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Woodturning (rec.crafts.woodturning) To discuss tools, techniques, styles, materials, shows and competitions, education and educational materials related to woodturning. All skill levels are welcome, from art turners to production turners, beginners to masters. |
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#1
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Where do we draw the line? Musing about level, plumb and square.
I bet I'm not the only one of us who has to make a deliberate effort to
make curved lines on a turning. If I don't watch it, my vessels will end up with straight sides and sharp corners. People seem to seek level, plumb and square in most things they make, but mother nature sure doesn't. ex: a building vs a landscape. Well at least, buildings other than Frank Gehry's and the deconstructionists' and trees other than redwoods and tall pines. LPS with its straight lines and right angles are what we tend to strive for, but fair curves and angles other than 90deg. are what pleases most of us. I conveniently forget (translation: don't know anything about) Mondrian and lots of others. I do that a lot. I hope you psychologists, artists and general woodturners will jump in to agree or disagree and hopefully to explain wottenhel I'm trying to say. I sure don't know, plus I've conveniently forgotten about Mondrian and many others. I often do that. It's written somewhere that our fixation on LPS is due to the overwhelming effects of gravity in our lives. Probably began with our being told to "sit up straight". The Golden Ratio is all fine and good, but a fair curve in our turnings as in the fair sex wins over flat & straight every time. Yep, we like rounded things and function doesn't always have to follow form. If a tippy round bottom is ok for a rice bowl, why not for a salad bowl, and a lathe doesn't always have to make things round? Sorry you read this far? Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings |
#2
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Where do we draw the line? Musing about level, plumb and square.
I can see good in both sides, although my vote is for the curves.
Strait can be easier to work with, and have a wierd facination all it's own. But you're right (in my opinion) - people seem to react to curves better - it seem more 'natural'. |
#3
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Where do we draw the line? Musing about level, plumb and square.
Arch wrote:
It's written somewhere that our fixation on LPS is due to the overwhelming effects of gravity in our lives. Probably began with our being told to "sit up straight". The Golden Ratio is all fine and good, but a fair curve in our turnings as in the fair sex wins over flat & straight every time. Yep, we like rounded things and function doesn't always have to follow form. If a tippy round bottom is ok for a rice bowl, why not for a salad bowl, and a lathe doesn't always have to make things round? Sorry you read this far? Arch, it seems to me as though you are confusing practical aspects with artistic appreciation. Unfortunately LPS is dictated to us by the constraints of nature. If it ain't LPS is ain't very stable. Aesthetically LPS is also boring and harsh as well as looking correct. Introduce a nice curve or two and the effect is more restful, comfortable and pleasing to the eye. If it needs to be stable or structurally sound then somewhere the old LPS has to be incorporated and that is where the good gets seperated from the bad and the ugly. Look at it this way, a perfect sphere is really nice, and so is an egg, but neither one will stay put on anything but a perfect flat level surface. A cube on the other hand is static on anything but a severly inclined surface, but it will create all sorts of problems when digging for that last drop of salad stuck in the corners:-) Joining these two functions together without conflict is where the art of turning has to be mastered. Normally if it don't look right then it ain't! Peter Visit my site at: http://www.oldtoolsshop.com/Galoots/pHyde/ |
#4
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Where do we draw the line? Musing about level, plumb and square.
"Arch" wrote in message ... I bet I'm not the only one of us who has to make a deliberate effort to make curved lines on a turning. If I don't watch it, my vessels will end up with straight sides and sharp corners. People seem to seek level, plumb and square in most things they make, but mother nature sure doesn't. ex: a building vs a landscape. Well at least, buildings other than Frank Gehry's and the deconstructionists' and trees other than redwoods and tall pines. I like to look at proper curves, but I'm straight.... |
#5
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Where do we draw the line? Musing about level, plumb and square.
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#6
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Where do we draw the line? Musing about level, plumb and square.
"Arch" (clip) jump in to agree or disagree and hopefully to explain wottenhel I'm trying to say. (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Arch, I think you are on the threshold of a great invention here, and I would like to collaborate with you, so we can BOTH be rich. With advancing computer technology, it should be possible to develop an encyclopedia that listens, organizes and clarifies any question, and then answers it. It would be possible to get tightly organized answers to questions that that are very vaguely presented, self contradictory or ambiguous. Don't get me wrong, Arch--I'm not saying that is true of your questions--merely that you present them as if they were, perhaps out of modesty or self-deprecation. |
#7
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Where do we draw the line? Musing about level, plumb andsquare.
Thanks Brent, Pete, George, Jesse, and Leo for your good insights and
especially for 'getting' my tortured drift. Leo old friend, probably more perversity than modesty, or maybe just a reaction to years of needing to presume authority and to know the answers to unanswerable questions. I could try posting a tightly organized answer and ask the group for the vague, contradictory and ambiguous question, but I like to stir the pot with a slotted spoon and a benign troll even in reverse, is still a troll. Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings |
#8
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Where do we draw the line? Musing about level, plumb andsquare.
"Arch" wrote: (clip) I like to stir the pot with a slotted spoon (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ AHA! A meeting of the minds in the fog. |
#9
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Where do we draw the line? Musing about level, plumb andsquare.
"Leo Lichtman" wrote:
"Arch" wrote: (clip) I like to stir the pot with a slotted spoon (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ AHA! A meeting of the minds in the fog. If the two of you would help me find my flashlight ... |
#10
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Where do we draw the line? Musing about level, plumb andsquare.
Hey Lobby, be careful what you ask for!
Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings |
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