Woodturning 100 - Appreciating Quality and Craftsmanship
If you are a long time collector of fine turned wood you know what you
are looking for and what factors will influence what you might to
expect to pay for a particular piece. However, if you are not, I
hope you will find this informative and helpful in judging the
craftsmanship in turned wood and in comparing different artists' work.
When I turn a piece I want to finish something that will enrich your
life. I want my work to stir something inside you when you
experience it. One might make a "Wow!" want to come out when you
see it. Another may generate an "Ahhh." when you feel it.
Here are some of my thoughts on some things that contribute to that
"Wow / Ahhh / Ummm" experience.
Do you
like the shape? If you don't like the shape it doesn't
necessarily mean it is a poor form, but it isn't for you. Move on
to the next one. This is, in my opinion, one of the most personal
and subjective elements. I often experiment with new shapes and
variations on old ones. Sometimes I succeed in creating something
new and interesting, and sometimes I don't, but I am reminded time and
again that not everyone shares my esthetic preferences. There are
some shapes that have been around for millenia and I would bet that
many of the shapes you like would share some characteristics with these
classics.
Are there
unintentional cracks? Some of the most beautiful turned
pieces are just so because they highlight cracks and flaws in the
wood. Be alert, however, for cracks that appear to be
"accidental" and that may have occurred since finishing which could
indicate inadequate curing and signs of trouble to come.
Avoiding the discussion of what makes good form, it is possible to
assess the quality of the craftsmanship. Here are some more
objective measures, and some of them are not that tough to
evaluate. Before I begin tellng you what degrades a piece I want
you to keep two things in mind as you consider what I have to
say. First, I don't always achive the absolute perfection I refer
to here, but it serves as my guide. Second, any detractor is
relative in that it may be a serious problem or not depending on the
circumstances and your personal tolerance level. Having said
that, let's begin.
Do the
curves flow into one another? When the curvature of the
surface changes, one curve should flow into the next without a
"corner." You may need to touch the piece to determine this since
the eye can be relatively easily fooled in this area. The ability
to create this fluidity of form comes only with experience and
practice, although anyone can fail to achieve perfection for a number
of reasons.
Can you
see tearout? Tearout is what we call the little (or
sometimes big) holes left when wood fibers are torn out below the
surface instead of being been cut cleanly. When working with
"punky" wood or difficult areas to access it can be very difficult to
avoid some tearout, and this is where you will have to simply decide
for yourself how serious any particular instance is. Having said
that, do look for signs that the artist was aware of the tearout and
what measures he or she may have employed to deal with it. In
general, tearout in sound material is usually a detractor, and a lot of
it with little or no apparentt deal with it is a big detractor.
Some tearout does not automatically turn a very nice piece into a stick
of firewood, but you should realize it is probably not a work worthy of
"best in show."
Can you
see tool marks? Once the shape of a piece is formed with
the cutting tools, very light cuts are ususally made with the tools to
smooth the surface, "blend" the curves and remove as many tool marks as
possible. Only the most highly skilled and experienced turners
can leave the surface without the little ridges, grooves, and bruises
where the cutting tools moved along the surface of the spinning
wood. These need to be removed by sanding. If they are
still there it is a definite detractor.
Can you
see sanding scratches? Just as cutting tools leave marks
on the surface, the process of sanding is one of replacing big scratchs
with progressively smaller scratches until the surface has the desired
degree of smoothness. It is usually not too difficult to do, but
it is relatively easy to miss scratches, especially in less than
excellent lighting. When found later when sanding with much finer
grit they can't be removed by just sanding harder or longer. You
have to start over with the grit that should have removed them in the
first place. A properly sanded piece indicates skill, experience,
and careful inspections along the way. Noticeable scratches can
seriously detract from an otherwise fine piece. Likewise, failure
to sand to a fine enough finish on the wood itself can result in
degraded sheen and reflectivity of the final finish.
Are the
details crisp? If there is fine detail it is easy to sand
away the sharpness of those details and requires skill to sand the
nearby surfaces without destroying that crispness.
What about
the finish? Shiny is a matter of prefference, but make
sure it isn't just shiny to hide something underneath. Whatever
the finish, it should be appropriate for it's intended purpose.
It should be even in its application, and drips and runs are a
no-no! Many finishes will cure with an "orange peel"
surface. If it is conspicuous the piece probably needed a bit
more effort in the rubout..
Is the
bottom done? This is a show stopper for me if I am looking
for a well done work. When you look at the bottom of the piece it
should be immediately obvious that the bottom has been finished on the
lathe. It takes a little more time and trouble to do
this and sometimes additional skill and finesse, but If the bottom is
not finished it's a sure sign less than full pride went into that piece.
Is it
signed? An artist will often finish pieces with a
characteristic style, sign the work, number it, or do all of
these. When an artist signs a piece, it signals enough pride in
the work to establish a lifetime link. This is very important to
me, but the by itself does not mean the piece is well done or inferior.
Copyright 2007 Eric Urban All rights reserved.