Chris,
You were one of the reasons I started making bowls using power tools. You had the Arbortech for your angle grinder. I got the King Arthur Tools “Lancelots” (4″Diameter chain saw blades) and some Kutzall tungsten carbide cutting dishes for my angle grinder. I have not used the Arbortech yet, so I can’t compare them. BUT your method worked beautifully. Attached are some of my bowls.
Like you, I got interested in chip carving, but found it very limiting. I had been carving in relief and in the round for decades. But then the “Bowl craze” hit me. I saw the bowls that Rip Mann made, and sells for more than $500 apiece. I don’t sell anything but I was amazed that anyone could sell a bowl, made from “firewood” for that much money.
Attached are some photos.
I am glad you agreed with my response to you. It would be nice to get this “Turning and Carving folder going, and see what the other carvers and turners are doing. Let’s give it a try.
Thanks,
Mel
Measure your output in smiles per board foot.
Replies
Quite beautiful, Mel, and the heart shaped one is a knockout!
Hey, who's the guy in the space suit?
Denny
Denny,
After 28 years at NASA, don't you expect me to dress in a Space Suit?When the chips come out the bottom/back of the angle grinder with the two chain saw blades on it, they come right back at me. If the wood is really wet, as it often is, I get a hard stream of wet chips coming at my chest. The thick welder's apron is perfect to absorb the shock and some of the water. The face shield is absolutely necessary. The dust and chips need to be wiped off often. The dust mask is only needed when I am making dust. With the chain saw blades, I am making big chips. But I wear the dust mask almost all of the time anyway. Heck, it cost me over $30. The leather gloves are just in case the blade grabbed or got away. They would provide some measure of protection. Howver, after making a dozen bowls, I have never had the grinder catch or twist or bind. I use it VERY VERY Gently. Anything else, and you lose a lot of work with a single slip. It is like using 10 grit sandpaper on fast spinning disk. It really eats up the wood. I am amazed at how gently that it can be used. The whole set up reduces the time it takes me to make a bowl from over a week with hand tools, to less than two days. I believe that that could come down to a day if I didn't try to make complex (really deep bowls or bowls with complex multiple curves.)Good hearing from you.
Have fun.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Mel, how do finish them off: with a heavy grit paper in a circular sander?Denny
Denny,
How do I finish off he bowls?I make some of the bowls which are finished off with carving gouges, and I leave the gouge marks on them. I just go over it with 220 grit sandpaper by hand to take off any rough spots.Some of the bowls have a smooth finish. I use the King Arthur Tools "Guinevere", which is a motor with a flexible shaft, with two inflatable sandpaper holders. One of them has a domed top and is for the inside of the bowls, and the other is a cylinder, and it is for the outside of the bowls. You inflate them part way and they follow the contours of a bowl VERY NICELY. Look up King Arthur Tools at
http://www.katools.com and take a look at the Guenivere. It is invaluable for a bowl carver, not for a turner, who can finish the bowl right there on the lathe. Hope that answers the question.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Yes, I think I've seen them listed. Nonetheless, I really like what you've done. Cheers.Denny
Mel,
When I carve with my Arbortech, depending on how I approach the wood, I get either a heavy stream of chips aimed right at my right hand or I get a spectacular fountain of chips up in the air. For safety gear, I always wear my "framer's" anti-vibration gloves as well as one leather glove over my right hand. I also wear a respirator, ear plugs, safety goggles, and a face shield. (Some consider a face shield adequate, however, I have had a piece of concrete bounce off my chin, against the shield, and off my eyelid - too close for comfort!)
I have never experience a bind or grab either, no matter how hard I try to get one - just to see if it will! Like I stated earlier, I can plunge the blade straight into dry hardwood with near complete control. However, if I am not properly braced, the cutter can climb a little, but not to the degree that it's a safety hazard. I have never felt that the tool is unsafe in the least.
10-grit sandpaper!?! Where do you get that? Do you use it with your random orbit or your angle grinder?Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Chris,
The 10 grit sandpaper was just a phrase. "poetic license" with woodworking terms. I have never seen such stuff, but I can imagine it. :-)I really appreciate your ideas on safety. Both of us use a lot of safety equipment. I also appreciated your description of how the Arbortech works. I really need to try one of those and feel the difference between it and the Lancelots. How did you cause a piece of concrete to fly at you. Was it embedded in the wood you were working on, or did your tool accidentally hit a sidewalk?
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Mel,
I believe that in Sam Maloof's book, he talks about using 12-grit sandpaper to refine the shape of his seats.
I guess I omitted an important detail about the concrete incident. I was using a concrete grinding wheel to grind down a concrete stub in the middle of my workshop floor which I kept tripping over. At one point, supported a 6x6 post which in turn held up the deck above my shop.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Chris,
I have never had sandpaper less than about 60 grit. Maloof probably had better connections. :-)Attached is a photo of my Coarse and Medium Kutzall carving dishes. They are also sold by King Arthur Tools under the name "Galahad". These are the "Extreme" version, in which the tungsten carbide teeth are widely spaced so they won't clog as easily. This makes them great for doing Green wood. The Black one, which is their coarsest will take away a bunch of wood quickly, but a wrong move will leave a big dent. The Medium removes less wood and is smoother, but you can still remove a lot of wood. Yesterday I got one of their Extreme "Fine" dishes and can't wait to try it today. You can't really judge these things until you try them. I don't believe anyone would need all three. I believe I could get away with just the Lancelot chain saws and the Coarse dish and then sandpaper. However, it is just like sandpaper, it is convenience to have an array of grits. As with sandpaper, jumping one grit is not a problem.MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Enclosed are some pictures of 'Chris' Creativity Corner'. My escape from the world.
I started carving about a year ago. None of the stuff in the shop (exceptin the bench and shelves by the window) existed before then. What was there was very big model railroad. That was dismantled and sold off a few years ago and the area became storage for all kinds of crap (now history) and a skid of cement for a stone wall I'm building (now I buy it as I needs it to save space).
Eventually, the wall will go as the shop expands, on the other side of the wall is another bay of what used to be a 3 bay garage (everything in there I built). Right now that is being used by the wife for her plants (until I can build her a sun room off the house), before that it was a room dedicated to my reptile collection (lizards and monitors).
The carving bench was built last summer after I made room and the machinery was added as I went along. The most recent projects were the carving arm and the adjustable jig at the end of the bench. A neat little bugger it is, using two 1 1/2" flanges, an 1 7/8" trailer ball hitch, some 3/8 nuts, bolts, compression springs, all for about $30. Sure beats payin what Jerry-Rig wants for their jig.
The work in progress sittin atop the jig will be a strolling elf or something like that when I'm done. It's completely out of my head with no sketch to guide me. I usually let the wood dictate what I should do with it, but I'll sometimes make a sketch and work from that. I'm still learning this craft and figuring it all out as I go along.
Chris.
Chris,
How steady is your carving arm? Is it rock-solid, or does it move when in-line force is applied? I wouldn't mind seeing more details on how you built it. I assume that you've bolted your workpiece to the arm. Do you usually plug the holes later or cover them up? I don't like to bore holes in my workpieces unless they are in the waste portion that will be removed.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Morning Me(Chris),
Actually the stiffness of the arm depends on how tight ya cranks the bolt down.
The work is screwed fast to the base plate with drywall (all purpose) screws. the plate is bolted to the arm with a 3/8 carriage bolt. Any holes in the work piece are on the bottom of the carving which won't be seen anyway.
I will take some detailed pictures and scribble down dimensions for you asap.
Have a great weekend.
Chris.
Chris
Thanks for posting the additional pictures of the vise. It looks simple in design and the swivel fixture is ingenious (though I realize you can't take credit for the idea).
At work, my boss's name is also Chris. To differientiate us, I'm Young Chris and he's...Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Chris,
Where I grew up outside Philadelphia there was a Chris to the right of me, a Chris to the left of me and a Chris that lived across the street from me. Each parent had to devise a call so that their respective Chris knew it was their parent calling them. My father, having the off the wall humor that he had, whistled for me like I was a dog.
Is your name short for Christian or Christopher?
Enjoy your day,
Christopher.
Christopher,
My name is Christopher.
In grade 7, in a class of about 28 students, there was myself, three other Chris(tophers), a Christie, and a Kristina. Two Christophers had the same last initial as well.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
daanngg!!!
Did your teacher have any hair left at the end of the school year??
I'm glad if the pictures I posted were of help to you. Holler if you need to see more.
Goodday,
Chris.
<<At work, my boss's name is also Chris. To differientiate us, I'm Young Chris and he's...>>he's "just Chris" is what you left out, right?Andy
Often, yes.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Hello again,
I took some pictures for ya so you can see how it was put together.
Dimensionally, the arm can be whatever you choose. Mine was designed to match the height of my bench, which is 40". I also figured it to be detachable from the bench and be mounted to a stand for portability for carving shows or if I want to get out of a hot garage in the midsummer. The stand has yet to be built.
The arm has an overall length of 16", the side pieces are 12". The bolt is 1/2" for cranking power. All pieces are 2x4's screwed together. The original design I followed used 3/4 boards, too small for what I want to do. I want to be able to put a 14-16" round by same height log on the thing and go to town on it.
Cranking down on the bolt can make the arm solid for heavy duty gouging. Loosening the bolt a little still gives stiffness but allows the arm to be adjusted without grabbing the wrenches, this allows the carving pace to keep flowing. Same can be said for the base set up.
I also included some pictures of the jig I wrote about previously. It is inexpensive and very nice to work with.
I'll post some websites so you can check out where I got my inspiration. I have to look them up first, so I'll include them in my return post to Mel.
Enjoy your day, Chris.
Chris,Do you put any sandpaper in between the mounting plate and the forward arm to help with friction to keep it from spinning on you?Andy
Hello Andy,
No, I don't use sandpaper. With the 1/2" bolt at the pivot point I just crank it down if I want the arm to stay in position. I use 1 1/2" washers to help distibute the force. It works rather well.
Have a great weekend,
Chris.
Cbris,
Great workshop. Love the bowsaw on the wall. Amazing how good photos are for describing things. Words take longer and don't do as well.Great carving arm. If you get time to make a drawing of it, I'd like to see it. MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Thanks Mel. It ain't much, it is messy, but its' my little piece of heaven.
As I wrote to Chris, I will take some detailed pictures and scribble down some measurements asap.
Peace,
Chris.
Chris,
Hey man, I really like that riding chip ejector machine ya got there. Yoi could also use it to mow your lawn!
:-)
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Yeah, the wife uses it for that, she done kicked me off the thing. I still get to use the weed eatin string thingy though.
Since I don't yet have a power planer, I've been tryin to figger a way to use the thing to plane my wood. Ifin I don't want a fryin pan upside the head, I'll have to do it when she ain't home. :-]
Welcome to this leetle corner of Knots.
Goodday my friend,
Chris.
Mel,
If you buzzed through the post I made to Chris, I put some info and pictures in that post. I wrote that I would include some websites for additional information. I just got back from grabbing mumsy out ofthe retirement home and taking her to dinner, so here are the sites.
http://www.wilkersonwoodcarving.com Lots of ideas on this man's site.
http://www.cedarstump.us/fixture.html For the swivel fixture.
On Greg Wilkerson's site there should be a link to a feller named Lynn Diel. He has a downloadable plan for making a carving arm, it is smaller than what I built but I used his plan in the creation of mine.
Chris.
Chris,
Thank you for that information.
Your post was worth the total price of admission to Knots this year.
Actually it was worth more. From now until the end of the year, I figure, I am operating "free". :-)I will check out both websites, and see what I can learn.
I do need a carving arm.More later.By the way, that was very nice of you to get your mum out of the retirement home, and out to dinner. My hat is off to you.
Thank you very much.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Aw shucks, Mel. You're making me blush.
Glad I could help, it is what I like to do.
I would never think of abandoning me mother in a home. There are three of us and we take turns getting her out. My sister through the week, my brother and I on the weekends. I'm not a religious bloke but I think it's rule number 5 of the 10 rules of human coexistance.
Chris.
Mel,
First of all, Thank You! You inspired me to spend a couple hours carving a free-form vessel (my first attempt). I picked out a medium-size block of acacia (maybe 16" x 14" x 6") and thought about a design for half a minute before going at it with the Arbortech. I estimate it took about 5 minutes to hollow out the triangle-ish shape and another three to level out the high spots a bit.
Then I used the bandsaw to remove the excess wood on the perimeter, leaving a 3/4" wide rim. Then I went back to my Workmate and turned the vessel over to work on the outside. The profile started out convex, but in the end became concave. I didn't put too much effort into getting an even wall thickness, though I did remove most of the excess. Do you strive for getting an even wall thickness? If so, do you measure or go by feel?
When I was happy with the wall thickness, I realized that I'd rounded the bottom over completely so that the vessel wouldn't sit flat. Because I'd purposely left the bottom thick, I shaped three feet on on the bottom. I like using three feet (tripod) on my free-form work because it will never rock.
To smooth the surface, I started with a #3 gouge before progressing to a random-orbit sander. The sander was largely ineffective, as the pad too big at 5" as compared to the 4" Arbortech wheel. I bought a sandblaster a while back specifically for my carvings, hoping that it would save me much tedious sanding. So I set it up and plunked the siphon hose into the 60-grit garnet sand and let 'er rip. It worked, but excruciatingly slowly. After bombarding the vessel with sand, I refused to go back to the #3, so I spent some time with a piece of 40-grit sanding by hand. It's not done yet, but when I finish it, I will post pictures here.
The Kutzall wheels look really useful. I would imagine that they don't wear out as fast as sandpaper does. Another power carver I know uses sandpaper on his angle grinder with great success. I haven't found a pad for my grinder yet, however.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Chris,
Sounds like a nice piece of acacia. I assume it is green wood. That arbortech must really be fast to hollow out the form so quickly. I am anxious to try one out. Sounds like you have an easy time until you hit the sanding part. You mentioned the Kutzalls (or Galahads, as King Arthur Tools refers to them). They DON"T wear out. They are tungsten carbide, and if you use them on wood, they should last 10 lifetimes. They don't even discolor. Look on the King Arthur Tool website
http://www.katools.com Woodcraft sells some of them but not the good ones. They are all made by Oliver, which sells them under the Kutzall name to places like Woodcraft and others. They are all over the web. K.A. Tools resells them under the Galahad name. They have a regular line of "carving dishes" on which the grit (coarse, medium and fine) covers the entire surface of the dish. They have another line, called "Extreme" in which the grit is spaced farther apart. THis is the one to use for carving green wood because it doesn't clog. The Extreme Coarse is a Black wheel and it is so coarse that you can do some real shaping with it -- not as much as with your arbortech, but then again it is probably a lot less forgiving than the arbortech --- it really is a super aggresscInterestingly enough. Kutzall also makes a line of carving dishes which are two inches in diameter. They are the same size as the small arbortech. I would guess that you know about that machine. KATools sells a small grinder which is like it, but less powerful. But it is also easy to hold like a pencil so it is more precise. I WISH I HAD ALL OF THE TOOLS. It would make carving much easier, but I would be destitute. I visited K.A.Tools and they have all of the tools in their shop, including the small Arbortech machine. I used both the Arbortech and the KATools version (The Merlin). Jerry, at KATools hit the nail on the head when he said that the Merlin is easier to be precise with, but much less powerful. I believe those "carving dishes" will solve a lot of your problems of sanding. If I could only buy one of the three Extreme dishes, it would be the Extreme Coarse (Black). If I could get a second, it would be the Extreme Fine (Copper color). I may sound like I am "selling" but I am not. I am only sharing what I have learned. KATools also sells the Guenivere (These names start getting in the way). THis has a flexible shaft and two inflatable sanders that can be used. One is cylindrical and is for the outside of bowls, and the other is domed (spherical shaped) and is for the inside of bowls. They have four different grits of sandpaper that fit over them, and they last a good while. While these things cost money, they have really let "bowl making" be a lot of fun for me. Previously I did everything including the sanding by hand, and that was tedious, not artistic.KATools sells two sanders for the angle grinder. BUT they are only good on the outside since they do not flex at all.You asked about if I try to get the bowl to be of constant thickness. Yes, I do, and that is the time consuming part. I do it almost all by feel. After a while, I realized that I can sense the thickness pretty well. I have one of those thickness gauges that the turners use, but I dont use it as much anymore.
I use the Lancelots for getting the whole bowl about 5/8" to 1" thick (or so), and then move to the Extreme Kutzall, and get it down to a smooth 5/8" or even to 1/2" and then move to the fine Kutzall on the inside and outside, and finally to the flat (Angle grinder) sander for the outside. By then, I am finished with the shaping and am into smoothing/sanding.This whole discussion is about power carving only. If I am going to use gouges, I move directly from the chain saws (Lancelots) to the gouges. After the gouges, I just use some 220 sandpaper to finish it off.Hope this wasn't too long. If we were in the same place, this whole thing is a 15 minute demonstration, and is easy to see/feel, but when writing, it is more difficult.
I didn't learn what I just told you from others. I couldn't find any info on it. I had to figure it out by trial and error. So I am not saying that it is "Right", just that it works for me, and I am anxious to learn how others do it, because they proabably have much better ways.Have fun.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Mel,
First of all, I don't mind the long post at all - lots of good information.
The acacia is kind of green - cut six months ago and has been drying in the garage.
Regarding the Galahads, I think that one should be adequate (atleast for now). "Part 11017 - Galahad Carbide Sander - Extreme Coarse - Round Profile" (http://hooftrimmingtools.net/mcart/index.cgi?code=3&cat=17) looks like a good choice. Can they be installed with either side facing outwards? (eg. use the "bottom")
I didn't know that Arbortech makes smaller wheels. That would open up more design possibilities and look really cool.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Chris,
The Galahads/Kutzalls only have one working side. So you put them on an angle grinder with the "grit out". The other side doesn't have any grit.
Hope that answers the question. If not, let me try again.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Mel,
That's what I needed to know. The picture looked like it could be used one way in tight radiuses and upside-down for flatter areas.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Chris,
the carving dishes come in:
1) two sizes, 4" and 4.5" diameter
2) two shapes, rounded face, and flattish face. The round ones are better for bowls. The flat are better for convex and flat stuff.
3) two hole diameters, 5/8" and 7/8". The 5/8" are for American angle grinders.
4) two styles of grit: Extreme and regular. The extreme have widely spaced grit so that they wont clog up when using wet wood.All of these differences are hard to see in photos but are very obvious when you see them.If you are going to do business with King Arthur Tools, call them and ask for Jerry. THis is a very small place - Just Jerry, his mom, his dad, who is Arthur, the founder, and Bonnie, who runs the office, and is probably the person who answers the phone. They are all very nice. Jerry is extremely knowledgeable and helpful. MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Morning Mel,
Have you (or Chris, if you're reading this) looked into the Merlin setup? I think they're a rotating chainsaw for grinders.
I've been reading you guys' posts about these implements of creativity. I've been entertaining thoughts of using these tools in the future for larger outdoors sculptures.
Goodday,
Chris.
PS Mel, watched the Pheonix land on Mars last night. Bravo to JPL, U. of Arizona and NASA for their efforts. I love that stuff.
Chris,
Thanks for the congrats on Phoenix. I have known many of the "Mars Folks" at JPL for two decades. They are a great group. That was a phenomenal accomplishment. Now we wait for the science returns.The Merlin is a very small, hand held, angle grinder which comes with four tools to put on the end of it.
- a chain saw
- a carving dish
- a cutter
- a sander
Each is 2 inches in diameter.
This is a VERY SMALL tool, and it doesn't have a lot of power. The Arbortech 2" grinder is seven times more powerful. However the Merlin is very maneuverable and easy to carve with. The 4" chainsaws that King Arthur Tools sells, are the Lancelots. These really hog off a lot of wood, and are used with a full-sized angle grinder that has a shaft which is at least 3/4" long so you can put two Lancelots on it. To read about the Merlin, go to:
http://www.katools.com/merlin.htmlTo read about the Lancelots, so to:
http://www.katools.com/lancelot.htmlIf I were only going to have one of the two, it would be the much bigger Lancelots because they are unbeatable for making bowls. You would use the Merlin on a goblet or on the details of the edges of a carved bowl.Let me know if I have not answered your questions. MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Mel,
You did a fine job answering my question. I haven't spent much time researching these tools since I'm not to the point where I'm seriously considering aquiring them yet. I was more or less interested in your opinion of them. Thank you for your reply.
I've been an avid fan of space exploration since John Glenn did his thing. My father even bought a recording of the trip which was done on vinyl. Kinda neat I thought, it had a lot of beeps on it.
Back then, whenever some form of space mission was undertaken, it seemed as though everyone was glued to the t.v. for the experience. Today I still glue myself to the tube whenever possible for the experience. History is made at those moments.
I find the engineering that goes into these efforts truly amazing. They have to get it right the first time due to the delay of distance. Truly amazing, anyone associated with these programs should be proud of their accomplishments. In a way they are like unsung heros.
Goodday friend,
Chris.
Mel,
I like the Scandinavian-style bowl the best. I think that it's the figure/colour in the wood that really pushes it over the top for me. For some reason, I was expecting round bowls.
Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Chris,
Glad you like my bowls. I agree. The Scandinavian style bowl is the one that I like best too, and for the same reasons as you. I was surprised by your expectation of "round" bowls. Round is the typical shape for bowls that turners make. People who hew bowls from pieces of logs generally eschew "round" because everyone else will think it was turned. As you know, a bowl can be turned in a matter of minutes, but it takes a lot longer to carve one. I learned a big lesson when I bought my Pfeil #7 2.5 inch gouge. It is a monster gouge. I made a number of bowls using it to hollow out the bowl. I found out what a lot of others already knew. The tool you use really affects the product. The bowls I am making now with power tools have radiuses in their curves which are no less than 4 inches. You know why.So now I use the old Nakashima trick of "talking to the wood", and asking it where the best bowl exists in it, and how it should be freed from the log. I use a carving hatchet to do some preliminary exploration, and then I get the double chain saw blades on the angle grinder, and I start removing small amounts of wood here and there to search for the biggest, most beautiful shape that exist in the log. So none of my bowls is symmetrical. Each has a distinct relation to the shape of the log that I used. One end is almost always wider and higher than the other. I find that to be a lot of fun to do.The beat goes on.
Have fun.
Mel
PS I sure want to try an Arbortech sometime so I can compare it to the King Arthur Tools "Lancelots". I have the feeling that the Arbortech is smoother, but that the Lancelots take away wood a lot faster. Two Lancelots take away a swath that is a half inch wide and more than an inch deep. THat is what they excel at.Measure your output in smiles per board foot.
Mel,
The grain and colour of the wood really makes a workpiece stand out, make it that much more unique and that much more awe-inspiring.
As to my vision of a round bowl, go to your kitchen and look through all your cupboards. How many non-round bowls do you have? The dictionary defines bowl as "a round deep basin used for food or liquid". A dish is "a shallow, ufually flat-bottomed container made of glass, ceramic, metal, etc., used for holding or serving food". I don't think that either word is really suitable. How about "vessel"?
I truly enjoy letting the wood dictate the final shape of the item. Follow the natural edges and the grain. Carve out the voids or knots and make everything flow. One carver whose work I really like is Brad Sells (http://www.bradsells.com/). His work is amazing, but I can't imagine myself spending the amount of time on a piecs as he does.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Chris,
thanks for introducing me to Brad Sells. Like you said, his work is absolutely amazing. I am going to have to try some of his ideas. They are infinitely better than my ideas. Is that stealing? Maybe, if I can actually execute them. Since I don't sell anything, and since I probably cant execute them, Brad doesnt have much to worry about from me. Have you seen the work of Steve Schmeck?
Try
http://www.manytracks.com/Art/BowlsBySteve.htmIt is people like Brad and Steve who really get me going.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Mel,
Steve's work is interesting, but I don't find it particularly inspiring. It somehow seems a little lacking. "Community" reminds me of something a friend of mine makes by cutting the ivy off which circles a tree. He pressure washes off the bark and ends up with a cool intertwined something-or-other.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Chris,
About Steve Schmeck's work, we have an honest difference of opinion. I am blown over by it. I called him one day, and he was very helpful - a nice guy. He gets his big works down to 3/8" all over. WOW. He has some skill. We all have different muses, which is a good thing.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Okay Mel, when did you have a day to get outside and do all that around here recently. I have had a bowl roughed out for weeks and have not been able to get a day when I could take it outside and hew it out with the grinder. It has been so wet around the DC area that I am waiting for our hair to start turning green from the algae and fungi. Great work.
Dan,
You are right, the weather around here has been very WET. The drought is over. It has been frustrating. I anxiously await portions of time when the driveway is dry so I can set up out there. I need to plug my angle grinder in and don't like to use it while standing in water. :-)Because of the rain, it has taken me many more days to complete a bowl than normal, and like you, I find the interesting colors growing when I pull the bowl out of the plastic bag. That is frustrating. Oh well, summer will soon be here and the sun will be shining as it usually does in this semi tropical climate of Washington, DC. Post a photo of your bowl when you finish. Let's really get this "Turning and Carving" folder ACTIVE for carvers. I have missed having people to talk to about carving. Have fun.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Don't expect too much. I am just starting this carving stuff and I feel like a ham handed oaf every time I do something.Dan Carroll
I feel like a ham handed oaf .. Has a few Kin like that.. Named Olof .. NEVER mess with them.. Rip a arm off if they get excited at a statement they did not like!
Dan,
If it was easy the fun would be ever so limited. The fun with woodcarving is making that ordinary ol piece of wood come to life. Failure does happen from time to time. I consider carving to be a series of corrected mistakes. Every piece is a practice piece. Some just happen to turn out better than some of the other practice pieces.
Have a great weekend and let the woodchips fly!
Chris.
"If it was easy the fun would be ever so limited"
I talked to a guy one time that made his living in a tourist area by carving bears, totem poles, etc from pine logs with a chain saw. I stood there and watched him carve out a bear in about 40 minutes. I told him that he made it look so easy. His reply was, "It is easy...just cut away everything that doesn't look like a bear and there you have it."Harry
Following the path of least resistance makes rivers and men crooked.
Hiya Harry,
"It is easy, just cut away everything that doesn't look like a bear and there you have it."
That's right, just keep chipping away at it until you find what you were looking for.
Goodday,
Chris.
Like you, I got interested in chip carving, but found it very limiting. ??
Come on Mell! You fibbin' us a bit... I find it hard to believe ANYTHING could limit you! OK except for available cash which we are are familiar with!
Will George,
Glad to see that you are navigating around some strange places such as "Turning and Carving". I enjoy chip carving. I have added it to my repertoire. I will use it often and will build it into other projects.Have fun.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
MEL You are so flexable.. No wonder your wife and children LOVE ya!
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