# Poplar HF and muscle memory



## TimR (Jun 17, 2014)

I have precious few pieces of this spalted poplar left, which represents the first wood I started turning on over 5 years ago. It was from a tree that came down nearly 8 or so years ago, with a hollow stump that got dumped at back of our property to decompose at nature's rate. I started harvesting this stump for 'practice' wood, thinking that being poplar, it was in the junk category of ideal woods to turn. I couldn't have been more wrong.





I probably made a couple dozen so-so bowls that ended up with family and friends, and by the time I realized how nice this wood really was, I had only a handful of blanks left, most small. So, I blew the dust off this blank sitting among other pieces of wood saved for 'special' use. I like that hollow forms show off so much of a piece, and this is certainly no exception. 
In the back of my mind while turning this, was a similar piece I had turned a couple years ago. The orientation was required to use the 'green' area as the base, as it was the only solid part of the blank, and had to be glued to a waste block. The spalted section was so crumbly, I had to get a rough shape, and then start applying many coats of shellac in stages to stabilize the surface for final shaping/smoothing. I pretty much maximized the size of the form with the blank, and when done, I thought, gee...this sure seems pretty close to a piece I had done about 2 years ago. See photo below, the newest one in group photo is the one on the right and in solitary pics.
As to the muscle memory thing...I don't sketch out forms like this ahead of time, they just come out without thinking too much during the shape forming. It occurs to me that many of us turn out some forms that become characteristic shape that may evolve a bit, but follows a pattern. This is the pattern that I naturally gravitate towards. Also, I've started to move away from using my hollowing rig for smaller shapes like this that are only a couple inches deep. For hollowing this piece to about 3/16", I used 4 different carbide tools, all using cupped inserts similar to Hunter tools. 
Again, in the group photo, the current one is the one on the right. A little over 4" diam and about 3-3/4" tall. The opening is 5/8". As with the previous one, I didn't want to impart any color change, so the finish is many coats of woodturners finish, followed by Beall buff process. 
I suppose one question I have, is which of the two forms you all like better, if you had to pick one independent of the character in the wood. It's a hard one for me to choose, and I don't think I have a good answer myself. Comments welcome and appreciated, as always.

Reactions: Like 2 | EyeCandy! 11 | Way Cool 2


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## Mike1950 (Jun 17, 2014)

BOTH are very nice Tim.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## ironman123 (Jun 17, 2014)

Double nice.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## manbuckwal (Jun 17, 2014)

Awesome pieces Tim !!!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## GeauxGameCalls (Jun 17, 2014)

Very nice!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## barry richardson (Jun 17, 2014)

Great post and beautiful pieces Tim! As far as my favorite, it's kinda like splitting hairs, if they weren't sitting side by side, I would have said the forms were identical. Both pleasing shapes....


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## ripjack13 (Jun 17, 2014)

Both are good looking. If I have to choose one, it would be the one on the left. I like it's shape more than the other. Better flow? The character on both are very pleasing to the eye though. Excellent job on them both Tim.


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## NYWoodturner (Jun 18, 2014)

Those are two great pieces Tim and amazing that they are turned years apart.


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