Tom Whalley: WENGE/MAHOGANY/SUGAR MAPLE SMALL VESSEL - 4.5" X 6" diameter

SMALL VESSEL: WENGE/MAHOGANY & SUGAR MAPLE by woodturner Tom Whalley of Iowa.

"One Thousandth of an inch off per cut and it would fail." That is the precision necessary for the geometric work of woodturner Tom Whalley. He may spend nearly a month calculating all the angles before he started the physical work. To ensure that the same standard of accuracy can be maintained throughout the process he stabilized all the wood in plank form before cutting the precise pieces which are glued together and turned on the lathe. In segmenting, any error accumulates around the circumference of the piece. Whalley's pieces are a lovely expression of the union of mathematics, an excellent knowledge of form, and the skill to execute it.