• From Doug Culver on Carving a Linenfold Panel - Episode 1

    The linen fold project is by far the most conceptual challange I have faced so far. Visualizing the turns and curves are difficult for me at this time. I am taking in slow and reviewing your video often.

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    2013/03/31 at 7:30 pm
    • From Mary May on Carving a Linenfold Panel - Episode 1

      Hi Doug,
      It might be a good idea to start with the other 2 linenfold projects first (the drapery and the ribbon). They are slightly different in that they are not as deep as the linenfold panel, and only focus on a basic flipping over of the cloth. Just remember to make the edge of the cloth a continuous line without breaks.

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      2013/03/31 at 7:49 pm
  • From Doug Culver on Carving a Dragon & Acanthus Leaf Design - Episode 1

    As a beginning carver I really appreciate your attention to detail and the patience of your showing each step with no skipping ahead. Great video!

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    2013/03/30 at 8:10 pm
  • From David Taylor on Carving a Dragon & Acanthus Leaf Design - Episode 1

    Very cool project, I've been waiting to see this one ever since you first blogged about it!

    I had thought these first stages would be less instructive than I found them to be, I actually learned quite a bit. I am starting to 'get' this whole carving thing, even though my attempts at it still carry the look of the rank amateur, and I find when I really pay attention to what you are doing, I see you really pack a lot of teaching just in showing how you go about the carving. Issues of grain direction and tool usage, but, even more, subtle things like leaving wood to later have the leaf exposed over the neck, and even in roughing out how you leave layers so that they appear to connect 'through' the wood to look so much like they meet up on the other side.

    It's the insights you silently show in your deft tool handling, as much as or even more than the points you talk about, that make your videos such a great learning experience.

    Thank you so much, can't wait to see further chapters on this project!

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    2013/03/29 at 11:15 pm
  • From Brian Biggs on Carving Traditional Serif Lettering in Capitals

    Perfect timing on this - I'm doing more sign work these days, and this is really nice to see done rather than reading about it.

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    2013/03/27 at 9:57 am
  • From Doug Boor on Sharpening a V-Chisel - Beginner Lesson #5

    Hello Mary,

    I have a question about the V chisel. Getting items tuned up for your classes at Kelly's in a month, and my v chisel needed a lot of work after a drop to the floor. (Got to get some wood down and get off the concrete). So it has been to the grinder a couple times now. I got it cutting well in mahogany, pleased about that, but one thing I always seem to get is a bit of edge degradation right at the transition point where it goes from flat to the V. Usually this occurs after a couple stroppings. Still seems to cut okay, smooth, but I was wondering if you might have an idea what I'm doing that is causing is? To shallow bevel? It is a Swiss Made gouge if the thought is metal durability as an issue. I'm decent with a grinder so I don't believe I overheated it.

    Enjoying the web classroom and looking forward to Kelly's

    Doug

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    2013/03/20 at 10:33 am
    • From Mary May on Sharpening a V-Chisel - Beginner Lesson #5

      Ahhh - my favorite! Solving v-chisel dilemmas. So many possibilities of why that tiny little connection between the corner and the straight sides can go wrong. The funny thing is - usually when there is an issue there, too much metal is taken away (therefore a dip in the edge), rather than not enough (therefore a raised point at those sections). Why??? Here are some possibilities:

      1. There was a flaw in the original shape of the chisel (it's great when you can blame someone!)
      2. The slip stone was not rounded, but had a flat corner (often when I purchase a new slipstone, I have to re-sharpen them for a v-chisel because they too often do not have a sharp enough or well-defined corner). If you imagine using this, the inside corner of the v-chisel will never be touched by the slip stone, but these "transition areas" that you are mentioning will get more of a grinding.
      3. The angle of the bevel may be too sharp, therefore weakening the edge
      4. When you round over the outside corner (like you are sharpening a tiny curved gouge) you are somehow sharpening those transition areas more than the curved corner section - maybe rotating it too much? This rounding of the outside "V" does not have to go all the way to the flat edges.
      5. What is difficult about the v-chisel, is that it could be a combination of several of the above possibilities.
      6. If it is cutting, I wouldn't stress too much about it. It just might not look pretty.

      The difficulty is, once a v-chisel starts being shaped wrong, it is difficult to straighten it out. I would not take it back to the grinder any more (there is a limit to how much of the end is tempered - I have heard 1/4 to 1/2 inch). We'll work on it in Berea if it is still having issues.

      One thing I see people do quite often is grind the end of the v-chisel nice and flat if they are having difficulty in getting the edge even. Then put it on the stone and go through the process of sharpening it. Well, if the reason that the chisel went wrong the first time has not been resolved, the same issues will come back again and again.

      It might be easier to explain this theory with a curved gouge example. If I have a gouge that has a flaw in the shape of the inside of the gouge (let's say there is a rust pit on the inside of the gouge), I try to get a nice flat edge by grinding the end straight (tool blade directly onto the grinder), then when I put the gouge on a sharpening stone, the edge of the gouge will eventually find the pit on the inside of the gouge and the edge of the gouge will be formed based on that - again and again, as long as that flaw is still there.

      I know that was a LONG explanation, but I hope that helps.

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      2013/03/20 at 11:21 pm
      • From Doug Boor on Sharpening a V-Chisel - Beginner Lesson #5

        Thanks so much Mary, that was helpful. I put number 4 as the largest culprit thoough other issues could be there as well. I over rotate working the outside corner trying to get a flowing transition. I get the shape I want, but then the transition point breaks down. Leaving that little point you mention at the apex. It still cuts well, just something to continue to work on. Thanks again. Doug

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        2013/03/21 at 11:49 am