From Good to Fantastic

When you see a turned item which is nothing less than spectacular, have you ever wondered what makes it that way? They say it’s the little things that make the difference. Attention to detail is a wonderful starting point. Here is a step–by–step recipe for getting from good to fantastic. I will use a hollow form with a finial for this discussion.

Get the basics right. The shape and proportions must be pleasing to the eye. The curves must be fair (no humps, lumps and bumps out of place due to incomplete stock removal or poor sanding). I often remove the hollow form, chuck and all, and stand it upright to judge the form where I can see how it is going to look when finished.When a finial is involved, the scale must be appropriate to the hollow form. Delicate is usually better than clunky. Good composition is very important.Filets and flats must be crisp and sharp even after sandingCoves must be fair and continuous without flat spots at the bottom. If they are meant to be symmetrical care must be taken so they are. If asymmetrical or a compound curve, it must be fair (no harsh transitions)Scratches must be completely removed. Proper scratch removal is time consuming – always. That is why it is often not completed. Good tool work and proper presentation can minimize the time, but it can almost never be completely eliminated. If you want to produce a stunning piece, you will have to go through the extra steps needed to produce that result. Use a bright raking light probably hand held to reveal hidden scratches you missed earlier.You may consider spraying water on your piece to raise the grain and make flaws easier to see.There is always a tendency to let the lathe do the work of sanding while we hold the sand paper fairly still. This will not remove radial scratches. Stop the lathe and sand in a random circular or figure 8 patterns to obscure scratches. For Fantastic pieces go to a higher grit than normal. On wooden pieces most folks stop at 400 grit. For a Fantastic piece you need to go to at least 800 grit. If acrylic resin or epoxy is involved you need to sand up to 12,000 grit using micromesh or similar. Then use a scratch remover, then buff with white or blue compound and finally with a clean cotton buff. The finial can be a challenge. Transitions must stay crisp even through sanding. High contrast between beads and coves is visually most stunning. The surface of beads must be absolutely fair with no bumps or flats. The vase sections (long slender portions) must not have harsh transitions where coves meet long tapers. They must meld together imperceptibly. The base size must be appropriate to the piece. Art pieces which will not be handled often require a much narrower base than a piece which will be touched and could therefore fall over.Every surface which can be seen or touched requires the same attention to detail. This can often double the amount of time spent in sanding and finishing.

Finishing is another entire topic so I’ll cover it in another newsletter.

The good news here is that not every piece has to be Fantastic and sometimes good enough is good enough because wherever you go there you are.

Here is my inspiration for this week’s message:

Exod 35:10 NIV2

“All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the LORD has commanded:

Ps 139:14 KJV

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.