In the last blog entry I discussed a prototype I made for a ceiling light in the shape of a flower. The client was happy with the design so I went ahead and made 56 of them. You can see the photos of them in progress below with the backs being cut first then the front with the flower shape. The next two photos show them as they were being sanded and the fifth image shows the first few being installed into the decorative ceiling. I’ll try to get a better photo when they are completed. The final image in the set below has four views of a much larger version that I was also asked to make that will hold the sensor to automatically switch these lights on when someone comes into the room.
The guys who I share the workshop with had a job to take some doors they previously made for a client and add decorative beading to them. In addition they wanted to incorporate some small embellishments to add decoration. They asked me to cut some small winglets and pyramids that they could apply to the doors in contrasting woods. You can see these in the walnut they were cut from in the first two images below and then a shot of the doors themselves with the parts sitting in place. For such small pieces they really added to what are already very interesting doors.
In the last post I showed some new versions of my “Pear Chair” bowl that I’d made. Below you can see one of these with the oil applied. With all the curves it really shows the grain very nicely, even in this Sapele. I also have included a photo of a pear resting comfortably in the bowl for scale.
Continuing on the bowl theme I made a new set of prototype designs for some other ideas. These were cut into Ash as I thought the shapes would work really well with the strong contrasting grain of the wood. There are three very different designs. The smooth one is intended to resemble a bean, the polygonal one was inspired by some Japanese vases that I saw and the third is a sculpted whirlpool type shape. Each of these has produced something interesting and as always provided me with more to contemplate. I really like the way the smooth one looks and feels and also the sculpted part of the whirlpool shape and how it intersects with the grain pattern. The polygonal one had elements that were pleasing but was a bit underwhelming overall and some aspects of the shape just didn’t feel quite right. To try to better highlight where the dish part starts I thought I would pyrograph an effect of black liquid dripping inside the rim. I am intrigued by how this has changed its look and will be exploring the use of pyrography more with future designs. I also believe once this is oiled it will look very effective. Below in the first three images you can see all threel being cut on the CNC, the back first then material flipped over to cut the front. The second set of images shows them mostly sanded but not yet oiled, the light is placed to show the shape of each bowl more clearly. In the new year I will be continuing to explore what it is possible to do with wooden bowl shape and texture. Until then I wish anyone reading this a restful holiday and positive 2019.
