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OT: Truly glowing wood (pic)

mPisi

mPisi

Joined
Oct 12, 2001
Messages
1,028
My new bride and myself were out at the Fort Worth Main Street arts festival today. There were a number of wood artists, and some really beautiful wood and work. I snapped this pic of this guy who made wooden lamps. The lampshade is turned on a lathe to be so thin that it is translucent when lit from the inside, and is very smooth and polished. Very, very beautiful stuff, my picture doesn't do justice to the lamps.

wood_lamp.jpg


The other funny thing is listening to the visitors at each woodworkers's exhibit. Almost every one I heard a different guy out front say "Heck, I could do that if I had the tools". Sadly it didn't work on my wife :D
 
Very pretty!

I suspect turning those lampshades out of wood with knots and burls takes more than the right tools. Not the least being an immense amount of patience and time. Don't think I've seen anything worked that thin. What kind of wood? Bet many kinds wouldn't last long when that thin.
 
I think I've seen that guy's work before at either the Baltimore or DC show. Beautiful, but $$$.

The Smithsonian national craft show is next weekend. It's supposedly limited to the best of the best. I don't know about that, but I'm looking forward to seeing some pretty impressive stuff.

S.
 
Firkin, darn right it takes more than tools, that's why I thought the comments were funny. Kinda like some random guy pulling a leaf spring off his Merc truck and trying to make a HI khukuri, without busting his butt full-time and wasting alot of springs for 10 years before figuring out the way it is done...

Don, IIRC the low end was about $700 and the larger ones like those shown were at least $900.
 
:eek: Wow, I really can see why he'd sell them for that much though. If I tried to make somthing like that I'd probably mess up and end up breaking it due to frustration.
 
Wow, that's some really impressive stuff. I bet they have to sand it down quite a bit after turning it.
 
The high end of the wood turner's art can go well into the thousands. A near relative (my sister's brother in law) does fairly well. He has a piece in the Smithsonian, Spence, so look for Ron Fleming when your're there. I think he has retired from the shows, but this one might attract him. He is one of the top four or five, and one piece brought over 15G at a SFO gallery last year. THAT is Woodchuckery :D
 
I've seen the lampshade guy (that's how I think of him) at craft fairs several times. A year or so back I asked for a price for just a shade for a lamp we have. He quoted me $1100 plus shipping.

BTW, can you imagine the amount of shavings and sawdust created in making just one such lampshade? I read an article on him somewhere that said that he starts with a 200+pound section of log for each shade.
 
This stuff is so time consuming that it is a wonder that there are people interested in continuing it. The wood they want to use are usually from the heaviest burls, or most figured straight pieces, and these are the most difficult to turn, carve and finish. Ron has turned, carved, "filigreed" and final sanded pieces, only to have them come apart from remaining internal stress when the finish relaxed a stressed section of wood. These are epoxied back together and sold at a discount (2-3G off). Shopping for the woods (also expensive), treating some of the foreign pieces (burying them in the ground for "spalting", and to kill "their" microbes with "our" microbes), managing a shop, traveling and the actual hands-on work with the wood itself makes for a busy life. When people ask Ron if he is happy, just doodling and selling stuff at outrageous prices, he just smiles, and says it takes up his spare time. His normal work week was around 90 hours before he retired.
 
mPisi,


Not only very nice lamps, but also a very well taken picture! I like the composition.

-Emile
 
Very nice stuff. If only I had such skills. The best imitation I could do is probably a couple of holes in a piece of plywood. Can I call it art? Anyone wanna buy some? :)
 
Originally posted by Walosi
This stuff is so time consuming that it is a wonder that there are people interested in continuing it. ... When people ask Ron if he is happy, just doodling and selling stuff at outrageous prices, he just smiles, and says it takes up his spare time. His normal work week was around 90 hours before he retired.
Click to expand...

I hear you, Wal. In addition to my latest obsession (Nepali Steel Handicrafts), I collect the work of a Japanese-American potter. For every piece he deems worthy of sale, he destroys 12 that don't cut the mustard. It always amazed me that his prices were so low, given that fact. (I stress the "were so low", he was "discovered" last year.)

S.
 
Now that's the real glow in the dark wood!!!

I seldom say, "if I had the tools," but I often say, "I wish I could...."

Maybe $125 for the Falcata scabbard was not too high after all.

Many thanks for great pix!
 
spence,

You going to the Smithsonian show?

I'm in MD and might be going myself.

Just wondering if I'll see anybody else there...

Dan
 
Dan:

Smithsonian Craft is on the agenda. I've been the last 3 or 4 years running. It's fairly expensive to get in, IIRC, but there can be some very good stuff there.

Have to consult my keeper re: the exact timing of when we go. If you're planning to make it, though, let me know.

S.
 
Spence,

It's just $12 right?

I may or may not be going. I know that sounds fishy, but it really depends on my spouse - she's due to have a baby soon. If I go, it will be because she wants to come along and doesn't mind the walk. (we'll probably take the Metro into the city).

Otherwise...there's always next time! :)

I'll let you know.

Dan
 
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