David Springett (UK) coloured ash bowl with steel balls / screws 9x12cm. SignedMy most vivid memory of Ray Key is when, at Shannon Airport after both demonstrating at an Irish Woodturners' Guild seminar, he took pity on my lack of Euros and generously bought me a cup of coffee and sandwiches. Smal memory you may say but that summed him up for me. A very considerate and generous person always ready to help and ready to share his vast experience and knowledge. [and Euros]Details of my collaborative piece.I first thought that I would embed turned teardrop pieces into the bowl I had chosen a little like the Singapore balls I produce. I soon found that as the Ash, from which the bowl was turned, was extremely dense and would prove difficult to drill and excavate chip free holes. I then remembered an early turned piece I had made that had steel balls held on its surface with embedded magnets. This appealed to me.The bowl's surface would need to be darkened to contrast with the bright steel balls so, rather than staining, I burnt its surface. Having scrubbed away the burnt layer, which additionally had emphasised the grain, the bowl was sealed using black acrylic paint.Laying out the positions for the embedded magnets was tricky as I had decided that angled, twisted lines would be more attractive than straight. I produced the required angled lines by dividing the rim and the base of the bowl into 8 segments and joining off-set top and base positions at an angle using thin strips of tape. These taped lines could then be divided to regularly layout the magnet positions.The final decision I had to make was regarding the size of the steel balls. 9mm [3/8in] looked too heavy. 6mm [1/4in] was better but still not right. I settled on grading the steel balls from 6mm [1/4in] set near the top down to 3mm [1/8in] at the base. [Photo. R29]As the magnets had been embedded in the bowl's surface it could become interactive as any steel object could be held on these magnets.The Ray Key Collaboration Auction