Jay Scott submitted this write up and pictures to explain how he made this this very unique turning to create a fog bowl.
Porcelina
Saying this project ran from January 12, 2022 to February 3, 2022, about 55 hours of work, would be untrue. That time was for the final turning, finishing, fitting and final touches, but would omit the 15 hours of preparation. Those 15 hours of preparation include ordering the steps for success and flexibility, designing, rough turning and casting. However, they neglect the two years of planning, hardware acquisition and researching (for optimum fog generation which influenced the design), turning skill development, equipment necessary, and confidence needed to execute this, my best, yet.
Much of my learning, in the time leading up, was about repairing flaws and mistakes. I know he could take it if I were joking, but Doug at Pohl Barn Productions is my primary repair guy. No, not because he makes mistakes, but that no resin flaw, material failure or other struggle stops him from finishing a project, very well. During the turning, I had one disability-caused, expletive-spitting catch into the interior side of the bowl, with my biggest tool, and great force. I backed away, not even looking closely, out of horror. The damage wasn’t at all as expected. The tenon was repaired overnight and the next day, while a caution layer of resin cured in the catch area, I started on the removable centerpiece. Thankfully, the damages were repaired and the bowl was back on the blue mule, once the center piece was at a point of pause, first needing sizing between the two components.
It came together, the work by hand taxing my patience, a test run with water damaging the finish, forcing further improvement to far greater water resistance. I still contemplate a screen to reduce splashing, noting that restricting the atomizer greatly limits fog production. The future owner may prefer the sea of fog produced with the center tube removed or they may enjoy watching the fog pour out of the holes in the side and flowing out of the top. Despite those minor concerns, I am happy and in disbelief that it is done, stylized with 60s-70s patio lights in mind, a shiny interior with the deeply undercut rim, and functioning so well. A matching resin pyramid and crystal will accent, peeking above the fog. Finished, but post-project letdown is real. Three weeks, this thing was at the forefront, completing it is satisfying but anticlimactic. I have many more ideas in mind, but was happy to spend some time on maintenance in mental preparation for the next exploration.
Curly maple for the base, gifted to me by Trent Watts, set the stage for a resin top, in blue dye with aquamarine mica powder, the accent stripe, purple dye with red and blue interference powder. The bowl sits 185mm wide by 125mm tall, the removable centerpiece 20mm taller when used, surrounding the atomizer which is recessed into the base. The interior was sanded to 320 grit and finished with resin. The exterior resin and the centerpiece resin was sanded to micromesh 12000 grit, then buffed with white diamonds and beeswax. The maple was sanded to 4000 grit, then finished with my friction polish recipe and beeswax.
