Brainstorming - Thinking At A Different Scale
As you get farther into the turning journey it's easy to develop tunnel vision, thinking only in terms of plates and bowls and hollow forms - all at "normal size". But if you think BIG, as in architectural scale, or small, as in jewelry size, turnings or pieces of turnings can become elements of multi-parts designs. If you keep your eyes open, inspirations pop up in unexpected places. Here's an example.
I saw a picture of a brooch by jeweler Charles Pinckney in a small ad in a magazine. The piece is the background on Mr. Pinckney's website .
I noted that most of the components could be turned - the major elements in the bottom part of the piece could be a small flat backed turned bead, cut into quarters, only two of the four quarters are used in the piece. Add turned beads of various sizes and connect them with small diameter spring wire - and a little super glue. Here are some variations on the quartered bead idea, #6 could be made to that the bottom element swings off the long central element. Padouk would work for the reddish versions, yellow heart or canary wood for the golden versions. Throw in some purple heart or rosewood for additional colors, ebony or black wood for the flat components.
This jewelry using turned components is interesting - and there's still surface treatment possibilities that can be applied to the pieces. Lots of possibilities here - and they won't use much wood, or take much time to turn.