hello mary. You said you felt strange sharping your tools the old fashioned way.I have been a backyard woodworker for about 3 yeas now.i have some big machinery. Band saw,drop saw, saw bench, 8'' jointer, woodlathe, etc.And i don' t realy enjoy useing them that much.But i do use them.I am realy happy when my time is spent useing hand tools.Why? because of the quiet.nothing better than doing your woodwork and all you can hear is the scrapping noise of the hand tool and the birds singing in the yard. Cheers
Is it right to assume that the decision to use a router was based on the depth of material to be removed, the difficulty of getting a flat surface at greater depth? If so, at what depth do you consider using a router?
If a carver doesn't want to use a router, what are the alternatives? I assume bent gouges are the answer.
Changing subjects, the dovetails on the ends of this panel make me curious about its use. Maybe it's part of a chest?
Thanks for teaching the methods for rendering the overlaps. All in all, it's a very inviting creature.
I had 2 large panels about 6 feet long. The decision to use a router came from the wood that I was using (quarter sawn white oak) and the fact that if I carved these down by hand I would make far less than minimum wage on this job.
I took the router to the 1/4" depth and just shaved off the final surface with the gouge.
Definitely spoon bent gouges would be needed if you wanted to remove the background by hand. I would start out with regular straight gouges to remove the bulk (simply because they're easier to push through or mallet through hard wood) and then move to a lot of different widths of #3 spoon bend gouges. DO NOT use a mallet with the spoon bent. They may snap at the bend with too much pressure.
Don't have a clue about the dovetails - just simply the way they decided to build it. I'm just the carver... Sorry.
So... the bottom line is, there are moments where efficiency is necessary - and very useful. These videos are on-the-job reality and show all the nuts and bolts of how I complete a job - whether it's pretty or not!
Now I just need to get lots of members signed up for my online school and then I can get pack to my purist ways of carving 🙂 Then I can go back to being the "human router". I wonder if Michaelangelo would have used a pneumatic chisel or angle grinder if he had one available?? He just had 50 apprentices that equaled one grinder...
Throughout history the people doing the work sought the best and most efficient way to get things done. That's why we have electricity and routers today . There are no set ways to do anything.
I believe you are correct. Back then they used 50 apprentices, now we have routers! I just don't like the noise and dust. But when the job needs to be done...
The end result is the important part. I do believe the masters would have used some modern conveniences if they had them handy. I love to carve by hand,but large bulk removal is not carving it is more bull dozing and I believe any method would work and should be accepted. In the end it is the artists eye and hand movements that create the final texture. We are in control of the machines not vice versa.
I found about you through the Hand Tool School, also saw you on Woodwright's Shop a season or two ago. I want to exploring carving as an additional to my other woodworking and see if it's for me.
I enjoyed the video a lot! As a newbie, I am a bit confused between the different gouge makers. For example, your starter's set suggests 3/14, 7/14 and optionally 4/14. However, looking at Stubi's website (linked above), they don't appear to sell 14mm. It goes from 12 to 16mm.
So my question is: for we newbies are we better going to the next lower or higher size (width) if a maker doesn't have the one we want?
Or am I really over-thinking this as a newbie? 🙂
Yes, that does get confusing and there isn't a definite answer. I think I would venture to the 12mm more than the 16mm. The 16 would really be more for larger sculpture and they can start to get bulky. The smaller ones can be more versatile. It's funny how you can get stuck on a particular size (I tend to go towards odd numbered curvatures (3, 5, and 7) and 6mm, and 14mm. Then as a fill-in 8mm, 10mm and 12mm. Hope this helps!
I found about you through the Hand Tool School, also saw you on Woodwright's Shop a season or two ago. I want to exploring carving as an additional to my other woodworking and see if it's for me.
I enjoyed the video a lot! As a newbie, I am a bit confused between the different gouge makers. For example, your starter's set suggests 3/14, 7/14 and optionally 4/14. However, looking at Stubi's website (linked above), they don't appear to sell 14mm. It goes from 12 to 16mm.
So my question is: for we newbies are we better going to the next lower or higher size (width) if a maker doesn't have the one we want?
Or am I really over-thinking this as a newbie? 🙂
Yes, that does get confusing and there isn't a definite answer. I think I would venture to the 12mm more than the 16mm. The 16 would really be more for larger sculpture and they can start to get bulky. The smaller ones can be more versatile. It's funny how you can get stuck on a particular size (I tend to go towards odd numbered curvatures (3, 5, and 7) and 6mm, and 14mm. Then as a fill-in 8mm, 10mm and 12mm. Hope this helps!
Hi Mary, for some reason when I go to chapter 5 it always wants to replay 4. I've tried everything I can think of but still can't get 5 to load up. Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks
Dave Richardson
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