No matter what I purchase for blanks or pieces of wood, the prettiest is usually something I find laying around. This executive in gun metal uses a piece of old, almost rotten white pine. There is some bark on it and a small knot from a branch that broke off. I stabilized it and filled in around the knot with some opaque black Alumilite.
That darned knot would pop out at anything more than the lightest touch with the skew. I think I had to glue it back in at least three or four times. It sat on the lathe for most of the Thanksgiving weekend.
There are a couple of flaws at the edges of the knot where some of the CA dust got trapped and left a white spot. There is a lot of chatoyance showing and with the CA finish it looks like you can see right into the blank.
Overall, I'm really happy with it.
That darned knot would pop out at anything more than the lightest touch with the skew. I think I had to glue it back in at least three or four times. It sat on the lathe for most of the Thanksgiving weekend.
There are a couple of flaws at the edges of the knot where some of the CA dust got trapped and left a white spot. There is a lot of chatoyance showing and with the CA finish it looks like you can see right into the blank.
Overall, I'm really happy with it.