it has cured, insert a shop-made wood­en wedge in the kerf and tap it inplace, then shape the head to yourliking on the band saw. Mallet headsare typically rounded on the top withsi ight angles on each face to ensuresquare striking. Chamfer the ~dges

of the head to prevent it from split­ti ng and cut a bevel along the edgesof the handle for a comfortable grip.

Used with permission of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.,387 Park Ave. S., NY, NY 10016 from Chip Carving Techniques

& Patterns by Wayne Barton, © 1984 By Wayne Barton.

Handle1" x 2;1.," X 11;;,,"

•

To fashion the handle, taper the sidesslightly from both ends to the middleon the band saw. Then saw a kerf intoone end of the handle. Copy the han­dle's shape onto the middle headblank and saw it out. Then glue upthe mallet, alternating the grain direc­tion of the head pieces to provide themaximum strength.Allow the glue to dry overnight; once

Woodenwedge

AWOODEN MALLETShop-building your own wooden mal­let from laminated pieces of hard­wood is an inexpensive way to stockyour shop with a selection of theseuseful, durable tools. Although theillustration includes suggested dimen­sions, you can size the mallet to suityour needs.Cut the three head blanks and thehandle from a wood like oak or maple.

WORKSHOP GUIDE

Head blank1" x 3;;,," x 7"

ASAMPLE OLD ENGLISH ALPHABET FOR INCISED CARVING

MAKING AWOOD MALLET

All benchstones will develop a hollow inthe center after prolonged use. To true abenchstone, flatten it on a machined sur­face, such as glass pane or a commericallapping table. For oilstones, rub the sur­face with a circular motion (left) in a stoneover the si urry made from a coarse lap­ping compound mixed with honing oil. Startwith a coarse grit and work through finergrits until the stone is flat. To true a water­stone, use water instead of honing oil forthe slurry, or wet/dry silicon carbide papertaped to the lapping surface.

-\L-----~---------

Glass pane

"

Lappingcompound

PROTECTING CHISEL BLADESIf you fi nd yourself short of plastic ti p guards,use an old leather glove to protect your chiselblades from damage and your fingers fromstray cutting edges. Cut off the fingers andwipe a little machine oil on their insidesurfaces to keep the chisel bladesfrom rusting. Slip a finger overeach blade and secure theleather sheaths in placewith elastic bands.

MAKING ACOMBINATION STROP

WORKSHOP GUIDE

Nothing puts a mirror finish and razor-sharpedge on carving tools Iike an old-fashionedstrop. A combination strop like the oneshown at right allows you to work up to ahigh polish with several grades of buffingcompounds. To make the strop, simplycut a piece of 2-inch-square hardwoodstock about 12 inches long and glue ahandle to one end. Glue strips of scrapleather to each of the four sides; harnessleather works best, although an old beltwill do the trick. The first three sides canbe charged with coarse to fi ne buffi ngcompounds; for final polishing, the lastside is used without any compound.

TRUING ABENCHSTONE

••••

•••••••••••••

THE ART OF WOODWORKING

TIME-LIFE BOOKSALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA

S1. REMY PRESSMONTREAL

TIME-LIFE INC.

TIME-LIFE BOOKS

••

•••••

•

••••

••••••••••••••••

RonaId Rondeau is a master carver whose sculptures have wonhim over 100 first-place prizes in carving competitions acrossNorth America. He is a regular contributor to carving journalsChip Chats and The Mallet, and runs I:Atelier-Ecole Rondo inBeauport, Quebec.

Wood Carving.p. cm. - (The Art of woodworking)Includes index.ISBN 0-8094-9544-91. Wood-carving-Technique. 2. Woodworking tools.

1. Time-Life Books. H. Series.TT199.7.w66 1996736'.4-dc20 95-36317

CIP

Wayne Barton studied chip carving under Swiss master carversin Brienz, Switzerland, and is the author of three books on thesubject. He runs the The Alpine School of Woodcarving in ParkRidge, Illinois, and teaches throughout North America andSwitzerland.

THE CONSULTANTS

For information about any Time-Life book,please call 1-800-621-7026, or write:Reader InformationTime-Life Customer ServiceP.O. Box C-32068Richmond, Virginia23261-2068

TIME-LIFE is a trademark of Time Warner Inc. U.S.A.

© 1996 Time-Life Books Inc.All rights reserved.No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or byany electronic or mechanical means, including informationstorage and retrieval devices or systems, without prior writ­ten permission from the publisher, except that brief passagesmay be quoted for reviews.First printing. Printed in U.SAPublished simultaneously in Canada.

Kenneth WinchesterPierre Leveille

Pierre Home-DouglasFrancine LemieuxAndrew JonesJean-Pierre Bourgeois,Normand BoudreauFran<;ois Daxhelet,Jean-Guy DoironGenvieve MonetteJohn Dowling, Adam Van SertimaGilles Beauchemin, Michel Blais,Ronald Durepos, Jacques Perrault,Michael Stockdale, James TherienNatalie WatanabeMichelle TurbideDominique GagneEric BeaulieuRobert ChartierJudyYelonChristine M. Jacobs

John D. HallRoberta ConlanMichael HentgesEllen Robling

John R. SullivanMarjann CaldwellMarlene ZackJames King

Designers

PUBLISHERPRESIDENT

Series EditorSeries Art Director

EditorArt Directors

AdministratorProduction Manager

CoordinatorSystem Coordinator

PhotographerProofreader

Indexer

President and CEO John M. Fahey

Time-Life Books is a division of Time Life Inc.,a wholly owned subsidiary of

THE TIME INC. BOOK COMPANY

THE ART OF WOODWORKING was produced byST. REMY PRESS

Picture EditorWriters

Contributing Illustrators

PresidentManaging Editor

Director ofDesignDirector ofEditorial Operations

Consulting EditorVice-President, Book Production

Production ManagerQuality Assurance Manager

CONTENTS

6 INTRODUCTION 96 CAR~NGINTHEROUND

98 Carving a duck12 CARVING TOOLS 106 Carving a bust14 A collection of carving tools16 Carving tool sweeps and sizes 126 FINISHING18 Carving accessories 128 Finishing tools and accessories20 Sharpening techniques 130 Applying a finish

30 GETTING STARTED 140 GLOSSARY32 Wood for carving33 A carver's workshop 142 INDEX38 Basic carving strokes44 Principles of design 144 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

48 INCISED CARVING50 Basic cuts54 Rosettes58 Borders62 Lettering

68 RELIEF CARVING70 Fans and shells80 Carving a barnyard scene

INTRODUCTION

Wayne Barton on

CHIPCARVING

Asa small child I was fascinated with every aspect ofwood: its feel, its smell, andthe ever-changing beauty of its grain. From as far back as I can recall, my father

supplemented the family income by pursuing his passion of furniture refinishingand antique restoration. And, from the age of five, under the watchful eye of myNorwegian grandfather who lived with us, I was tutored in carving wood. Thusbegan awandering journey that would bring a lifetime ofjoy, excitement, challenges,and friendships.

Working with wood, from topping trees to boatbuilding, was an activity I continuedinto adulthood and the one that gave me my greatest pleasure. So when the oppor­tunity to study in the woodcarving center of Brienz, Switzerland, presented itself,I thought the world had stopped to let me on. This was the chance of a lifetime.

The experience of carving in the midst of masters whose skills were rooted incenturies of knowledge and tradition proved exhilarating. Learning carving fromthese craftsmen included acquiring discipline and an appreciation of art and archi­tecture, particularly Gothic styles, upon which much of chip carving is based. I hadthe added good fortune of studying close to ancient castles and cathedrals, whereI could observe firsthand design concepts and theory put into practice.

I was easily drawn to a Swiss method of chip carving primarily because it seemedto represent the essence of simplicity. Though this style was relatively unknown inNorth America at that time, I realized that with only two knives and a basic under­standing of technique anyone could, in a relatively short period of time, produceamazingly satisfactory work.

The fact that chip carving in Europe sprang from the peasantry's effort to createbeauty in their lives appeals to me. It also confirms my belief that man has a deep­seated desire to express himself artistically. Chip carving, a simple but decorativeform of carving, fulftlls this need very nicely. Everything from chairs, tables, andcupboards to plates, pepper mills, and pendants can be quickly and beautifully trans­formed with chip carving.

Perhaps my enthusiasm for chip carving has been the spark that ignited similarfires in so many others I've had the pleasure of teaching throughout the years.If it is true that we teach that which we love to learn the most, then carving, partic­ularly chip carving, has been the most perfect vocation for me.

Wayne Barton is the founder ofThe Alpine School ofWoodcarving, and author ofseveral books on chip carvingpublished by Sterling Press, including New And TraditionalStyles of Chip Carving. He lives in Park Ridge, Illinois.

7

A CHARLES 11BELLOWS

From the time man discovered that he could fashion something from wood otherthan a spear or a truncheon, he has been hard at work carving, both as a trade

and an avocation. Today, wood carving is in a state of flux. Even the keen amateurworking in his hobby shop appears to be moving away from the use of gouges andsweeps toward small hand-held motor tools that seem to disintegrate wood veryefficiently in any grain direction. On the workbench and shop floor, wood chips andshavings are being replaced with very fine sawdust.

So let us throw out the anchor right now and carefully mix ingredients from oldcarving techniques with newer recipes to create a type ofcarving that should last at leasta century or more, enjoying the labors as we proceed. The fireplace bellows shownat left is a perfect example of this combination. Abandsaw, drill press, router, lathe,and sanding equipment will quickly execute the foundation work. Then comes carv­ing the design into the face of the bellows. This is the fun part-the jelly in the donut.

The bellows can be made from maple, cherry, walnut, or oak. However, since thisis a Charles II-period design, it only seems appropriate to use the white oak that waswidespread in the British Isles in the 17th Century. The pattern shown was gluedonto the front board blank with rubber cement, and a colored felt-tip pen was usedto delineate the background areas. With my drill press pulley belt system arrangedfor its highest chuck speed and a small two-fluted ball mill adjusted to take OffJi6 to'%4 of an inch, the colored background area was quickly removed.

This is where the real enjoyment began. Using avariety of flat and skewed gouges,the entire background area was worked over. Next, I formed the raised, roundedrelief areas, carefully cutting with the grain, leaving attractive shiny areas in thewake of the work. Afine-pointed knife and a metal dental pick cleaned up slivers ofwood in the corners. -

The front and back boards were routed around their respective edges to accept theleather flap valve; three or four tacks held the Vs-inch leather in place. A piece ofleather was also tacked at the hinge point of the front board in a slot. Then I drilleda one-inch-diameter hole in the nose end of the combined front and back boards,before gluing the nozzle-which was turned on a lathe-in place. After a light sand­ing, I stained the wood, and 24 hours later applied a coat ofWatco natural satin wax.The result was a durable finish-and an eye-catching, functional bellows that shouldbe helping to light fires for a long time to come.

...~

INTRODUCTION

., .

Ted Kona carves

.,.

9

• 1t •

Ted Kona is a former mechanical engineer who taught wood­working to Boy Scouts for 50 years. He is currently a member ofthe National Wood Carvers Association and a regular columnistfor Chip Chats magazine. Kona lives in Beverly Hills, Michigan..

,',

INTRODUCTION

Tommy Joseph on

TRADITIONA,LTLINGIT CARVING

My mother was often upset at my fascination with knives. Like many youngboys, I was constantly reminded of the danger of playing with them. But to

me, the serrated steak knife that I snuck out of the drawer as an eight-year old wassimply a tool to be used for carving wooden blocks into the Tlingit Northwest Coastforms that had begun to intrigue me.

My earliest recollection ofexposure to wood carving is of a demonstration givenin elementary school. My first project, as a result of that demonstration, was a sim­ple wooden halibut hook. That hook started me on a search through museums andbookstores, collecting information on traditional Northwest Coast art forms. Thatsame year, I began making bentwood boxes in the traditional manner of my peo­ple: Cedar planks are left to steam all day in an open pit over a fire buried with lay­ers of spruce branches, skunk cabbage leaves, and seaweed. The cedar planks arethen pliable and can be bent to form a four-sided box with only one seam.

Wood carving classes were not simple to find in most small Alaskan communi­ties 23 years ago, so for the most part I practiced the skills on my own, acquaintingmyselfwith form and design. I used money from my paper route to purchase a pieceofyellowcedar from which I carved a canoe paddle. In the early 1980s I was fortu­nate to be hired by the Ketchikan Totem Heritage Center as a tour guide and demon­strator. The opportunity at the Center to study and practice carving, and to learnthe Tlingit culture gave me insight into the art form, its meaning, and message.

In the case of the 20-foot totem pole I am working on in the picture in the fore­ground, I first drew the plans of the totem on paper and then carved a small woodenmodel. The figures on the model were then measured and sketched to scale onto thepole, working from the bottom up. Each figure was roughed out and finished beforemoving to the next highest one, using many different kinds of adzes, such as straightadzes, gutter adzes, and lipped adzes. I painted each figure as I move up the pole.

The steps taken to learn my craft have been many, starting with years ofpracticedevoted to the study of design, drawing, painting and most importantly, the capabilityto shape these designs into a piece of raw cedar. The finished product, whethet it bea totem pole, abentwood box, aceremonial mask or abowl must convey the past, pre­sent, and future of the Tlingit people.

A member of the Tlingit tribe, Tommy Josephis a carving instructor at the Southeast Alaska

Indian Cultural Center in Sitka, Alaska.

10

13

Knives are useful in all carv­ing work. Arelatively short-blad­ed knife is the main tool for chipcarving. In other types of carv­ing, a knife can become an effec­tive surrogate for many tools. Asharp pocket knife is a perfectlyacceptable carving tool, althoughit will lack the precision ofmorespecialized tools. The basic toolsof the carving trade are shownstarting on page 14.

In addition to the chisels,gouges, and knives, you will alsoneed some accessories to get youstarted. These range from files,rasps, planes, and mallets, toclamps to secure the workpiecein place.

Ofcourse, acutting tool is onlyas good as its edge, and sharpeningis as important to carving as thetool itself. There are many sharp­ening techniques and tools, and

much disagreement over the best among the experts. As withmost aspects ofwoodworking, there is no one right way to dothe job; the goal is the same no matter what the technique­a razor-sharp cutting edge. A detailed discussion of how tosharpen carving tools begins on page 22. Study this sectionthoroughly. Your enjoyment of the craft will depend upon it.

Wooden mallets are classic elements ofthecarver's tool box. The flat-faced carpenter's mallet

(above, left) has its face angled relative to the handle,making it easier to control. The cylindrical carver'smallet (above, right) will not slip, since it strikes

on one narrow spot only, due to its oval face.

CARVING TOOLS

The tools ofthe carving trade,laid out in their entirety,

may at first seem overwhelmingto the novice, for the variety andchoice is immense. However­and fortunately for the begin­ner-few tools are needed to startcarving. Even professional woodcarvers, with hundreds of toolsat their disposal, perform themajority of their work with adozen or so tools. The three fun­damental types of carving toolare the chisel, which has astraightblade; the gouge, which has acurved blade; and the knife. Addi­tional tools that are frequently usedinclude draw knives and scorps,which are essentially curved draw­knives that greatly ease the cre­ation ofconcave forms.

Chisels are either flat, skewed,or veiners. The flat chisel is imme­diately recognizable. Its simpleflat cutting edge is a must in any toolbox. The skew chisel has ablade angled to the right or the left for cleaning out corners. Veinerscreate a deep, round cut, and V-tools form angled grooves.

Gouges scoop out concave surfaces, but also can be used toshape convex forms. Making grooves should be left to V-tools,rather than attempting this with small gouges.

As you begin grinding the cutting edge ofa carving tool, a thin lineofreflected light will appear at the tip ofthe blade. Once the reflectiondisappears-as it almost has in the photo at left-you have sharpenedthe bevel to the edge, and should remove the gouge from the grinder.

Cutting edge

Straight gougeFeatures a curved cutting edgewith a straight tip; a mainstayin every wood-carver's toolkit

V-parting toolTwo-sided, V-shaped bladeused for outlining, perform­ing detail work, or addingtexture to backgrounds

Blade

Bent-back gougeAn upside-down spoon gouge with a convexrather than concave cutting edge; usedfor undercutting and shaping where spaceabove the cut is limited

Carver'6 knifeUsed for chip carving,outlining relief workand carving details.The blade variesin shape.

Bolster

Neck

14

Ferrule

Macaroni toolPossesses three work­ing surfaces at rightangles to each other;can be used as aV-tool or a gouge

Handle

Spoon gougeSpoon-shaped bladeforms concave sur­faces; ideal for workingin restricted areas

Dogleg chi6elBlade tip offset at 90° anglefrom blade shaft; used forparing flat recesses and work­ing in restricted spaces

A COLLECTION OF CARVING TOOLS

ANATOMY OF ACHISEL

CARVING TOOLS

F!uteroni toolIdentical to macaroni tool,except that the corners ofthe cutting edge are rounded

Bent gougeSimilar to a straightgouge, but with a gradualcurve along the bladelength; used primarilyto clear waste fromconcave surfaces

Different handles often reflect the origin ofa chisel.The Swiss gouge, shown on the left, features a large,bulbous-shaped handle. The conical-shaped handle(second from left) is typical ofFrench-made chisels.Octagonal handles (center) are commonly used byGerman toolmakers. The two chisels on the righthave turned handles-a favorite shape ofEnglishcarving tools.

Straight chi5e!Flat-bladed carving tool with bevelson inside and outside surfacesfor rounding convex surfaces andremoving backgrounds

,,,

,,

,,

,,,,

,,

,,

,,

,, ,

, ,,

Skew chi5e!Features a flat, angledcutting edge for finedetail work

,,,

,,

,,

Fi5htail gougeThe blade's flared tip isideal for cleaning outcorners and undercut­ting, particularly withlimited clearance

Too! rollMade from leather orheavy-duty canvas with Spockets for storingcarving tools; handlesare inserted intoslots so thatblades protrude

CARVING TOOL SWEEPS AND SIZES

-1 mm

~2

~3

'-.../4

'--..-/5

'------" 6'--------/ 7'-......-/8

'-......-/10

~12

No. 8 ~14

gouge 16

~18~20

~21~22

",~/25"'-~ /30~ 35

40

types, as well as additional sizes of thestandard types. Ultimately, the specificsize and shape ofa given chisel makes itthe best tool for a given job. As a result,most professional carvers own a com­plete set ofchisels in all sizes. They mayalso include cutting tools such as adzesand spokeshaves for large pieces, suchas life-size figures. Some carvers eveninclude tiny surgical tools in their col­lection for extremely small pieces.

-1 mm-2

-3-4

-5-6 No.3--7 gouge

--8

--10

---12

---14___-16

----18- -20

-----21------22-- -25

- --30- --35________--40

16

u 1mmv2\..)3

U 4

(j~\:)7

8 fo

~~:

3035

40

edges and so are assigned No. 1. V-toolsare assigned a number according to theangle, ranging from 45° to 90°. Straight,spoon, bent, and fishtail gouges sharethe same range ofsweeps. Specialty toolslike bent-back gouges and macaronitools carry their own numbers. Agoodbasic set of chisels includes flat chisels,gouges, and V-tools as well as a carvingknife. More advanced carvers would addbent-back gouges and other special

No. 11gouge &No. 32 bent­back gouge

- 1 mm- 2

-3-4

-5- 6 No. 1-- 7 chi5el--8

--10

---12

---14----16----18

-----20

-----21

-----22

------25-------30

--------35--------- 40

Carving tools are divided into threegroups: Chisels, gouges, and V­

parting tools. In each group, tools aredistinguished by the shape of the blade(straight, spoon, V-parting, and so on);by the width ofthe cutting edge (2 mmto 35 mm); and by the degree ofcurva­ture, or sweep, of the blade (No. 1 to40). The number increases with thedegree ofblade sweep. Straight, dogleg,and skew chisels all have flat cutting

CARVING TOOLS: SWEEPS AND SIZES (SHOWN FULL SIZE)

U 8mm

\ /12 mm

No. 23macaroni toot

Chip carving

• Chip carving requires a cuttingknife, which does most of thework, and a stabbing knife, whichis intended specifically for embel­lishing chip carvings.

SweepDegree of curvature

SizeWidth ofcuttingedge

y 1 mmv 2

~~0 6

~~ No. 41~1O V-toot

\V/12

30

CARVING TOOLS

BASIC CARVING TOOL KITS

Advanced

(In addition to the beginner's set)• Gouges: No. 3-35 mm; No. 11-2mm; No. 16-35 mm; No. 32-8 mm

• V-tools: No 42-16 mm; No. 43­6mm

- 1 mm_2

17

• Chisels: No. 2-6 mm and 12 mm

• Gouges: No. 3-6 mm, 12 mm,and 25 mm; No. 8-25 mm; No.11-4 mm, 6 mm, and 12 mm

~3

..........- 4

............- 5________ 6

~7

'-....--/8

~10

~12 No. 6~14 gouge~16

~18

~20

~21

"- ./ 22

------------ 25~30~35

40

Beginner

• V-tools: No. 39-4 mm, 6 mm,and 12 mm

y1 mmv 2v 3

~~0~\.V/ No. 39

'\.V /0 V-toot

~'~

~~~\\Vfi 2530

•

••

•

Roughing­out gouge

Micro planeInexpensive alter­native to rasps

Tool rest

Shoulder

Concave raepFor shaping con­cave surfaces

Bench planeUsed for lev­elling largersurfaces

Block planeA small plane for endgrain and delicateplaning jobs

the head will join the handle (below).Finish shaping the blank using thesame technique with a fingernail gouge

Pueh knifeSimilar to a drawknife,but works on the pushstroke; easier to usesince it allows you towork with the stock sim­ply butted against a sol­id surface, thereby savingthe need for a shavinghorse or other elaborateclamping arrangements

RaepAvailable in vary­ing degrees ofcoarseness

Needle raepeSmall rasps used fordefining details

18

is rubbing against the stock. Rough­shape the mallet, moving the tool fromside to side, leaving a shoulder where

SpokeehaveeFor shaving smallerpieces of wood

Draw knifeUsed for shaving; requires a clampingsystem such as a shaving horse

CARVING ACCESSORIES

ACARVER'S MALLETAcarving mallet can be made on a lathe.Start with a blank of face-glued stocklarger than the finished mallet; hickory,maple, beech, and oak work well. Mountthe blank on the machine and set thetool rest as close as possible to the work­piece. Switch on the machine and roundthe corners of the blank with a roughing­out gouge. Holding the tip of the gougeagainst the blank, slowly raise the han­dle until the cutting edge begins slic­ing into the wood and the beveled edge

ADDITIONALCARVING TOOLS

RifflerUsed for difficultor delicate sculpt­ing of wood, espe­cially where a finefinish is required

Carpenter'5 malletAngled face allowsfor easier control

MalletA common, all­purpose mallet

Hold-down clampCan be bolted to a worksurface for securingcarving blocks

Bench dog5Hold workpiecein position onworkbench

CARVING TOOLS

19

Carving boltFastens a workpiecein place from underneath;eliminates clamps that canget in the way

Punche5Used for creatingsmall patternsand delicatetextures incarvings

Bench hold-downFor securing carvingblocks to a benchtop; fits into abench dog hole

Wood burnerDifferent shapes of tips are avail­able to create a range of decora­tive effects; resulting colors canvary from light brown to black

(right). The handle of the mallet shownhas a small nub at the end to providea better grip.

Once the shaping is done, leave themallet on the lathe, move the tool restout of the way, and smooth the surfaceof the wood with BO-grit sandpaper,moving to progressively finer grits. Thenfinish the mallet with tung oil. Finally.remove the mallet from the lathe, sawoff the waste wood at the ends, andsand and finish the end grain.

•••••••••

••

"

'.'

,.. . .., .. ., '.'

"

.., .:...'

. " .: ... '. ". ..... ", '. '. '.

... ',' ".

.~ .... . ... :: .'. .

Proper angleThis produces a flatbevel, with the correctangle of between IS'and 35'

Hook on a V-toolThis point of excess metalforms at the apex of the Vduring the initial sharpening;it must be ground away

blade should slice evenly through thewood, producing a curl of waste woodand leaving behind a smooth surface.Also note the sound that the blade pro­duces: A razor-sharp carving tool willmake a clean, hissing sound as it slicesthrough the wood.

Mastering the skill ofsharpening yourcarving tools will provide one part ofthebasic knowledge awood-carver requires.The other part-the fundamentals ofcarving-is discussed in chapter two.

'.. ....'

• .'. • ",' ~. ,0'. .". ." :. , .'. ... ''. : ;' . .'

• • .O' '.' • •

:. " ..;;. ' ...:..... ""'.:" ...../ .. ': ". .

Too much on the heelThis will produce a con­cave bevel that will causethe chisel to gouge intothe wood

Slanted gouge or V-toolThe cutting edge is angledforward instead of being per­pendicular to the shaft, as isdesirable

ting edge, rendering it too soft to cutproperly. The high speed of most sta­tionary grinders adds to this problem.The solution is to use rubber grindingwheels containing tiny fragments ofindustrial diamonds, and to buy orbuild a slow-speed grinder.

To test the sharpness of the cuttingedge of your tool after following thesharpening instructions in this chapter,make acut on the end ofa piece ofscrapwood. Working across the grain, the

Too much on the edgeThis will create a doublebevel that will not cutproperly

Uneven bevelMakes the chisel diffi­cult to control and pro­duces uneven cuts;caused by sharpeningthe bevel in some areasmore than others

COMMON SHARPENING DO'S AND DON'TS

SHARPENING TECHNIQUES

Good carving is achieved only byusing properly sharpened tools.

The highest-quality chisel, knife, orgouge will produce inferior results with­out proper sharpening. This sectiondemonstrates the sharpening skills andtools you need to practice the craft.

The sharpening tools and accessoriesthat you use should be chosen withcare. Using a carborundum grindingstone, for example, can damage yourchisel because it will overheat the cut-

20

•

•

Diamond hone5More durablethan traditionalbench stones

Cotton poli5hing wheelUsed in place ofa strop topolish and hone cutting edges

Rubber grinding wheelThe best type of grinding wheelfor carving tools; tiny bits ofdiamond are embedded in thewheel, providing the abrasivenecessary for sharpening

Honing coneUsed for sharpen­ing gouges

PoJi5hingcompoundAbrasive dabbedin small quantitieson cotton wheelsfor polishing

Stationary grinderAluminum oxide wheelturns too fast for mostsharpening, but is usefulfor truing badly nickedcarving tools

CARVING TOOLS

21

Wheel dre55erUsed periodicallyto true the surfaceof a grinding wheel

Auger fileUsed for sharp­ening small,hard-to-reachcutting edges

Bench 5toneAny oilstone or water­stone used to sharpencarving tools

StropPolishes the edgeof a tool after it hasbeen ground

SHARPENING TOOLS AND ACCESSORIES

••

1Honing the cutting edgeApply the appropriate lubricant to

your sharpening stone, then hold theblade of the knife at a 15 to 35 degreeangle. A lower angle is more suitable ifyou are working with softwood; a higherangle will work better with hardwood.Slice toward yourself as if you were tryingto slice a piece from the stone, makingsure you keep your other hand well clearof the cutting edge (left). Then make acut in the opposite direction. Continue,alternating the direction of your slicing.

Strop

22

CARVING TOOLS

SHARPENING AKNIFE

Bench stone

2 Stropping the knifeSharpening will create tiny burrs on

the cutting edge that can be removedwith a leather strop. Holding the stropin one hand, draw the blade across thestrop away from the cutting edge (right).(Stroppi ng into the edge wi II cause theknife to cut the strop.) Repeat the processon both sides of the blade.

Rubbergrindingwheel

1Honing the cutting edgeInstall a rubber grinding wheel and a

cloth wheel on a bench grinder. Holding theblade between the index finger and thumbof one hand, set the handle on the tool restand start grinding at the heel of the bevel.A thin edge of reflected light will be visibleat the tip of the blade (above). Draw thechisel down the grinding wheel until theextreme end of the cutting edge touchesthe grinding wheel. At this point, the thinline of the reflection will disappear. Thefinal bevel should vary between 15 and 35degrees, with a steeper angle required forcutting hardwoods. A skew chisel is sharp­ened the same way (left), except that youneed to perform the process on both sidesof the blade since it has a bevel on eachface (inset).

23

CARVING TOOLS

./

SHARPENING ACHISEL ON AGRINDER

'/1;')~

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CARVING TOOLS

SHOP TIP

24

A sharpening­stone holderCarvers mustsharpen their toolsfrequently. To makethe process more con­venient, build a permanenthome for your stone. Outlinethe sharpening surface on apiece of solid wood large enoughto be clamped to your bench. Then plowa recess within the outline using a routerfitted with a straight bit; make the depth of therecess slightly more than one-half the thickness of thestone. Square the corners of the recess with a chiseland store the stone in the holder. When you need tosharpen, simply secure the board to your workbench.

Polishing compound

2 Buffing the chiselApply some polishing compound

to the cloth wheel on your grinder whileit is spinning. Then hold one side of thechisel edge against the wheel (right).Flip the chisel over and polish the oppo­site side. This will remove any smallburrs left by the honing process.

CARVING TOOLS

••BUILO ITYOURSELF

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,I

Commercial arbor

Arbor

1,100 rpm on the grinder. So, ifthe motor rotates at 1,750 rpm, youwill need roughly half that speed forthe grinding wheels. Therefore, thediameter of the pulley on the arborshould be twice that of the pulleyon the motor.A V-belt transfers power from themotor to the arbor. Make sure thearbor is positioned so the belt is tautand you have a space four incheswide in front of the grinding wheel tomount a tool rest. (Some arbors comeequipped with their own tool rest.)

El ill- '\I

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Motor

25

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Bolt a 1/4-horsepower motor to therear of your work surface. The sur­face should be at least an inch thick-preferably two inches-and stand30 to 36 inches off the floor, depend­ing on your height and the level atwhich you like to work. Mount a smallpulley on the motor. Use a commer­cial arbor to mount the grindingwheels. The arbor should be boltedso its pulley is in line with the motorpulley. The pulley on the arbor shouldbe sized to reduce the revolutionsof the motor to between 800 and

ABENCH GRINDING STATIONThis shop built grinding station rotatesthe wheel so the grinding surfaceturns away from the operator, con­trary to the rotation of a standardbench grinder. This is better for carv­ing tools as it allows a lighter touchof the blade against the grindingwheel to hone the cutting edge,which in turn prevents overheatingthe tool. This station also permitsyou to reduce the wheel's speedsimply by increasing the size of thepulley on the arbor.

o

- ---- -----------------~

SHARPENING ACHISEL ON ABENCH STONE

2 Polishing the cutting edgeUse a leather strop or the buffing

wheel of a bench grinder to polish bothsides of the blade. If you are using a strop,hold it in one hand, while drawing theedge of the chisel toward you (right). Drawboth the top and bottom across the stropseveral times, to remove any tiny burrs,and the bevel is polished to a fine edge.

CARVING TOOLS

26

1Grinding the edgeApply the appropriate lubricant to the

bench stone, then place it on a work sur­face. Grasp the stone with one hand.With the other hand, hold the blade withthe bevel flat on the stone. Rub the cut­ting edge in a circular motion (left). Donot rock the chisel or hold it at too steepan angle or you will end up forming adouble bevel on the blade.

••

2 Removing the pointAfter grinding the two edges of the

V-tool, a slight hook will form where theedges meet (see page 20). Remove thispoi nt by resti ng the V-tool on the grind­ing wheel, with the hook just touchingthe wheel. Rock the tool gently fromside to side until the point is removed(left). Then buff both sides of the cut­ting edge on a cloth wheel.

27

CARVING TOOLS

(

SHARPENING AV-TOOL

Cloth wheel

((

1 Grinding the edgesTreat the cutting edge as if it were

two separate flat chisels (see page 23).Start grinding at the rear of the heel ofthe bevel. A thin line of light will appearat the tip of the blade. Slowly draw thechisel down the wheel until the tip ofthe cutting edge touches the wheel. Thereflected light should disappear.

•••••

CARVING TOOLS

•••••V-block

1if/l x 1if/l x 2 7.;/1

Guide(top) W x 17.;/1 X 9/1(sides) if/l x 1%/1 X 9/1

Then, with the gouge clear of the wheel,switch on the grinder and reposition thetool in the jig. Roll the beveled edgeacross the wheel (below).

/ )

Baseif/l x 3/1 x 13 if/l

Tool support(back) if/l x 2/1 X 2 7.;/1(bottom) W x 1W x 2 7.;/1---~~~§lJJ!

Arm7.;/1 X 1if/l x 25 if/l

wheel. Seat the gouge handle in the V­block and slide the arm so the bevelededge of the gouge sits flat on the grind­ing wheel. Clamp the arm in place.

28

GOUGE-GRINDING JIGThe jig shown at right allows you tohold a gouge at the correct angle forgrinding. The dimensions will accom­modate most gouges. Cut the baseand guide from ~-inch plywood. Screwthe guide together and fasten it to thebase with countersunk screws. Makethe guide opening large enough for thearm to slide through freely.

Cut the arm from I-by-2 stock andthe tool support from ~-inch plywood.Screw the two parts of the tool supporttogether, then fasten the bottom to thearm flush with one end. For the V-block,cut a small block to size and saw a90° wedge out of one side. Glue thepiece to the tool support.

To use the jig, secure it so the armlines up directly under the grinding

2 Polishing the cutting edgePolish the cutting edge of the gouge

with a cotton wheel (left). You can buffthe inside face, but do not attempt togrind it. Grinding could change the geome­try of the gouge and reduces the carvingabi Iity of the tool.

Corners

29

CARVING TOOLS

SHARPENING AGOUGE

1Honing the cutting edgeHolding the blade between the fin­

gers and thumb of one hand, set the heelof the bevel on the wheel. Roll the gougefrom side to side, grinding as evenly aspossible. Slowly draw back the gouge, slid­ing it down the surface of the grindingwheel as you continue a sideways rollingmotion. A thin line of reflected light at theextreme edge of the gouge will be visibleuntil you begin grinding the extremeedge. This sliver of light will disappear,indicating you have reached the edge(right). Do not slide the gouge any fur­ther, or you will create a double bevel.Make certain that the edge is perpendicu­lar to the shaft-it should not jut forward,nor recede beyond the corners of the cut­ting edge (see page 20). These cornersshould be pointed, not rounded.

..-------------~-- - -

31

.............

which often has three or moremajor machines and a stable ofpower tools and hand tools. Asshown on page 33 you can doquite nicely in a space largeenough for a workbench and atool chest. With a little morespace, you can add another worksurface and a band saw-a help­ful device for reducing blanks torough size for carving.

Firm clamping is essential forsafety, but it poses special prob­lems, because of the irregularshapes with which a carver fre­quently works. Aworkpiece thatshifts can cause the carver to losecontrol of a chisel, damaging thepiece or causing an injury. Twohelpful shop-built jigs are shownon pages 36 and 37 that will satisfymany ofyour clamping needs.

Working safely with a sharptool means always keeping both

hands behind the blade. It is best to layout your chiselswith the edges facing away from you, to avoid nasty cuts asyou reach for a tool. Remember to wear sturdy shoes. Agouge or other tool that drops from a workbench can doconsiderable damage to unprotected feet. Since carvingshould be done standing up, try to work with carpeting oran anti-fatigue mat on the workshop floor. Your feet, legs,and back will notice the difference, especially ifyou work forseveral hours at a time. The padded surface will also protectthe edges ofyour tools should you drop one.

Behind every successful wood carving lies aprecise, detailed pattern. Transferring the patternto a workpiece can be done in a number ofways;

for designs that are not scaled and are thesame size, a sheet ofcarbon paper taped to

the blank (above) does the trick.

To learn the rudiments ofcarving takes an afternoon;

to master the craft can occupya lifetime. However long, thejourney from novice to mastercan be eminently enjoyable,yielding many successful and sat­isfying pieces. Fortunately, youcan master the basics ofall carv­ing with a few deft movementsof a chisel. As explained start­ing on page 38, these strokes arebased on several rules: Carvewith the grain, work toward thewaste and not the form, andcarve from the shortest length ofgrain toward the longest. Themoves are simple, but nothingcan take the place of practice.With enough experience you willlearn by the feel and even by thesound of a chisel slicing throughthe wood whether you are fol­lowing these simple rules.

Choosing the most appropriate species ofwood for a giv­en project is as important in carving as in any other type ofwoodworking-perhaps more so, since you cannot rely on thepower ofa tool to do the work for you. Start with fine-grainedsoftwoods, such as basswood. Then, as your skill develops,you will be able to carve the more challenging, highly fig­ured hardwoods. Alist of the most commonly used carvingwoods is shown on page 32.

With experience, a carver's workshop may change. In anycase, it is quite simple compared to a woodworking shop,

GETTING STARTED

This carving ofa bear is supported on a shop-built carvingarm. The jig, shown on page 36, allows a workpiece to bepositioned at whatever angle is most comfortable.

WOOD FOR CARVING

CARVING WOODS

••••,I

•

I

•

A door panel, for example, would bestbe carved from oak or mahogany,because durability is an important fac­tor for such a piece. Apurely decorativecarving, such as the bear on page 30,should be made from awood capable ofholding fine details, such as lime or bass­wood. Another consideration is the den­sity ofa given wood. Avery heavy wood,such as lignum vitae, will render largepieces heavy and unwieldy.

they leave a smooth, defined surface..Their hardness, however, makes themdifficult wood for beginners to work.Lime, pear, and basswood are straight­grained and easily worked by novices,but they are also favorite choices ofexpe­rienced craftsmen too. Whatever yourchoice, remember to select wood that iswell seasoned.

The nature ofthe finished project alsoaffects the choice ofwood for a project.

CHARACTERISTICS

Reddish brown to light red; hard with fine grain; carves well

Creamy white darkening to creamy brown; soft with fine texture; carves very well

Creamy white to pale brown; hard with fine texture; straight-grained pieces carve well

Medium light brown; moderately soft with somewhat coarse texture; carves very well

Reddish brown; moderately soft, very fine-textured; carves well

Reddish brown to deep red; hard with fine texture; carves moderately well

White to grayish white; very fine texture; carves well

Light yellowish white; soft, very fine-textured; carves exceptionally well

Light reddish brown to medium red; hard with medium coarse texture; carves well

Cream to light brown; moderately hard with fine texture; carves well

Light tan with yellowish tint; hard with coarse texture; carves with difficulty

Deep red to purple-brown with red streaks; hard with moderatelycoarse texture; carves moderately well

Pinkish brown; hard with very fine texture; carves very well

Light cream; soft with fine texture; carves very well

White sapwood to pale brown heartwood; soft with fine texture; carves well

Deep purple; hard with moderate to coarse texture; carves moderately well

Golden brown to dark purple-brown with black streaks; hard withmedium texture; carves moderately well

Pale reddish brown; hard with fine grain; carves moderately well

Golden brown to rich brown with darker streaks; hard with coarse texture; carves well

Dark brown to purplish black; moderately hard with medium coarse texture; carves very well

WOODS

Apple

Basswood

Birch

Butternut

Cedar, aromatic

Cherry, black

Holly

Jelatong

Mahogany, Honduras

Maple, soft

Oak, white

Padauk

Pear

Pine, sugar

Poplar

Purpleheart

Rosewood, Indonesian

Sycamore

Teak

Walnut

The best carving woods are closegrained. Softwoods, with little fig­

ure in the grain are easier to use fornovices. As a carver's experience grows,more difficult stocks, such as burIedhardwoods, become suitable choices.In general, soft, fine-textured woodswith straight grain are best for smallprojects and detailed work.

Hardwoods, such as oak and walnut,make excellent carving woods, because

32

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a

aa

a

a

a

a

a

a

This hold-down clamp fits intoa workbench recess originallyintended for a bench dog.

Window

Shelves

Workbench

Tool chest

SMALL SHOP

safety. At each step of the carvingprocess, the tools that are immediate­ly involved are positioned alongside theleft-hand end of the workpiece withtheir blades facing away.

Lighting must be ample but mustalso cast shadows, unlike the flat lightof a cabinetmaker's shop, so that woodtexture and carving details are visibleto the carver at all times. In each shoplayout, the main work surface faces awindow, with an artificial light at rightangles to the window.

Carver's benches should be extremelysturdy, as they will be constantly sub­jected to aggressive pulling and push­ing motions. In addition, these benchesshould be weighted or anchored, so asnot to shift as the carver puts pressureon the workpiece.

Shelves

Benchgrinder

Workbench

o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Artificiallight

D

33

Band

MEDIUM-SIZE SHOP

saw~

Extra worksurface

A CARVER'S WORKSHOP

The two layouts of carver's work­shops shown below demonstrate

the flexibility of the craft of carving.The small shop on the right is suitablefor a craftsman with limited space. Thelarger studio boasts additional worksurfaces, as well as dedicated band sawand bench grinder stations.

Work surfaces should be wide andlong enough so that all the chiselsbeing used can be laid out in a row. Toimprove their efficiency, wood-carverstraditionally start a project by layingout all the tools they plan to use alongthe far edge of the carving block on theworkbench. The tools are positionedby frequency of use, with the most­often used on the left, and the less fre­quently used tools on the right. Theblades face away from the carver for

•

--- Handle

..----i, ,!---"I--'

~ Wood screw ~

Workpiece

----------------------- , , , , , ,,

, , ,, ,

34

Backup board

Bench dogTail vise

GETTING STARTED

Acarver's screwThis clamps the workpiece in place, and is especially suitablewhen the finished item will have a flat, uncarved base. Drill ahole into the base of the workpiece, slightly smaller than thewood thread on the carver's screw. The screw is then pushedthrough a hole in the workbench (right). This hole should be justlarge enough to accept the shaft of the carver's screw. If thebench hole is too large, the workpiece wi II move. Screw thestock onto the wood screw, then tighten the handle at the otherend until the workpiece is held firmly against the bench. Theunthreaded length of the carver's screw must be shorter thanthe thickness of the top of the workbench.

SOME CLAMPING TECHNIQUES

Clamping a relief carving with bench dogsFasten the blank to a backup board, using glue and news­paper. Butt the board against a bench dog set in a holealong the edge of the workbench. At the other end, abench dog is fitted into the tail vise, which is tighteneduntil the workpiece is held firmly in place (below).

c

c

c

c

c

c

c

c

c

I

Artificial~­light

This hold-down clamp fits intoa workbench recess originallyintended for a bench dog.

Workbench

Shelves

Window

Too/chest

33

safety. At each step of the carvingprocess, the tools that are immediate­ly involved are positioned alongside theleft-hand end of the workpiece withtheir blades facing away.

Lighting must be ample but mustalso cast shadows, unlike the flat lightof a cabinetmaker's shop, so that woodtexture and carving details are visibleto the carver at all times. In each shoplayout, the main work surface faces awindow, with an artificial light at rightangles to the window.

Carver's benches should be extremelysturdy, as they will be constantly sub­jected to aggressive pulling and push­ing motions. In addition, these benchesshould be weighted or anchored, so asnot to shift as the carver puts pressureon the workpiece.

•-

Shelves~.....

Workbench

o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Artificiallight

[I

•

; / Extra work'/ surface

Band

SMALL SHOP

..- ---'1 /}J'---__--,

MEDIUM-SIZE SHOP

Benchgrinder ~

I- r- JI1=l.-

A CARVER'S WORKSHOP

The two layouts of carver's work­shops shown below demonstrate

the flexibility of the craft of carving.The small shop on the right is suitablefor a craftsman with limited space. Thelarger studio boasts additional worksurfaces, as well as dedicated band sawand bench grinder stations.

Work surfaces should be wide andlong enough so that all the chiselsbeing used can be laid out in a row. Toimprove their efficiency, wood-carverstraditionally start a project by layingout all the tools they plan to use alongthe far edge of the carving block on theworkbench. The tools are positionedby frequency of use, with the most­often used on the left, and the less fre­quently used tools on the right. Theblades face away from the carver for

•••

GETTING STARTED

••

Handle

Wood screw ~

~--~, ,!--"'I--'

Workpiece

----------------------- , ,, , , , , , , ,.,

34

Backup board

Bench dogTail vise

SOME CLAMPING TECHNIQUES

Acarver's screwThis clamps the workpiece in place, and is especially suitablewhen the finished item will have a flat, uncarved base. Drill ahole into the base of the workpiece, slightly smaller than thewood thread on the carver's screw. The screw is then pushedthrough a hole in the workbench (right). This hole should be justlarge enough to accept the shaft of the carver's screw. If thebench hole is too large, the workpiece wi 11 move. Screw thestock onto the wood screw, then tighten the handle at the otherend until the workpiece is held firmly against the bench. Theunthreaded length of the carver's screw must be shorter thanthe thickness of the top of the workbench.

Clamping a relief carving with bench dogsFasten the blank to a backup board, using glue and news­paper. Butt the board against a bench dog set in a holealong the edge of the workbench. At the other end, abench dog is fitted into the tail vise, which is tighteneduntil the workpiece is held firmly in place (below).

GETTING STA n'l"ll'.TED

5HOPTIP5ec;urlnA workbg your i1enc;h ~ .be ench that ma /' ""',forsturdyenough y >~~'~V~~~-:

most wood- ,- df~0: - /' P ~ ,working tasks ' ,;' '" 0;:~-./fi;~~fn Phrove unsta- j7!- #/_~4!f};;::~'/;:;/

ew en sub' ~A 77-to thelo jected ,~//-/.,to ca e rees reqUired • "if:{,

some hard-ooas. 0 ins a .. crease the

aaa. your bench~ c er blocks to '

~ ~ ;en~hs:~hor boltour worksh e floor

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35

Securing irregularly shTo clamp awkward . aped wor piecesole leg shown abo Pieces like the cabri-place with a b ve, secure them inth ar clampe clamp in a vise and then installallow you to reach i~bOVe). This willfaces of the ,a the exposed s. workple ur-In the clamp as ce. Rotate the leg

necessary.

CARVING ARM

Fixedpiece

Locking pin

Pivot bolt

TWO CLAMPING SUPPORTSFOR CARVINGCarving is much easier when you havethe right clamping devices. The carvingarm shown above can be pivoted toenable you to work on all parts of acarving block. The carving stand (farrtght) 11 allow you to secure odd shapesupngh In a comfortable position. Bothare secured 0 a workbench; both ares le 0 bUild.

e carving arm, shown in use onpage 30, IS made from a 24-inch-longpiece of 2-by-4. Cut it in half, then sawa notch 3 Inches long by 11/4 inches

Ide In one piece. In the other half, cuta tenon that will fit into the notch. Thenround over the leading edge of the tenonso it will not rub when the pivotingpiece is rotated.

Fit the tenon into the notch, thendrill a 3/B-inch hole through the two

GETTI G TARTED

pieces for a 4-inch bolt that will serveas a pivot. Bore the hole with a drillpress, or use a portable drill with a trysquare as a guide to make sure the holeis perpendicular to the piece. Insert thebolt with washers and hand tighten it.

Bore two holes in the fixed piece ofthe jig: one for a bolt that wi 11 secure thejig to the workbench and a second onefor a locking pin that will prevent thejig from rotating on the bench. Drill ahole in the pivoting piece for a carver'sscrew, then saw a notch from the endto the hole, as shown. The screw can bemade from a large hanger bolt (right)having a wood screw at one end and amachine screw at the other. Get a ma­chine shop to weld small steel rods to asuitably sized nut to serve as a handle.

To use the jig, bolt the fixed pieceto your bench, then drill a hole in thebench for the locking pin and insert it.

36

(If you do not want to drill any holes inyour workbench, secure the fixed piecewith two clamps.) Attach the workpieceto be carved to the carver's screw, clampthe screw In the pivoting piece, thenpivot the Jig to the nght angle and tight­en the pivot bolt securely.

It is important to carve with the work­piece upright as much as possible. Ifyou work with your stock lying down, thechange in perspective will affect howyou form the work, inevitably causingdistortions.

The carving stand shown oppositeeliminates this problem by creating asupport that keeps work upright. It isalso portable, and its use of slats as aclamping surface means odd shapes aremore easily clamped in place.

This jig consists of a base of 3/4­

inch plywood, with two strips of woodscrewed flush along each edge. Theback of the support is also made from3/4-inch plywood, with two pieces of1-by-2 stock fastened to the shorteredges. The work surface consists of twoslat supports, spaced 16 inches apart,onto which three slats are fastened anequal distance apart.

CARVER'S SCREW

Hanger bolt

Back~"x12"x19"

Slat 6upport61" x 2" X 24"

GETTI G STARTED

Support 6trip61" x 2" X 17"

SIat61" x 3" X 23" "---- ~~

Edge 6trip61" x 2" X 16"

37

CARVING STAND

Cut a small triangular notch out of thes a supports for butt hinges to secure

e supports to the support strips fore bac . Install the hinges and make'e e back part Pivots freely. Drilles 0 JOin the edge strips of the base

e sa supports with ~-inch diame- Back:e • 2 - - 0 g 001 s.

se e Jg, clamp the base tooe ch and secure the back

s os 0 the edge strips of the00 s. Then clamp the work­

piece 0 one or more of the slats, asshown on page 84.

•

and a jagged surface. Also rememberto cut so that you work from shortergrain to longer grain in the piece youwant to keep, as shown in the roundconcave shape in the upper left of theillustration below. You can only reallylearn these differences by practice.Work on a piece of scrap stock andnotice how the cutting action changesas you shift the position of your tool.Then try the carving exercise below.

Convex

Concave

most shapes. Transfer this pattern onto a piece of basswoodabout 2 inches thick, 6 inches wide, and 12 inches long. Theelliptical shape in the lower left-hand corner is a test of yournew skills once you have attempted the other forms.

38

The reliefcarving at left is agood practiceexercise for new carvers. The techniques formaking it are shown starting on page 43.

O ne ofthe fundamentals ofcarvingis to work with the grain rather

than against it. One master carver com­pared the strokes to petting a dog:Moving your hand in one direction,the fur feels smooth; moving it in theopposite direction causes the fur to riseup. Similarly, when you carve, work­ing with the grain will produce cleanshavings and a smooth surface; work­ing against the grain will cause tearout

BASIC CARVING STROKES

DIRECTION OF CARVING

Longergrain

Grain directionThe exercise shown above demonstrates the direction in whichyour chisels must move to achieve the form. By practicing thisseries of exercises, you will master most of the basic carvingmoves. Notice how you must change direction while carving

THE BASIC CARVING EXERCISE

CARVI GACONVEX SHAPE

1 Terracing the surfaceClamp the workpiece to a work

su ace, using a wood pad to protecte s oc . The first part of this exer­

cise involves cutting a bevel diagonallyacross the workpiece and removing one­half inch or so of waste from the right­hand side to create a raised part thatwill be refined into a circular convexshape in the middle of the terraced part.Grasp a 12-mil1imeter No. 3 gouge with apower grip: Your left hand holds the shaftof the chisel with the palm down and thethumb near the handle, while your righthand firmly grasps the handle. Workingfrom the shorter to the longer grain,remove the bulk of the waste from theedge of the cut (right), then use a 12­millimeter No. 39 V-tool to form a cleanbeveled edge. Switch back to the gougeto clear away most of the waste from theterraced part, carving to within ahalfinch or so of the convex shape.

GETTING STARTED

2 Defining the convex shapeSwitch to a 12-millimeter No. 11

gouge and grasp the shaft of the chiselwith your left hand, palm up. The gougeshould rest in the crook formed by thefirst and second knuckle of your indexfinger. The remaining fingers of your lefthand curl along the side of the gouge.Your thumb rests firmly on top of theshaft. Your right hand grasps the handleof the gouge with the index finger extend­ed, and the end of the handle butted upagainst the heel of your palm. Carve sothat you work from the shorter to the longergrain of the finished piece (left). Alwayscut away from the desired shape towardthe waste.

GETTING STARTED

5 Improving the curveOnce a slight curve appears, flip the gouge right side up

and carve so you produce larger chips closer to the circumfer­ence of the circle (above). Continue until the curve meetsthe flat area around the base of the convex shape. Cleanup the point where the two surfaces meet with a 4-millimeterNo. 39 V-tool.

40

3 Paring out the wasteFinish clearing out the waste with a

12-millimeter No. 3 chisel. By definingthe edge of the convex shape first, you canpare away the waste surrounding it with­out fear of chipping into the form (right),Note how the edge is cut down to the finaldepth. This provides a guide and preventsunwanted chipping.

4 Rounding over the topUse a 25-millimeter No. 3 gouge upside down to start form­

ing the basic curvature of the surface (above). Take small chipsoff near the top, until the curve starts to become better defined.

(

(

(

(

2 Carving toward the centerWorking from the shorter to the longer

grai n (see the illustration on page 38),carve a bowl-shaped depression towardthe center of the circle (left). Cut addi­tional grooves across the grain and pareaway the waste until the concave shapeis roughed out.

GETTING STARTED

CARVING ACONCAVE-SHAPED BOWL

1 Cutting a center grooveClamp the workpiece in place, with

a wood pad to protect the surface. With a25-millimeter No. 8 gouge, cut a grooveacross the center of the circle, perpendic­ular to the wood grain. This indentationwill allow you to carve out the remainderof the waste more easily. Beginning at oneedge, cut toward the center of the circle.Then carve the other half starting at theopposite side (right). You do not need tocut the groove initially to the final depth.It is better to carve the groove to ashallow­er depth, then pare away the waste, asdescribed in the next step.

•••

41

GETTING STARTED

3 Smoothing out the bottomTo finish off smoothing out the bot­

tom, carefully scoop out thin shavings ofwaste, working across the grain with thegouge (right). Use the same grip you usedto terrace the surface of the board (page39, step 1).

CARVING ACONVEX TRIANGLE

1Carving the center groovesAs with carving the concave-shaped bowl (page 41, step 1), you need to

cut grooves in the center of the triangle to make it easier to remove the waste.Use a 12-millimeter No. 39 V-tool to carve a groove from each corner to themiddle of the shape (above).

42

2 Paring the wasteSwitch to a 12-millimeter No. 3

chisel to carve away the waste from theedges of the form. Pay close attention tothe grain, working in the direction shownin the illustration above. Make additionalcenter grooves as necessary and continueremoving the waste until you have reachedthe final depth and the shape is complete.

••

•

•

•

GETTING STARTED

BEGINNER'S EXERCISE: CARVING ABULLRUSH SCENE

Bench hookcarving jig

Bevel gouge

43

1Carving the rushesThis exercise is designed to give you

some confidence in wielding the chiselsand will yield a finished carving relativelyquickly. Begin by building the bench hookcarving jig shown on page 53. Then applya dark stain to a small panel of softwoodsuch as basswood. Place the jig on theworkbench with the cleat butted againstthe bench and clamp the device in place.Sketch a drawing of rushes on your work­piece, or transfer a design using carbonpaper (page 46), then set the workpiecein one corner of the jig. Use a 12-millime­ter No. 39 V-tool to carve out the finelines, revealing the light wood beneath(left). The wider area, such as the leaves,can be carved with a 25-millimeter No. 3gouge. Carve only deep enough to revealthe wood beneath the stain.

2 Beveling the edges of the frameTo create the effect of a frame, draw

a bevel gouge along the edges of the work­piece. This will create a bevel of lightlycolored wood, contrasting with thestained wood of the workpiece (below).

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PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

A hallmark ofQueen Anne, rococo and Regency furniture styles, the acanthusleaf is both an excellent design for sketching and a demanding reliefcarving exer­cise. Cross sections drawn on the sketch (below) provide a quick visual referencewhen carving the leaf's overlapping lobes and serpentine curves (above).

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illustration below, or making modelsfrom clay, you can visualize how a fin­ished carving will look and how youshould approach carving it.

Before you even pick up a chisel,make sure you have a full-size pattern.Ifyou are working with a drawing or anexisting pattern, you may need to changeits size. This is easily done by using aphotocopier with a reduction and en­largement feature. If you do not haveaccess to a machine or ifyou are work­ing on a design larger than the biggestsheet of paper that a photocopier willaccept-typically, 11 inches by 17 inches-you will need another way to en­large or reduce your design. Two simplemethods for doing this are shown on thefollowing page. Once you have your full­size pattern you need to transfer it toyour workpiece. As shown starting onpage 46, there are three ways to do this.The first uses carbon paper, the second,atemplate, and for the third, the patternitself is bonded to the wood.

such techniques as creating cross-sec­tional views of the piece at variouspoints on the pattern, as shown in the

Conveying the three-dimensionalnature of a carving on a two­

dimensional plan is achallenge. By using

LAYING OUT APATTERN

Drawing cross-sectional viewsDraw a full-size design of the piece you plan to carve, includingall the details you intend to include. The example shown aboveis an acanthus leaf, a classical Greek design that has been afavorite with carvers for centuries. Then draw cross sectionsat points where the shape and thickness change; these are

indicated by the shaded areas in the illustration. There is norule for doing this; the sections are simply aids. Cross-sectionsare invaluable at helping you conceive the shape and changingthickness of the piece, especially with a design that includesseveral convex and concave shapes in each cross section.

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tracing point. The lead will make an enlarged copy on yourblank paper while you trace. To reduce a pattern, reverse thepositions of the tracing point and the lead, placing the origi­nal under the tracing point and the piece of blank drawingpaper under the lead holder.

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Ratioscrews

GETTING STARTED

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.,

Re-scaling with a pantographTo enlarge a pattern, place the original under the tracing pointand position a piece of blank drawing paper under the leadholder. Adjust the ratio screws to give the desired enlarge­ment. (Most pantographs have the ratios marked beside theholes in the pantograph bars.) Then trace the pattern with the

Enlarging with graph paperDraw agrid of squares over the pattern, using a ruled straight­edge to make all the squares exactly the same size. Thesmaller you make the squares, the easier it will be to repro­duce the pattern. Then, on a blank sheet of graph paper,make a larger grid, increasing the size of the square by theproportion you wish to enlarge the pattern. For example, ifyou need a design that is twice the size of the pattern, makethe second set of squares twice as large as the first. To pro­duce the design, draw in each square of the enlarged gridthe part of the pattern that is in the corresponding squareof the smaller grid (right). To produce a design smaller thanthe original pattern, follow the same steps, but make the sec­ond grid smaller than the first one.

MAKING ASCALED PATIERN

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Carbon paper

/GETTING STARTED

COPYING PATIERNS ON THE WORKPIECE

2 Finishing the layoutLift the carbon paper away from the

workpiece, leaving the pattern still taped.Lift the pattern and check that the designhas transferred clearly (below). If not,replace the carbon paper and retracethe pattern.

1Transferring patterns with carbon paperPlace a piece of carbon paper on a work­

piece, then tape the pattern over it, with thedesign in the intended position. Remember totake grain direction into consideration. For athr~imensional carving, align delicate partsof the design parallel with the grain; this willreduce the chance of their being broken off;two-dimensional carvings with lines that runmostly in one direction should be alignedwith the grain. Trace over the design witha sharp pencil (right).

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Transferring a pattern using a templateIf you are carving a repeating pattern,create a template from a thin sheet ofcardboard. Draw the pattern on the tem­plate, then cut it out with a craft knife.Layout the first length to be carved, anddraw in the lines with a pencil. Removethe template, align the end with the partalready copied, and trace the next setof guidelines (above) until the designis completed.

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GETTING STARTED

Carving through a paper patternWith relief and chip carving, one of the easi­est ways to transfer a design onto a work­piece is simply to draw your patternon tracing paper, then glueit with rubbercement to thewood. Carvethrough thepaper and sandaway any rem­nants of paperafter you havefinished.

5HOPTIP

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USING ATEMPLATE

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INCISED CARVING

Because it is so closely associated with European peasantcraftsmanship, chip carving is sometimes dismissed as

reliefcarving's less fashionable country cousin. One lookat the incredibly intricate detail on the chip-carved jewelrybox shown above should quell any such delusions. It was

made by renowned chip carver Wayne Barton.

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O ne of the most strik­ing features ofEuropean

country furniture is the abun­dance ofchip carving. Almosteverything in rural homes­and often the houses them­selves-are decorated withrosettes, borders, and otherdesigns carved into the wood.Known as kerbschnitzen inGermany and Switzerland, itdominated interior designsthoughout Northern Europefor hundreds ofyears. Patterns,designs, and motifs were sharedso extensively between peasantcraftsmen that national stylesbecame blurred and are nowdifficult to identify.

To the uninitiated, chip carv­ing (page 50) may seem complex, even intimidating, but it isactually a fairly straightforward process, with room for infi­nite variation. For the beginner, it is an excellent introductionto wood carving. You do not need to make a large investmentin tools. In fact, almost all projects can be executed with aninexpensive pair ofknives. The basics can be grasped in a fewhours, and you will quickly learn tool control as well as tech­niques for keeping your knives perfectly sharp. Mastering theart can provide a satisfying challenge for a lifetime.

One of the most popularapplications of the basic tech­nique is carved borders (page58). Whether on the lid of ajewelry box or on the rim ofadecorative plate, chip-carvedborders provide an impres­sive finishing touch to manywoodworking projects. Rosettes(page 54) offer an even greaterchallenge, both in laying outand carving. An enchantingcombination is a rosette centersurrounded by a chip-carvedborder, as shown in the photoon the opposite page.

You can also use incisedcarving for lettering and signmaking (page 62). While it ispossible to make well-formed

lettering with a router, fine details such as the serifs on Romanletters are tricky. With a bit of practice you can producesuperior letters by hand-and avoid the noise, dust, andexpense of a router.

Incised carving is one ofthe last bastions of the hand tool.It is impossible to duplicate by a machine with any degreeof fidelity. Once you conquer the basics of incised carving,you will have a potent tool to add a handcrafted touch to allyour woodworking projects.

One ofthe most popular chip-carvingpatterns, the rosette, has countlessvariations. The carving knife that is being used to cut out the design at leftfeatures aflat-sided handle, which provides better control when makingangled cuts. The steps for making a rosette are shown starting on page 56.

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BASIC CUTS

One ofthe beauties ofchip carving is the economyoftools required. A couple ofgood knives and per­haps a V-tool can get you through most projects.

THREE-CUT TRIANGLE

T he three- and six-cut triangles arethe basis ofchip carving. Though a

very simple form, they should not beundervalued. European craftsmen haveused chip carving for decorating all sortsof household objects for over a thou­sand years.

Usually the sides of a chip are cut atan angle of about 65°. But they aresometimes made even steeper. In a tri­angular chip this can cast a longershadow giving the illusion of a deep­er chip. The chips do not have to bevery deep. For most projects, Ys inch isadequate. In fact anything deeper thanXinch makes carving much more dif­ficult and looks unattractive.

It is crucial that the knife have astraight, razor sharp blade. For bestresults, hone the blade at an angle ofabout 10° on a4000 or harder stone thenstrop it on a leather strop. For moreinformation about sharpening yourknives, see page 22.

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1 Cutting the first two sidesThe first and second cuts are called \

stop cuts. To make this cut, hold the knifeand position it as shown, setting the pointin the far corner of the marked-out triangle.Pull the blade along the line, increasingthe depth as you go to the middle (right)and then easing the blade out of the wood.Use your whole arm to make the cut. Donot pull the knife toward your thumb likeyou are peeling a potato; this can result ina nasty cut. Many carvers hold their knifewith the lower part of their thumb pressedagainst the handle to prevent this hazard.

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INCISED CARVING

2 An alternative methodCuts that parallel the grain can be

difficult, since the blade tends to wanderoff track. For maximum control, somecarvers push the blade into the wood, usingtheir second hand to guide the cut (left),

while others use the same pulling strokeas shown in step 1. Experiment on a pieceof scrap wood to learn which method ismost comfortable for you.

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3 Making the final cutThe final cut cleans out the waste and

is always made at an angle. For this, imag­ine where the stop cuts on the other twofaces ended and angle the knife to meetthem. With practice you will get a feelfor this. To make the cut, hold the bladeat the correct angle with the tip in the farcorner. When you meet the stop cuts, thewaste should pop free as a tiny pyramid­shaped piece of wood (inset). Do not tryto cut too deeply; ~ inch or so at the deep­est point should suffice to free the waste.

Waste piece

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51

INCISED CARVING

SIX-CUT TRIANGLE

1 Making the stop cutsThe six-cut triangle is generally used

to form larger triangles. Three stop cutsare made, then the waste is removed inthree small triangles. First draw the trian­gle, then decide where the deepest partof the cut shou Id be-normally at thecenter. Draw lines from this point to eachof the three corners. To make the stopcuts, position the tip of the knife on theintersection and align the blade over oneof the marked lines. Push the knife intothe wood to the correct depth, then pull ittoward the corner (left), decreasing thedepth evenly as you go. At the corner, theblade should be at surface level. Repeatfor each line.

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2 Removing the wasteThe stop cuts divide the triangle into

three smaller triangles. Remove each ofthem separately using the same techniquefor removing the waste of a three-cut tri­angle (page 51, step 3). To make the cut,slide the knife along the line, pushing thetip in deep enough to meet the stop cuts(right). Depending on the size of the cutand the angle, you may want to hold theknife as shown here, or in step 2 on page51. Again, do not cut too deeply; ~ inchor so at the deepest point is about right.

52

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INCISED CARVING

2 Removing the wasteRemove the waste from a curved cut much as you would

from any other chip-carved shape. The knife must slice into thewood at the correct angle so the tip meets the lower limit of thestop cuts, freeing the waste piece. To make the cut, positionthe blade tip at the point of the shape then move it along theline. Use your knife hand to control the angle and twist of theblade. Use your thumb to control the depth and to move the cut­ting edge. The visible part of the blade should stay on the linewhile the tip cuts along the bottom of the stop cut. With practice,you will acquire the feel to tell where the blade tip is.

53

ABENCH HOOK JIGChip carving requires you to beconstantly moving and turning theboard to get the right angle. Thismakes it impractical to clamp thestock. One simple solution is to usea shop-bu iIt bench hook. As longas you cut away from yourself, itwill hold the carving in place.

To make the device, fasten some%-inch-square stock to three edgesof a piece of %-i nch plywood 12inches square. Next screw a lengthof %-by-1-inch stock to the under­side of the board flush with thefront edge. This will serve as a lipto keep the jig in place.

CURVED CUTS

1Making the stop cutsAs with six-cut triangles, most curved cuts require that

you first make a stop cut to the correct maximum depth.In the example shown-a rosette petal-the stop cut is madedown the center of the object. Start at one end of the shapeand pull the knife along the line (above). Increase and lessenfreehand pressure as needed to control depth. In this case,the cut starts at zero, reaches maximum depth in the middle,then rises back to surface level.

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GALLERY OF ROSETTE DESIGNS

ROSETTES

The rosette is an ancient pattern dat­ing back to pre-Christian Europe,

with symbolic meaning that has beenobscured by time. The popularity ofthedesign betrays its importance, however.The rosette was the classic motifofEuro­pean peasant furniture, found not onlyon furniture, but also carved on door­ways for good luck.

The gallery below shows six typicalrosette designs. You can enlarge themto whatever size you need or you can

A compass is used to create,then divide a circle, the founda­tion ofevery rosette. Europeanpeasants could easily impro­vise a compass with a couplenails and a piece ofstring.

create your own designs. The drawingof all rosettes starts with plotting a cir­cle, which is then divided into anumberofequal sections or sides.

The techniques for sketching hexag­onal and 12-sided spiral rosettes areshown on the following page. Sketchthe designs on paper, then experimentwith different details before markingup the carving.

There are two versions of mostdesigns depending on what part isremoved. For example, the procedureon pages 56 and 57 shows removing thepetals to lower their pattern. But youcould also choose to cut away the oppo­site material and leave the flower raised.The two could also be combined. Theonly limit to the designs you create isyour own imagination.

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Six-sided(Hexagonal)

Five­sided

Four­sided

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4-Divide each of the12 sections into threesections as shownby the red lines inthe illustration above.The easiest way todo this is freehand.

3-Draw outer arcs (shownin red) freehand, then drawlines (shown in yellow) con­necting opposite intersec­tions on the circumference.

3-Place the compasspoint on Cand draw anarc (shown in blue) fromthe center to the circum­ference of the circle.Draw another arc (shownin yellow) using the inter­section of the previousarc and the circumfer­ence of the circle-D­as the center. Continuein this manner until youhave a total of six morearcs, dividing the circleinto 12 equal parts.

55

2-Centering the compasson each of the six inter­sections, draw a semi­circle (shown in red).

2-Place the compasspoint on A and draw anarc outside the circle.Draw a similar arc withthe point resting on B,intersecting the firstarc. Connect the inter­section to the center ofthe circle (shown as adotted line in the illus­tration above), bisect­ing the arc AB at C.

1-Drawa circle around pointA, then two semicircles cen­tered at Band C with thesame compass setting.

,

~ -V, ,,,• •, •• •A .. C A .. C A C A

B B B

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1-Drawa circle of thecorrect radius. With thesame compass setting,place the point any­where on the circle­say A-and draw an arcfrom the center to thecircle. Place the pointwhere the arc inter­sects the circle-B­and draw the next arc.Continue until you havedrawn six arcs.

INCISED CARVING

B

PLOTTING ATWELVE-SIDED SPIRAL

SKETCHING AHEXAGONAL ROSETTE

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INCISED CARVING

Stop cut

CARVING AHEXAGONAL ROSETTE

2 Removing the petalsThe petal waste can be removed using

the curved cutting techniques shown onpage 53. Cut out each petal in two sec­tions. First, make a vertical stop cut downthe center, smoothly varying the depth fromzero at the ti ps to 7'i6 inch in the center ina smooth curve. Then remove each halfwith an angled cut. Use your knife handto control the depth and twist of the blade,while the free hand pushes it through thewood (right). Keep the heel of your handon the workpiece to steady the cut.

1 Attaching the patternDraw or photocopy the design onto a

sheet of paper and trim away the excess.Mark the workpiece to show exactly whereyou want the pattern to go. Apply adhe­sive to the marked area with a glue stick.To attach the pattern accurately, line upone edge with the marked area, then rollthe pattern onto the workpiece (above).

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4 Cutting out the edge sectionThe outer arcs that form the perimeter

of the rosette are basically half-petals andcan be cut out using the same technique.Make a vertical cut along the straightedge, varying the depth as in step 2. Next,remove the waste with an angled cut alongthe circle that intersects the stop cut.The chip should pop free (left). Thenrepeat steps 2 to 4 for the five remain­ing parts of the rosette. Finally, peel offthe remaining paper and sand away anyresidue with 220-grit sandpaper wrappedaround a block.

Centerline

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INCISED CARVING

3 Cutting the trianglesEach of the triangles is basically a

six-cut triangle (page 52) with two curvededges. Make a stop cut along each of thecentral lines of the triangle. Work from the ~center out, going from a depth of about Yt6 /' ./ /inch to zero at the corner. Remove the ~ .../'waste by sliding the knife along the curvedline (right). Be sure to hold the blade atthe correct angle so it meets the bottomof the stop cuts.

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Layout is crucial to border carving. The carving shown in thephoto at left was divided into approximately l,1-inch squares.The long lines were drawn first then sectioned into smaller squares.These sections are an important guide when cutting the chips.Notice that the squares are halfthe width ofthe chips.

BORDERS

Decorated borders are surprisinglyeffective embellishments. Even

something as simple as a double row ofthree-cut triangles can dress up an oth­erwise plain piece offurniture. Perhapsthe most popular use of borders is fordecorating box lids, particularly jew­elry boxes. The gallery below showschip-carved border designs of varyingdegrees ofsophistication. Laying out aborder properly is half the challenge.

Experienced carvers can draw aborderdirectly on the wood with little fore­thought. Beginners may consider out­lining the surface onto a sheet ofgraphpaper to see whether the proportionsare pleasing. You can then experimentwith different combinations until youfind a pattern that complements thesize of the workpiece. Transfer this pat­tern to the stock with a combinationsquare and pencil.

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ASAMPLE OF BORDER DESIGNS

I~

[~I

[~I: .

-I[~;<~>~I

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•INCISED CARVING

1Drawing the border linesOnce you have decided on the layout

(see previous page), transfer the lines tothe workpiece with the aid of a combina­tion square. To draw each line, first set therule to the correct distance from the edgeof the stock to the first line-actuallyslightly less to allow for the pencil leadthickness. The lines in this example arespaced X inch apart. Hold the base of thesquare against the workpiece edge andthe pencil against the ruler end and slidethe two along the board. Since soft woodmars easily, remember to press lightly.Repeat the procedure to draw any addi­tionallines (left).

3 Drawing the sectionsUse a combination square to mark out the sections. Set

the base of the square against the long edge of the workpieceand line up the ruler with one of the marks made in the laststep. Draw the dividing lines across border marks (above).Do not draw the line right across the board since any excesswill have to be sanded off.

59

2 Dividing the linesDivide the lines into sections according to your design.

The exact size of the sections is not as important as gettingthem exactly equal. In this case they are all spaced Y4 inchapart, except for the corners, which are %-inch squares. Todivide the lines, use an old carpenter's trick for marking aboard into equal parts. Set the ruler on the workpiece with oneend on the innermost short line. Pivot the ruler until one of itsX-inch marks touches the opposite short line. Then make a markat every X-inch point (above).

LAYING OUT ABORDER

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INCISED CARVING

4 Filling in the sectionsOnce the sections have been defined,

all that remains to finish the layout is tofill in the squares. For this example it issimply a matter of drawing in alternatingdiagonal lines (right). For some of thedesigns on page 58 this step may be morecomplicated, but the small size of thesquares makes freehand work fairly easy.

CARVING ABORDER

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without much angle. Push the tip into the wood to a depth of ~inch at the middle then cut back toward the opposite corner. Thedepth of cut should decrease evenly to zero at the end. Use yourfree hand to guide the blade and push it into the wood (above).

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1Cutting out the trianglesThe triangles are removed with the standard three-cut tech­

nique (page 51). Begin by making the two stop cuts. Position theblade over the first line with the tip in the corner. For this design,the stop cuts should be made nearly vertical, so hold the blade

INCISED CARVING

2 Removing the wasteFinish each triangle with an angled

cut that frees the waste chip. Cut alongthe line, holding the blade at a fairly lowangle so the tip will meet the bottom ofthe stop cuts (left).

2 Removing the wasteRemove the waste by cutting out each of the four little

triangles in turn. To take out each section, position the tip ofthe blade on the line and at the correct angle to meet the stopcuts. Push the knife into the wood (above) and pull it into theopposite corner, using your free hand if necessary to guide andmove the blade.

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CARVING THE CORNER SECTIONS

1Making the stop cutsThe recessed square is made in a similar fashion to the

six-cut triangle. First, the stop cuts are made so they meet atthe same depth in the center. This divides the area into foursmall triangles. Make the stop cuts in four strokes. Begin withthe tip of the knife on the center of the square with the bladelined up with one of the lines. Push the tip of the knife intothe wood to a depth of o/t6 inch, then pull it straight to the cor­ner and upward (above). Repeat for each section, turning theboard as necessary.

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V' - --I

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" "-

I--- LA'1

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Choosing the style of letter-orfont-is the first step of making a sign.Any art store will have books showingdozens of type styles. The alphabetbelow is a good choice for many pro­jects-interesting, but not too fancy.For a challenge, see the Old Englishalphabet on the front endpaper.

Laying out the letters takes some care.There is more to it than giving an equalspace for each letter, or even an equalgap between each letter. Some letters,like As and Vs, actually overlap otherletters. Asimple solution to this is to usecutout paper letters (see opposite page).Find the best arrangement through tri­al and error.

To make the letters appear moreprominent, they can be given a gildedfinish (see page 138).

"- V

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62

Used with permission of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.,387 Park Ave. S., NY, NY 10016 from Chip Carving Techniques

& Patterns by Wayne Barton, © 1984 By Wayne Barton.

LETTERING

A sanding block is used to removeany splinters and pencil or carbonpaper marks around the lettersin a sign. Using a block will keepthe letter edges crisp. Holding thesandpaper in your hand will tendto round over the edges.

Sign-making with incised lettering isone of the most popular uses of

incised carving. It takes time to learnand even longer to master. This proba­bly explains the widespread use ofrouter-based lettering systems. But theseare expensive and cannot create the lev­el of detail obtainable with hand carv­ing. Even a simple alphabet like the oneshown below would be impossible tomake with most template systems.

"- V

/ """ )~)

I---

/

" v "- 1/

- f-

'/ I\.. / I\..

l"- f/

~"-JJ

SAMPLE ROMAN ALPHABET

1 Laying out the lettersEnlarge the facing page on a photo­

copier to get the letters of the size youwant, then cut out the blocks. Trim thenarrower letters, like I and S. Draw twoparallel lines to mark the top and bot­tom limits of the letters. Set out all theletters you need, then adjust them untilyou have the proper spacing. Rememberthat certain combinations, like Vs andAs, can overlap slightly. Make a smallpencil line to mark the letters' positions,then glue them all in place.

INCISED CARVING

5HOPTIPCurved layoutA curved layoutis more complexthan working withstraight lines.The start and end­ing points as well asthe radius of thecurve, can affect howmuch room you have tofit in the words. Layoutthe letters on a sheet ofpaper, then draw a verticalcenterline to help you orient the letters. Lay them out in anapproximation of the desired arc. Adjust a compass to draw thelower edge of the arc. Assemble the letters on this line. If there istoo much space, decrease the radius; if the words need more room,lengthen it. Redraw the line and test the fit. To move the words upor down, shift the compass as necessary along the centerline.

CARVING ALETIERED SIGN

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Centerline

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INCISED CARVING

2 Transferring the lettersTransfer the letters to the sign with

carbon paper. Position the pattern exactlywhere you want it on the board and tapeit in place. Slide a sheet of carbon paperunder the pattern, then trace the letters.

3 Cutting the serifsLetter cutting is very similar to six-cut

chip carving, especially when cutting outthe serifs, the decorative flourishes at theends of letters. Draw centerlines down thelength of the letters and in the serifs, asshown. Cut out the serifs first with a vari­ation of the six-cut triangle (see page 52).Make a stop cut into each of the center­lines. Cut to a depth of about 3116 inch.Remove the waste in the little triangles,exactly like a regular six-cut triangle.

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4 Making the stop cutsPerfectly straight cuts several inches

long can be as hard to master as curves.The trick is to focus your eye on the linejust in front of the blade. With a bit ofpractice your hand will naturally followyour eye. Cross-grain cuts are easier thanthose parallel to the grain, which tendsto pull the blade off-track. Start with theknife tip at the bottom of the serif thenpull it towards the other end (right) at aconsistent depth of about o/i6 inch. Useyour free hand to help move the bladeand keep it under control. Remove thewaste with a straight cut along the markedline (inset). Angle the blade so the tipwill reach the bottom of the stop cut.

INCISED CARVING

65

5 Making special angled cutsLetters like Ws and Vs have pointed

elements. Try to remove the waste in onepiece to get as clean a cut as possible.First make the stop cuts as usual. The cutsshould not overlap at the point, but meetcleanly. In the example shown, removeeach section of waste in two strokes, work­ing in the directions shown by the arrows.Cut at an angle to meet the stop cuts andfree the chip. Cut away the other halfwith a standard straight cut (left).

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INCISED CARVING

66

Stopcut

6 Cutting circlesCircles are a challenge to cut since

you must deal with constantly changinggrain direction. First make the usual stopcuts around the circle. Remove the wasteby making an angled cut along the curve(right). The arrows show the direction youmust cut in order to work with the grain.

7 Cleaning curved sidesIt can sometimes be difficult to

make a clean edge at the point whereyou change cutting direction. One wayto remove stray fibers is with a gouge.Select one that matches the radius ofthe curve and clean up the side witha few downward cuts (below).

2 Cutting curvesCutting incised curves with a V-tool

takes a fair bit of practice. The problemis that, because of the shape of the tool,if one edge is cutting with the grain, theother is cutting against it. To minimizethis problem, work so that you are cut­ting with the grain on the outside of theletter, as shown by the arrows in theillustration (below). Make a final passto trim the sides of the groove, mov­ing the tool in the opposite directionof the arrows.

1 Cutting straight linesSome carvers who work frequently

with a V-tool find that it also serves wellfor incising letters. Layout the letters anddraw centerlines, then incise the letters ina few shallow passes, increasing the depthwith each cut (left).

67

Centerline

INCISED CARVING

if)

WORKING WITH AV-TOOL

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The acanthus leafis the classic exampleofborrowingfrom nature for artistic

forms. The numerous curves make it aconsiderable challenge for the carver to

avoid cutting against the grain.

RELIEF CARVING•••• No one knows when relief carving

was invented, but it might well haveoccurred when an ancient carver made asimple but important leap ofimagination:Rather than carving ashape into aboard,why not remove all the wood around theshape to leave it standing proud ofthe sur­face? This modest innovation opened upanew realm ofrealism in carving, with itsown techniques and inspirations.

Examples of relief carving have beenfound in ancient Egypt and in theGreek, Roman, and Byzantine empires.Celtic and Scandinavian cultures usedwood far more extensively and pro­duced some of the most elaborate, fan­ciful carvings ever created. Norwegianartisans, for example, used motifs ofendless, interlaced, dragonlike figuresto decorate even modest householditems like tankards and chests. By theMiddle Ages, northern Europeans began mixing naturalthemes like leaves and vines with the symbols of Christianity.

The first project in this chapter, a shell design (page70), is in keeping with the ancient tradition of drawing

on nature for inspiration and deco­ration. The shell became a particu­larly popular form during the 18th.Century, appearing on cabriole legs,highboys, and blockfront desks.There are infinite ways to vary thedesign; the gallery on page 70 hintsat some of this diversity. The exampleshown starting on page 71 is actual­ly fairly advanced with its shell-with­in-a-shell design. Using the techniquesin this chapter, even the beginningcarver will be well armed to try anyshell design.

Low relief carving, like the barn­yard scene on page 80, is all abouttricking the eye. The distance betweenthe background sky and the tree in theforeground is scarcely more than Ysinch, but the scene appears much deep­er. The process uses techniques like

undercutting behind the roof and the tree to create shad­ows that give the illusion of depth. This and other techniquesthat can be applied to a variety of subjects are explainedstarting on page 82.

•

Creating the illusion ofdepth in a reliefcarving involves severaltechniques, including undercutting. Here, the carver uses askewchisel to pare away wood where the tree meets the background,making the tree appear as though it is separate from the rest ofthecarving. The result is a more realistic, three-dimensional look.

69

tic. Also you can photocopy the designdirectly onto special plastic sheets. Thisis the method used for both relief carv­ing projects in this chapter.

To prepare the carving blank, trans­fer the shell design to the 3/4-inch­thick stock, then cut it out on abandsaw. Saw out the shape by mak­ing a curved cut, passing just outsidethe tips of the shell rays. Make a fewrelease cuts into the waste between thelong rays, then saw out the waste. Next,cut out the round tops of the longerrays. Be sure to leave the flat space thatmarks the transition between convexand concave rays.

Loule XIVshell

Loule XIVehell

ChippendRleehell

70

Regencyflower

Queen Anneeunburet

APplied shell carvings supply asplen­did finishing touch for many styles

of furniture, adding an elegant bit ofdetail. In fact, authentic Queen Anneand Chippendale reproductions oftenrequire them.

An accurate drawing of the desiredform on the workpiece is crucial. Theproblem is that in the process of carv­ing the shell, the lines are shaved offandmust be redrawn continually. While thiscannot be avoided, it can be made moreconvenient by transferring the drawingto asheet ofclear acetate. These are avail­able in any office supply store. Thedesign can be drawn directly on the plas-

QueenAnnefan

FANS AND SHELLS

Chippendaleecallopehell

QueenAnneehell

Queen Anneecallopehell

GALLERY OF SHELLS AND FANS

A Philadelphia highboy exhibitsboth convex and concave shells.The shell has been a popular motifsince the 18th Century.

RELIEF CARVING

TRANSFERRING THE PATTERN AND STARTING WORK

1 Rounding over the edgesAfter cutting out the outline as close

as you can with the band saw, secure theshell blank to a temporary backing withdouble-sided tape and clamp the assemblyto a work surface. Clean up the edges witha 12-millimeter No. 3 gouge. Then usethe gouge to round over the curved edgeof the shell (below). Remove the wastefrom the whole edge in several passes.Round over the entire edge si ightly withthe first pass, cutting with the grain, thenincrease the radius with each followingpass. Check the edge for smoothness andconsistent curve by running your fingersfrequently along it. This is more reliablethan checking by eye alone.

71

Temporarybacking

•••

2 Retracing the patternA good portion of the shell drawing

will be removed when you round overthe edge. Since the pattern is on a cleartransparency, however, it is a simplematter to redraw the lines. Repositionthe sheet on the shell, lining it up overthe volute. With a sharp pencil in hand,lift up the transparency just enough toallow you to trace directly under the pat­tern (right). This is a handy technique thatshould be used whenever necessary through­out the project.

3 Defining the inner shellUse a 12-millimeter No. 39 V-tool

to delineate the small, inner shell fromthe rays of the larger, outer shell. Startby cutting a groove that stays just out­side the edge of the inner shell. Deepenthe cut in successive passes to a depthof about ~ inch.

RELIEF CARVING

72

2 Cutting the concave raysRedraw the rays after contouring the

shell, then hollow out the grooves thatform the concave rays. Mark a series ofXs on each of the concave rays to avoidhollowing out a convex section by mis­take. Cut out the concave rays with a 12­millimeter No. 11 gouge (left). Do not tryto remove all the waste at once; instead,make several passes. Work the tool fromthe volute toward the shell tips as muchas possible to get a clean cut. The baseof the rays, however, must be grooved bycutting toward the volute and leaving arough edge.

j

RELIEF CARVING

Concave ray

~

FORMING THE OUTER SHELL

1 Contouring the shellThe shell rays slope down as they

approach the inner shell in a somewhatserpentine shape. Starting about an inchfrom the shell's edge, round over its pro­file in very slight shavings with a 20-mil­limeter No. 4 or No. 5 gouge, cuttingtoward the inner shell. In successivepasses increase the depth of cut as youget closer to the base of the rays. You willend up with a series of sem idetachedwaste pieces at the edge of the inner shell.Remove these with a 12-millimeter No.39 V-tool (right), cutting along the baseof the vol ute with the ti p of the tool.

••

73

)

)

)

3 Separating the inner shellHollowing out the concave rays will

leave a collection of semi-attached shav­ings protruding from the edge of thevolute. To keep the base of the rays asclean and crisp as possible, remove themwith a carver's knife (left). Use a down­ward stroke to cut off the waste shavingscleanly. At this point, round over the con­vex rays to approximate shape with aNo. 3 gouge or a No. 33 bent-back gouge.Remember to work with the grain, alwayscutting downhill.

74

Concave ray

RELIEF CARVING

REFINING THE RAYS

1 Cutting a transition ledgeSeparate the convex and concave rays

with a small ledge (inset). Use a smallNo. 11 gouge to cut the ledge into theside of each convex ray (right). Noticethat the ledge is halfway between the topof the convex ray and the bottom of theconcave ray. Use a 6-millimeter No. 39V-tool to sharpen the transition betweenthe ledge and ray. Make the ledges assmooth as possible, and at the same heightfrom ray to ray.

(

RELIEF CARVI G

2 Deepening the groovesUse a o. 11 gouge to deepen the

co ca e rays. This will make the ledgese pronounced. Choose a gouge that is

o· e desired radius of the groove. Beca e 0 avoid digging into the ledge.

d a he concave rays a little ata· 0 reach a consistent, uniform depth

se your fingers to feel for any bumpsfan les and trim them smooth.

75

3 Refining the ledgesThe gouge will leave a rounded tran­

sition between the ledge and the convexrays. Use a 4-millimeter No. 39 V-tool toflatten the ledge and produce a clean cornerwhere these two elements meet. Positionthe tool so that one of its cutting edgeslies flat on the ledge, with the tip in thejunction of the ledge and the convex ray.Always work in a downhill direction: eithertoward the tips or the volute, as necessary.Refine the ledge in several passes, takinga fine cut each time (left). You may findthat you are undercutting the convex raya bit. This can be fixed in the next step.

1Smoothing the curvesOnce all the large rays have been

shaped, it is time to smooth the curves andmake the rays consistent. Most of your toolswill be needed at this stage. Use deep andshallow gouges to perfect the concaverays. Match the gouges to the radius ofeach section of the rays and take off thethinnest shavings possible. Use a V-tool tosmooth the ledge (left). A No. 2 chisel ora No. 3 gouge can serve to remove anybumps and smooth over the convex rays.They should meet the ledge at a clean angle.With experience you should be able to pro­duce a finished shape with tools alone. Atfirst, however, you may have to rely on220-grit sandpaper to achieve a propersmoothness.

')

)

76

RELIEF CARVI G

(

V-tool

FINAL TOUCHES ON THE RAYS

2 Cleaning the ray baseThe process of cutting with the grain

toward the volute will leave burrs andsplinters at the base of the rays. Alternatebetween a sharp carver's knife and the nar­row gouges to clean up this area. The knifecan be used to cut straight down to severthese bits free (right). Use the gouges tocut toward the volute as necessary.

1Defining the voluteUse a carver's knife to cut along the

line marking the volute. This will clear­ly demarcate the volute from the innerdesign. It also prevents tearout. Outlineall of the volute except the innermostpart of the spiral (above). At a certainpoint, the waste area is too narrow andthe radius is too tight to be cut cleanly.This area will be defined in a later step.

2 Recessing the inner shellUse a V-tool to remove the waste to

the volute, cutting to a depth of about111 inch. Hold the tool as shown, with onehand near the tip to give you more controland prevent slipping. Work the tool withthe outside edge riding in the cut madeby the knife (left). As before, stop whenthe radius of the volute gets too tight.Next, use a 6-millimeter No. 3 gouge torecess the rest of the inner shell. Cut closeto the base of the volutes, but leave thefine cutting to the next step.

'\'\

Inner shell

77

If

RELIEF CARVING

MAKING THE INNER SHELL

RELIEF CARVING

\.

\1

4 Rounding over the voluteUse a narrow No. 3 chisel to round

over the edges of the volute (left). Takevery light shavings to avoid gouging theworkpiece. To produce an evenly roundedform, work from one end of the volute tothe other, slowly bringing it into shape asa whole. Be sure to move the tool with thegrain, cutting toward the center, as shownby the arrows.

\

78

<0

3 Refining the spiralsThe volute ends in a spiral which is

very narrow and has a tight radius. Thetrick is to cut the spiral with a gouge thatmatches the desired radius. Begin with aNo. 8 and finish off with a No. 9. Holdthe tip of the gouge on the cutting lineand make a straight downward thrustwith a slight rocking motion (right). Liftthe tool and set it down further along theline, overlapping the previous cut. Workto the inner taper of the volute. Next,proceed outward, outlining the remainingpart of the volute. Clean up the wastesurrounding the volute with a veiner anda carving knife.

6 Hollowing the petalsTo add more detail to the carving,

create a slight recess in each of thepetals. With a veiner or a V-tool, startthe cut from the base of the petal, push­ing the tool toward the tip and stoppinghalfway (below). Continue with a secondcut, working toward the base to meetthe first cut. The waste piece shouldpop free. Widen the recess with a cou­ple more cuts to give it an elongatedteardrop shape. Finally, round over theband slightly with a narrow chisel.

5 Removing waste between the petalsThe inner shell is filled with an array

of petals. The waste between the petals isremoved first, and then each one is hol­lowed out slightly. To remove the waste usea carver's knife to outline the petals (left).

Stay just outside the marked line. Cleanout the waste with a narrow V-tool. Alsouse a V-tool to cut a fine line to define thepetals and also the band at the base ofthe inner shell.

)

)

)

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RELIEF CARVING

Petal

79

!)(/

CARVING A BARNYARD SCENE

A low relief carving like the barnyardscene below is a study in the art

of illusion. While the carving is actu­ally fairly flat, the manipulation ofperspective and other techniques give

The branches of the background treesare being sketched on the nearly fin­ished carving. Just like the shell, thebarnyard pattern has been transferredto a sheet ofclear acetate. This methodmakes it easy to sketch and resketch dif­ferent elements when they are needed.

the appearance of depth. The processrequires good planning, tarting with anappropriate subject. While there are aninfinite number ofpo ibilities depend­ing on the experience ofthe carver, some-

FRONT VIEW

(

80

thing like this barnyard scene is a goodchoice for a beginner because it has aclear background, middleground, andforeground. Also, having a subject likea derelict barn makes the job easier.

f

- ------.....

Glued-on post

Sky

by the background trees. The foregroundshould slope toward the barn. The deadtree is the highest element of the carv­ing. These and other techniques areexplained on the following pages.

81

PROFILE

RELIEF CARVING

resketching and greatly increase youraccuracy (see page 70). Take the time tostudy your sketch to determine the hier­archy ofelements. In the barnyard exam­ple, the lowest location is the sky followed

There is no need to worry too muchabout straight lines and crisp detail. Thesubject invites you to take a softerapproach. Whatever the subject, repro­duce it on acetate. This will save hours of

RELIEF CARVING

CARVING THE BACKGROUND

2 Defining the backgroundThe background is created by removing

waste wood from this area to the correctdepth. The background has two levels, thetrees and the sky. Mark two lines along theedges of the blank ~ and % inch belowthe carving surface. Begin by lowering theentire background to the tree level, ~ inchbelow the surface. Define the limits bymaking a cut with a V-tool along the treeand the barn (right). Do not outline theseelements by cutting straight down with ahammer and chisel. This crushes fibers,making it impossible to create a clean cut.Reach the final depth in several passes.

82

1Gluing up the blankAs with all woodworking projects, wood

movement is an important considerationwhen planning a relief carving. A widepanel is particularly prone to warping.You can solve this problem by edge-gluingseveral narrow strips to make the carvingblank. Select pieces of %-inch-thick bass­wood with straight grain and no figure.This will make for invisible joints as wellas easy carving. After jointing the boardsto produce a straight edge, place themon a pair of bar clamps and choose thebest match to produce a seamless-lookingblank. Turn all but the first board on edgeand apply a bead of glue (left). Repositionthe strips flat on the bar clamps and tight­en them. Apply a third clamp across thetop of the assembly. Tighten all the clampsevenly. After the adhesive has cured, trimthe blank to the desired size. Finally, usea piece of acetate to transfer the designto the blank, as shown on page 72.

3 Lowering the backgroundWith a 35-millimeter No. 3 gouge

remove the waste to lower the background(left). Work across the grain for easiercontrol of the tool, removing the waste inthin shavings. Alternate between this andthe previous step until you reach the linemarking the first level.

)

5 Blending the trees into the skyRound over the edge of the tree level to imitate the shape

of a real treeline. Use a medium No. 6 gouge to smooth theedges where they meet the level of the sky.

83

,

Sky

RELIEF CARVING

Tree5

4 Defining the background treesUse the transparency to redraw the treeline. Next, define

the trees by lowering the sky just beyond their outline by anotherYe inch with a No. 8 gouge (above). Then use a wide No. 3gouge to lower the entire sky area to its final level.

•••

•

2 Carving the left landscapeThe ground to the left of the barn

slopes from the road all the way to thehorizon, dropping slightly from foregroundto middleground to background. First definethe left wall of the barn by cutting a groovewith a V-tool (left). Then use a No. 3 gougeto remove the waste.

85

RELIEF CARVING

Foreground

3 Sloping the main foregroundPrepare the foreground for carving by

isolating those elements that must remainat full height, in this case, the rocks andthe fence. At this stage you do not haveto be too precise; cut as close as you feelcomfortable with a V-tool (right). Next,slope the foreground toward the barn.At the very front, remove just enough woodto allow the fence to stand out. From there,work toward the barn, cutting slightlydeeper as you go. Since you have alreadymade a V-cut just below the base of thebarn, the waste pieces should pop free.

•

CARVING THE MAIN ElEMENTS

Dormer

2 Lowering the wallsLower the walls to a uniform depth.

Use a No. 3 gouge to remove the waste,working perpendicular to the grain wher­ever possible (right). This will make iteasier for you to control the depth ofcut and prevent the blade from digginginto the wood. For the peak and othertight spaces, use a No. 2 skew chisel.Finally, redraw the barn details with thehelp of the acetate.

RELIEF CARVING

86

1 Defining the features of the barnThe outline of the barn was carved in

the previous steps. Now use a V-tool toisolate the different elements that willstand out from the barn. Since the wallswill be lower than the roof, identify theroof first. Use the V-tool to remove thewaste from just below the roof line. Workalong the edge and into the point of thegable. The groove should stop beforethe peak, allowing for the overhang ofthe roof, which extends past the gable.Cut a groove to define the back part ofthe roof on the right. Be sure to leave itat least a ~ inch thick to let you detail itlater. Also define the inside of the dormer.The boards leaning against the wall arean added little touch. Cut around themwith a V-tool (left).

•

••

I~

3 Defining the doors and windowsUse a craft knife or scalpel to define

the doors and windows. Hold the bladeperpendicular to the wood and cut smooth­ly along the line to the correct depth (left).

Cut each line in two strokes, starting ateach end and working toward the middle.This will allow you to cut cleanly intothe base of each corner with the tip of theblade. Use your free hand to guide theblade. Also make a staggered cut alongthe line separating the end wall from thegable. This will mark the point where thesiding boards on the gable overlap the onesbelow (see photo, page 92).

5 Sloping the roof .Separate the elements of the dormer from the main roof

with a cut of a V-tool. To give an illusion of depth, the mainroof must slope away at a slight angle from the bottom right tothe top left. The edge of the roof-from the right peak, downthe front, and along the eaves-must be left at its full thick­ness. Use a wide No. 3 gouge to remove the waste and slantthe roof. Take out thin shavings to create an even slope thatends in a YI6 inch thickness at the top left corner.

87

RELIEF CARVING

4 Recessing the windows and doorsUse a No. 3 gouge to remove the waste inside the windows

and the doors. Cut with the grain, allowing the waste piecesto pop free (above). Shave all the recesses to the same depth.Finally use the skew to slope the top Y2 inch of the end wallinto the line you cut in the previous step to give the illusionof the top boards overlapping the lower ones.

•

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••••

6 Cleaning up the roof lineOutlining the barn will have left a

slightly ragged edge that needs to becleaned up. First, use a 6-millimeter No. 2gouge to undercut behind the peak ofthe dormer roof where it extends past themain roof line (left). Then, with a widerNo. 2 gouge, shave the roof line down toits proper size, undercutting slightly toform a sharp edge.

8 Refining the fence posts and railsThe fence posts and rails that were given their basic

shape in step 3 need to be cleaned up. You can do thiswith a 6-millimeter No. 3 gouge, carefully paring away thinslivers of waste until the outline is sharply defined. Then usethe tool to round over the small blocks that represent theforemost fence posts, which were glued on in step 1 at theforeground stage (page 84).

88

RELIEF CARVING

Roof line

7 Trimming the overhangThe overhang helps adds an illusion of depth to the carving.

It is defined by the exposed underside of the back roof. Whenthe walls were first lowered (page 86, step 2) the far roof wasleft fairly thick; now is the time to trim it. Use a No. 3 or No. 4gouge 16 millimeters wide or so to trim the roof. Cut away thewaste with slightly angled downward cuts (above). Take away verythin shavings to make a clean cut and avoid crushing the fibers.

•

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•

REFINING THE TREE SHAPE

1 Defining the branchesUnlike the barn, which demands

crisp lines, the tree needs a softer look.First, define the branches. A commonmistake is to have all the branches stickout from the side of the trunk. In realitysome branches should start on the frontface of the tree. This can be done bycarvi ng the crotch of a branch into thefront of the trunk with a few strokes ofyour V-tool (right).

RELIEF CARVING

89

2 Contouring the treeThe branches and trunk can be shaped

with No. 3 and No. 4 gouges of differentwidths. Do not just round over the edge,but arch the whole width of the trunk.Work from the centerline of the trunktoward the edges (left). Increase theradius slightly as you approach the edge.When rounding over the branches, be sureto work with the grain to avoid digginginto the wood too deeply.

CARVING THE SHINGLES

A small craft knife is used to undercuta shingle. This technique creates the lookofoverlapping pieces and is useful forother types ofcarving, such as certainbird feathers. Many carvers prefer touse a surgeon's scalpel with replaceableblades, available through medical supplyhouses. Experienced carvers can expertlyfill a roofwith shingles by eye. Beginners,however, will find that an accuratedrawing showing the proper size and lay­out ofthe shingles is invaluable. You willhave to redrawfrequently to compensatefor the undercuttingofeach row, which willremove some ofthepencil lines.

•

1 laying out the shinglesThe shingles get slightly smaller as

they move from right to left. To help ori­ent the shingles, draw some horizontaland vertical perspective lines. Next, fillin the shingles referring to the drawing.It may be possible to use the transparen­cy, but for fine details this often provesdifficult. Try to keep the same numberof shingles between the lines, makingthem correspondingly larger as you moveto the right. Remember that the shinglesdo not line up evenly along their bottoms,but are staggered.

90

o

RELIEF CARVING

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2 Cutting the outlinesStarting with the top row, cut the out­

lines of the shingles to define them. Hold­ing the knife like a pencil, cut straightdown into the wood along the lines (left).

Do not worry about cutti ng too deeply;the following steps determine the amountof waste that wi II be removed.

•

3 Angling the shinglesAngle all the shingles to make them stand out and give

the roof texture. Holding the knife at the correct angle, useyour free hand to push the blade through the wood (above).

91

4 Undercutting each rowTo give each shingle the correct slope, undercut each row

right after cutting and angling it. This will set up the next rowat the right pitch. Hold the knife fairly flat against the roof andslide it along the row. Rely on your free hand to push the bladeinto the wood (above). Keep the heel of this hand on the roof togive you maximum control and prevent cutting into the previousrow. Take just a fine shaving. A common mistake is removingtoo much waste. Also remember to angle the cut slightly, start­ing slightly above the lower edge of the shingles. The highestpoint of all the shingles should be the original surface of theroof. Once the undercutting is complete, repeat steps 2 and3 to form the shingles in that row.

RELIEF CARVING

•••••

The panes ofa window are delineatedby cutting two crossing lines. Make eachline with intersecting angled cuts toremove the waste in tiny strips. Noticehow the lower wall boards have beenrecessed slightly toward the staggeredends of the upper gable boards. Thismakes the upper gable boards appearto overlap the lower ones. Each windowframe has been outlined with a knife andthe surrounding wood sloped toward it.

92

DETAILING THE MAIN ELEMENTS

1Defining the boardsThe barn boards are separated from

each other by taking out an extremely thinwedge of waste wood between them. Toremove the waste in two strokes, first cutalong the board line then make a matchingcut at a slight angle to release the waste(right). As you appoach each window, firstoutline the frame with your knife, thenrecess the nearby wood toward it to createa raised effect.

RELIEF CARVING

•

••••••

2 Adding imperfectionsIncorporating small details will give

your carving a more realistic look. One trickis to make some of the boards appear bro­ken or missing. To break a board, first out­line the jagged line, cutting along its length.Next, shave away most of the waste with anangled cut (left). Use acombination of inter­secting vertical and horizontal cuts to cleanout the waste. other ideas are to createbroken window panes or a hole on the roof.Remember that for any of these effectsyou need to make only a very shallow cut.

•

3 Texturing the woodTexture the wood to resemble its grain with downward slices

of the knife. Make some straight-grained and some wavy lines.Add small holes to represent knots. Double piercings in eachboard end can simulate the look of nail heads. To make thegrain cuts, hold the knife like a pencil and carefully slice thepatterns. Do not remove any waste. The effect of this proce­dure may seem almost invisible at first, but it will be much morenoticable after finishing because the cuts will absorb more stainand darken (photo, page 130). Add grain marks to the fenceposts and rails as well as the shingles.

93

4 Detailing the treeEach species of tree has its own individual look. The tree

in this project is a birch, which features dark horizontal scars.Some broad leaf trees, like maple and oak, have deeply groovedbark, while some pines have overlapping, scale-like bark.Represent the scars on the birch tree by taking very fine cross­grain cuttings with a 6-millimeter No. 11 gouge (above).

J

••••

2 Making pine treesWith a bit of experience it is easy to make background pine

trees with a V-tool. Practice first on a scrap board. To make thetree shape, start at the top, then "walk" the tool downward, alter­nating pressure from side to side. Because of its simplicity, thisform is best kept fairly small, and placed in the background.

94

} I !?)/-

RELIEF CARVING

A daisy punch adds a flower motif tothe carving of the old barn. Punchworkcreates the important final details, like

flowers, leaves, and grass that are toofine to be made with knives and gouges.

The tools are available from some wood­working stores and leather suppliers, or

you can fashion your own (see page 95).

ADDING FINAL DETAILS

1Carving the background treesTrace the design on the acetate to draw the background

tree branches. With a fine veiner, groove out the branches,taking a slightly larger cut for the bigger limbs. Hold the veinerin two hands to give you maximum control (above).

RELIEF CARVING

,

3 Detailing with punchesA variety of punches can be used to

detail the carving. Use one or two sizesof leaf-shaped punches to decorate thebackground trees. To make each leaf,hold the punch in the appropriate placeon a branch and tap it Iightly with amallet. Rotate the punch so the leavesare not all oriented the same way. Also,change the angle of the punch slightlyfrom leaf to leaf. This will cause all theleaves to reflect light a bit differently,creating a shimmering effect. Use thegrass punch in the foreground to createclumps (above).

Shop-made punchesMany punches can be made in the shop from nail heads. To make apunch, mount a 16d common nail in a vise. Scratch the desired shapeon the head then rough it out with a regular bastard file. Use a setof very fine files to perfect the design.Mount the finished punchin a file handle.

5HOPTIP

Punches

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95

In choosing wood, remember that allbut the smallest carvings will requiregluing up a blank from thinner pieces.Practical reasons for this include thetime required for seasoning. A 6-inchcube ofsolid wood will require six yearsto season properly. Gluing up the samesize piece from several 1-inch-thickpieces will allow you to use wood thathas been seasoned for only a year. Acarving blank made from thin piecesof wood glued together will remainvery stable, less prone than a solid pieceto dimensional changes with shifts intemperature and humidity. Also, usingthin pieces ofwood allows you to choosestock with aminimum of imperfections.A solid block of wood may concealunpleasant surprises.

The chapter begins with carving areplica ofa female bufflehead duck (page98). Preparing the blank begins on pagelOO, followed by the basic shaping ofthe

form and adding the major feathers. Forming the head beginson page 103. The la t stages of carving a duck are discussedon pages 104 and 105. This includes attaching the head andwoodburning the feathers.

The more challenging carving of a human bust begins onpage 106. Preparing the blank is described starting on page108, followed by a section on creating the rough form of thebust. The final part of the chapter deals with the detailed carv­ing work (page 115).

A carver defines one ofthe eyebrowsofa bust ofan old carpenter with the helpofa 4-millimeter No. 11 gouge. Usingthe standard proportions ofthe humanface, you can produce graceful replicasofreal people, or expressive characters

from your own imagination.

CARVING IN THE ROUND

This reproduction ofafemale bufflehead duck is agood projectfor someone inexperienced with carving in the round. It wasfinished and detailed with acrylic paints (see page 136).

T he goal of carving in the round isto create a free standing work that

can be viewed from all sides. Ofcour ethe challenges of carving a fluid, ex­pressive form are many, since workingin three dimensions is conceptuallymore difficult than working in two, butthe rewards are also great. Carving inthe round, a woodworker cro ses theline into the area of sculpture with abeguiling mixture of art and artisan­ship. This chapter presents two pro­jects: a decoy and the more challengingform of a human bust.

Although there are great variations ina human face, or for that matter, theshape of a duck, there are certain con­stants. Knowing them will allow you tocarve amore realistic representation. Forexample, the eyes in a human face lieexactly in the middle ofthe face, betweenthe bottom ofthe chin and the top of thehead. Variations, such as placing the eyesslightly above or below the center line will effect subtle changes. , .III a person s expressIOn.

When measuring in carving, it is better to use an arbitrarystandard-for example, the distance of the eye from corner tocorner-as a unit of distance, rather than relying on theabsolute measurement of a ruler, as in cabinetmaking. Thistends to integrate the elements of the subject, producing amore faithful reproduction. The actual measuring is donewith dividers.

•

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• 97

•

Bottom view

Primaryfeathers

Some specific parts of the duck maybe less familiar. The nail is the hard pointon the tip of the upper and lowermandibles of the duck's beak. The sidepocket is the bulge of the duck's bodythat lies beneath the wing and shoulderstructures. The primary feathers alwaysnumber 10 on each wing, and are whatthe bird uses to fly. The secondary feath­ers are the smaller and more numerousfeathers that fill out the wing.

create amore fanciful creation. Followingthe steps here will sharpen your controlover your carving tools and develop youren eofvolume and space-all ofwhich

are critical to carving in the round.The underside ofaduck's bill is a rel­

atively complex structure. Use the illus­tration below to guide you. A spreadduck's wing is also included, so you canbetter understand the structure of thefolded wing hown on the template .

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CARVING A DUCK

WingNote the ten primary feathers,and the smaller secondaryfeathers closer to the shoulder

Side view

DETAIL VIEW OF ADUCK'S WING

THREE VIEWS OF ADUCK'S BILL

W ooden replicas ofducks and otherwildfowl originated around the

middle of the ineteenth Century asdecoys to attract birds to hunters. Today,carved lifelike decoys are al 0 valued col­lectors' items.

The duck shown in this ection isbased on the actual proportions of afemale bufflehead. For that reason, thetemplates and diagrams below are intend­ed as preci e guides. You can, however,

98 ••

CARVING IN THE ROUND

~_-Eye

_-CrownForehead

SIDE-VIEW TEMPLATE

Ear• N06tril

Cape

ManeRump

• Neck

-- h~

Lower - ..Mandible

~

Upper-~ )

mandible "'--.".._ I' ~J

Brea6t~-- Belly Side---

pocket

••99

•

•

1 laying out the design with templatesMake a blank for the duck's body

from two pieces of wood-basswood is agood choice-2 inches thick and at least10 inches square. Glue up another blank3 inches square and 2 inches thick forthe head. While the adhesive is curing,use the diagrams on page 97 to maketop- and side-view templates. (Photocopyingthe patterns onto acetate works well.) Cutout the templates, and transfer the sideview onto the carving block. Band sawthe profile, then transfer the top templateprofile (left), and band saw this shape.Now cut the head to shape. Use a gimletto make a hole in the bottom of eachworkpiece to accept a carver's screw(page 110).

(

'(\

Toptemplate

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CARVING IN THE ROUND

Sidetemplate

PREPARING THE CARVING BLANK

2 Drilling the eye socketTo ensure that the eyes of the duck

will be symmetrical, drill a o/16-inch holeright through the head (right), using thepoint taken from the head template asa guide.

100

••••CARVING IN THE ROUND

SHAPING THE BODY AND WINGS

Hobbyknife

Wing tip

2 Carving out the wing tipsCarefully remove the waste from one

side of the wing tips with a large V-tool.Use a hobby knife with a surgical blade togently remove the waste from betweenthe wing tips (above). Then carve awaythe waste from the second wing tip.

3 Rounding the side pocketWith the back of the duck's anatomy

roughly carved out, you must refine itsform by rounding the edges. Use a 35­millimeter No. 3 gouge to round theconvex shapes (left), and a deep gouge,such as a 12-millimeter No. 11 gougeto smooth the concave edges, such aswhere the wings and side pockets meet.

Carvingarm jig

_~~"'"_- Side pocket

101

Spacer

Sidepocket

1 Roughing out the wings and side pocketBegin by marking out the side pocket on each side by tracing it from the top

and side templates. Mount the blank onto a carving arm jig with a carver's screw(see page 36), using nylon discs as spacers so the nut on the screw can be tight­ened firmly in place. Carve along the top line of the contour, which follows the wings,with a 12-millimeter No. 39 V-tool. Holding the gouge horizontally, carve along theline on the side of the blank corresponding to the top of the side pocket. Removethe waste, leaving a right-angled furrow, running along the curve of the wings andside pocket. Finish cleaning out the waste with the same V-tool (above).

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CARVING IN THE ROUND •

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•

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Rump

102

Lower wing

)

Rump

Top wing

5 Carving the bottom surface of the tailUnscrew the blank from the clamp

and remount the workpiece upside down.Sketch in a guideline to indicate the bot­tom surface of the tail, which angles outfrom the rump. Use a 12-millimeter No. 11gouge to carve out the waste (right).

4 Defining the top wing and tail sectionOne wing tip should be carved so it

appears to rest on top of the other one.With a 12-millimeter No. 39 V-tool carvealong the profile of this top-or domi­nant-wing to a depth of about ~ inch, asindicated by the side template. Roundthe bottom wing so it gradually slopesdown to meet the bottom of the tip of thedominant wing. To carve the furrow thatmarks where the rump ends and thetail begins, retrace the appropriate linefrom the templates. Use a 12-millime­ter No. 39 V-tool to pare away the waste(above), as indicated by the templates.Then round and smooth the surface ofthe tail with a 12-millimeter No. 3 gouge.

REFINING THE WINGS AND FORMING THE TAIL

CARVING IN THE ROUND

CARVING THE FEATHERS

Tailfeathers

1 Carving the headSecure the head blank to the carving arm jig (see page

36). Use the side- and top-view head templates (page 99) tosketch in the head details. The cheeks bulge out at aboutthe same height that the top of the beak begins. Pare. awaythe waste from the upper part of the head with a 12-millime­ter No. 3 gouge. Clean out the indentation above the cheekwith a 12-millimeter No. 11 gouge, leaving this area clearlydefined, as on the right side of the illustration at left. Sketchin the details of the head again, then refine the contourswith a 6-millimeter No. 3 gouge, softening the curves, as onthe left side of the illustration.

2 Adding primary feathers and tail feathersUse the top template to layout the feathers on the top of

the wing tips-the primary feathers-and the feathers on thetail. Cut these feathers out with a 6-millimeter No. 39 V-tool.The feathers nearest the center line are the highest, and createa layered effect toward the edge.

103

Coverfeathers

Carv~r'sarm

CARVING THE HEAD

1 Carving the feathers on the side pocket and backBegin by laying out the feathers on the side pocket

and the back, including the cover feathers, as indicatedon the template. This will give you a series of curves, indi­cating the tips of the feathers. Use a deep, narrow gouge,such as a 6-millimeter No. 11 to carve a groove along eachline (above). Then, starting with the feathers closest to therump, use a 12-millimeter No. 3 gouge to angle the feath­ers so they are scalloped, giving the appearance that the feath­ers in front are lying on top of the ones just to the rear.

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•

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o

3 Adding the eyesDrill a hole slightly larger than the

eyes you have selected (see photo, oppo­site) into the eye hole you bored earlier.The eyes are held in place by acetone­based wood filler. (It is important to useacetone-based wood filler, as water-basedfiller will not wood burn properly.) Pressthe eye into place with a pencil eraser,then use the tip of the pencil to clear theexcess putty away from the center of theeye (right). If the hole is too deep, addmore filler. Do the same for the other eye,then look at the front of the head to makesure the eyes look even. Once the woodfiller has dried, sand it smooth with thehead, taking care not to scratch the eyes.

CARVING IN THE ROUND

104

2 Carving the beakRefer to the illustrations on page 98

for the correct design of the duck's beak.Use a 6-millimeter No. 39 V-tool to refinethe shape of the beak. Use the samegouge to carve the lower mandible. Notethe way it narrows and is shorter thanthe upper mandible, creating an over­bite effect. Carve the line where the beakmeets the forehead and chin so the headis rounded over into the beak (left). Thencarve the bottom of the beak, referringagain to the illustrations on page 98.

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••CARVING IN THE ROUND

4 Attaching the headMake a small hole in the base of the

head with a gimlet. Drill a hole throughthe neck perpendicular to the flat areawhere the head meets the neck on thebody. Test fit the head onto the body byscrewing it on. Some carvers prefer a headthat is turned slightly. Once you have cho­sen the position of the head, grasp a 12­millimeter No. 11 gouge like a pencil.Remove excess material from the breast,until it meets the neck. Carve the bodyand neck so the head merges smoothlyinto the curves of the body (left). If thejoint between the body and head is notseamless, make a mark indicating theposition of the head and remove the headfrom the body. Then use a flat chisel tosmooth the surfaces where the head joinsthe body until the joint is perfect and gluethe piece in place.

There are two types ofeyes that you can use with your decoy:flint and colored. Both are available at hobby stores. The flinteyes require two coats ofacrylic paint on the back of the eyesto simulate the actual calor; colored eyes are simply set inplace. Once the eyes are in position, the feathers can be addedwith a wood burner, creating a natural, lifelike appearance.

Breast

•

105

Adding texture with woodburningFit a fine tip on your wood burner, and etch fine lines to indicatethe tips of feathers (above). Note how the hand is supported bythe middle finger. Where the shape of larger feathers has beencarved, the woodburning pattern should cover each tip as a sin­gle feather. Where feathers have not been carved, use the samepattern, but smaller, to create the appearance of overlappingfeathers, with only the tips exposed under those above.

FINISHING

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PREPARING TEMPLATES

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CARVING IN THE ROUND

------------------------------------------- ~~~----- -- ------------------

Sketching a faceDecide how large you want your finishedbust to be, and layout guidelines reflect­ing the proportions of the human face, asshown on the opposite page. These lineswill help you create accurate drawings ofyour subject, by sketching the face andprofile over them (left). You will needboth a front and a side view. Transfer thedrawings by photocopying your sketch ontoacetate. If you wish to reproduce the bustof the old carpenter being carved in thissection, simply using the templates shownabove and transfer them to acetate.

107

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Side template

108

CARVING IN THE ROUND

2 Tracing the profileIt is easiest to band saw the side view

first, because this will leave a reasonablyflat surface on the back of the workpiece forcutting out the front outline. Lay the tem­plate of the profile on the side of the carv­ing blank and trace the pattern (right).

1Gluing up the blankGlue up a blank from pieces of wood

roughly an inch and a half thick. Applyadhesive to each of the pieces and clampthem together (above) until the glue cures.

PREPARING THE BLANK

4 Tracing the front viewOnce you have cut the profi le, trace

the outline of the front view. Make certainthat the eyes and other features on thefront template are aligned with the sideview. Most importantly, make sure thefront template lies flat across the face ofthe blank as you trace its pattern (left).

Do not bend the template to conform tothe ridges and valleys of the profile, oryou will distort the image.

109

Releasecut lines

CARVING IN THE ROUND

Fronttemplate

3 Cutting out the profileCut out the profile using a band saw.

You should be able to cut the back partin one pass because the curves are nottoo tight, but the front will require somerelease cuts from the edge of the work­piece to the cutting line. This will enablethe saw to cut along a tighter turn byfacilitating the removal of waste wood.The exact location of these cuts is arbitrary,but try to make them to the sharpest partsof the curves, as shown at right.

I

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••••••

5 Retracing features on the blankOnce the face and profile of the bust

have been band sawed roughly to shape,you will need to resketch the featuresthat have been eliminated by the cuts.Hold the appropriate acetate templatelevel on the blank and retrace the outlineand various details, by looking throughthe acetate while you sketch the lines inbeneath it (left).()

1

Gimlet

}

110

CARVING IN THE ROUND

6 Adding the hole for the carver's screwLocate the hole for a carver's screw

by drawing two diagonal lines from cornerto corner across the bottom of the carvingblank. Make the hole for the carver's screwwith a gimlet (right). Unlike a standarddrill bit, a gimlet has a tapered shaft,which will allow the carver's screw to fas­ten more securely in the blank withoutthe risk of cracking the wood. As yourwork progresses, the origi nal hole mayloosen. In this case, make additional holesas necessary near the center of the bot­tom of the workpiece.

•

The roughly shaped form of the old carpenter has beenfastened in place with the carver's screw. The features havebeen sketched in again, as they will be repeatedly through­out the project. The next step is to begin paring away thewaste from the form, creating broad details.

Backeaqeof ca

(

CARVING IN THE ROUND

(

(r \)

ROUGHING IN THE FORM

•

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•

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•••••••••

1Adding a top profileSketch in lines indicating the rounded edges of the head

and shoulders when viewed from overhead (above). Comparethese lines with the template. Make sure that the line marking

• the circumference of the hat, for example, is as wide as indi­cated by the front template.

•111

CARVING IN THE ROUND

•

•

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•

112

2 Rounding the corners ofthe head and shoulders

Chisel away the waste you defined in theprevious step. Use a 35-millimeter No. 3gouge, striking the handle of the chiselwith the palm of your hand (right).

3 Chiseling in the back and suspendersChisel the shallow depression on both

sides of each suspender with a 25-mil­Iimeter No. 39 gouge (below). Sketch inthe front suspenders, then continue thelines back by eye. Usually, carvers do notuse a template for each side, as this canintroduce errors if the templates are notperfectly matched.

•

j

4 Roughing in the collarCompare the front of your carving

with the front template. Resketch thedesign as necessary. Delineate the edgesof the collar with a V-tool, then remove thewaste with a 12-millimeter No. 11 gouge(left). Note that the space between thecollars is slightly deeper than the areasto either side of the collars, where theylie on top of the shirt.

6 Rounding the neckThe pronounced roundness of the neck is best carved

with a 12-millimeter No. 11 gouge. Sketch in the lines thatyou carved away in the previous step on both the front andsides. Carve away the waste (above), bearing in mind thatthe neck is longer directly beneath the chin and shortensover the shoulders. Be sure to leave enough waste so youcan define the jaw without making the neck too thin.

113

CARVING IN THE ROUND

5 Creating the outline of the faceTo begin defining the face, check the sketch of the face

against the front template. The lines indicating the cheeksform a V, with its point at the tip of the chin. Pare away thewaste with a 12-millimeter No. 3 gouge (above). The wasteshould be removed to the cheek lines at the front. The depthof waste pared away should decrease until it stops just at thejoint where the ears will begin. If necessary, sketch in theprofiles of either side of the head using the side template.

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1Roughing in the capSketch the outline of the ears, hair,

and cap. With a 12-millimeter No. 39 v- •tool, carve along the line where the capmeets the hair (left). The lower surface,where the hair is located, should have agentle curve downwards, while the pointwhere the cap meets the head should beparallel to the ground.

4J? 1j\

CARVING IN THE ROUND

114

2 Rounding the capUse a 35-millimeter No. 3 gouge to

round the top of the cap. The normal wayto remove waste is with the bevel facingdown, resting on the work. However, youcan also work with the gouge inverted,as shown at right. This method creates asmoother curve but it requires some care,since the gouge will have a tendency tonosedive into the wood as it follows thegrain. Make certain the cutting edge is verysharp. Practice the technique on scrapwood until you feel comfortable with it.

CARVING THE GENERAL FORMS OF THE HEAD AND CAP

Fronttemplate

3 Adding the hairlineUse the side template to draw the

hairline, and use a 6-millimeter No. 11gouge to remove the waste along the line(left). This material should be pared downto a depth of about % inch. You cancheck this by comparing the carvingto the front template.

Hairline

Dividers

5 Checking the size and symmetry of the featuresUse a pair of dividers to check the size and symmetry of

the features. As the various parts of the face become moredefined, you must be more precise in ensuring that they con­form to the original pattern. Adjust the dividers against thetemplate, then check the measurement against the carving(above). If a discrepancy appears, go back and repeat thestep, recarving as necessary.

115

CARVING IN THE ROUND

4 Defining the cheeksCheck the outline of the cheeks, neck, and hairline against the

front and side templates. With a 6-millimeter No. 3 chisel, formthe rounded curves of the cheeks, stopping at the hairline (above).

••••••••

••

No. 11 gouge to chisel out the furrows for the eyes, above the lips,and between the bottom lip and the chin to the depth indicatedby the profile on the side of the blank. Use a 6-millimeter No. 39gouge between the lips. Grasp the chisel as shown in the illustra­tion (above, rightJ, while guiding the tip with your other hand.

116

CARVING IN THE ROUND

2 Forming the cheeksIf you hold the palms of your hands

against your cheeks, you can feel how theirplanes meet at almost a 90-degree angle.To carve this shape, mark the center lineagain and add guide lines to define theedges of the eyes. These lines will alsodefine the width of the nose, since theedges of the nostrils lie directly beneaththe inside corners of the eyes (see page106), Use a 12-millimeter No. 11 gougeto pare away the waste and form the cheeks(right). The depth to which you cut is indi­cated by the profile on the side of the blank.Be careful to leave enough waste to carvethe cheek bones.

REFINING THE FACE

1 Roughing in the eyes, lips, and chinSketch in the features of the face from the front template.

Note the center line running down the middle of the face, which isperpendicular to the eye line and lip line (above, left). The guidelines will help ensure that the features are positioned correctly.Sketch in the profile from the side template. Use a 6-millimeter

Although the finer details have yet tobe carved, the general features oftheface, including the forehead, nose, andcheeks, are already apparent in thisphotograph. Before working on thenose, eyes, and ears you need to con­tinue smoothing the general facialfeatures, as described in the step above.

117

CAR~NGINTHEROUND

ROUGHING IN THE FACIAL DETAilS

1Smoothing the facial planesThe most rugged face contains curves

where the features meet. Pare down thecheeks with a 12-millimeter No. 3 gouge(right). Repeat the process to round theangles slightly and to achieve a finer, smootheroverall texture. Note how the forehead curvesgently in front before angling back sharplyjust in front of the temples. The cheeks slantinward slightly from the cheek bones. Referto the templates, resketching lines as neces­sary. Check the carving frequently from allangles, including the top and bottom, toensure that the features are symmetrical.

•

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3 Carving the nostrilsCompare the carving with the tem­

plate by means of dividers as frequentlyas necessary. Start by chiseling away thewaste on either side of the bridge of thenose with a 12-millimeter No. 11 gouge.You should stop as you reach the nostrilsand round them over. Undercut the nos­trils with a 4-millimeter No. 3 gouge at thepoint where the expression lines meet thenostrils (right).

CARVING IN THE ROUND

118

2 Adding the expression linesExpression lines are creases in the face

that begin in the curve of the nostrils andangle downward towards the jaw line, affect­ing the shape of the cheeks. These linesdo not touch the corners of the mouth whenthe face is at rest, as in the old carpenter'sface. Sketch in these lines, then carve themwith a 4-millimeter No. 11 gouge (left).

These lines become more pronounced as •they approach the nose. Clean up thelines with a 4-millimeter No. 3 gouge. •

1 Forming the upper eyelidTo make the eyes, perform steps 1 and

2 for one eye, then repeat for the other eye.Refer to the templates for the precise loca­tion of the eyelids and pupils. Use a 6-mil­limeter No. 11 gouge to round over theupper eye lid (left). Next, with your 6-mil­limeter No. 39 V-tool, carve a furrow fromone corner of the eye to the other. Thiswill produce the edge of the upper eyelidwhere it meets the eyeball. Use a 4-mil­limeter No. 2 chisel to shave away thewaste below the upper eyelid, creatingthe round form of the eyeball. Then roundover the bridge of the nose and smooththe sides above the nostri Is.

5 Carving the chinRefer to the side template to help you round over to the cor­

rect profile. Use a 6-millimeter No. 11 gouge to round the chinand the space between the lip (above). Round the space betweenthe upper lip and the nose, and add the small indentation abovethe upper lip, known as the septum.

119

CARVING IN THE ROUND

()

CARVING THE EYES

\

4 Carving the lipsThe detail of the meeting of the lips and the creases at

the corners of the mouth are made with a V-tool. Use a 6-mil­Iimeter No. 39 V-tool to part the lips (above) and graduallytaper the creases toward the edges of the mouth.

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120

CARVING IN THE ROUND

2 Defining the upper eyelidCarefully pare away the waste with a

4-millimeter No. 3 gouge to create theridge that marks the bottom edge of theupper eyelid (above). Then refine andsmooth the rounded shape of the eyeballwith a 4-millimeter No. 1 chisel (inset).Repeat step 1 and 2 for the other eye.

3 Forming the curve ofthe upper eye socket

As in steps 1 and 2, perform steps 3through 5 in order for one eye, then repeatthe steps for the other. Begin by creatinga furrow just above the bottom of the topeyelid. Use a 4-millimeter No. 8 gougeto carve from one corner of the eye tothe other (right).

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CARVING IN THE ROUND

121

4 Forming the curve ofthe lower eye socket

Add a furrow to the lower eye Iid asyou did to the top, using the samegouge (above). Grasp the tool like apencil in your right hand, while usingthe thumb of your left hand to hel pguide the cut.

5 Final smoothingUse a 6-millimeter No. 11 gouge to

smooth the area below each lower eyelid.Carefully blend the curve at the bottom ofthe eye socket into the slight bulge of thecheek bone. Repeat steps 3 through 5for the other eye, finishing off with thefinal smoothing (left).

•

6 Positioning the pupilsSet the dividers with one pointer in

the outside corner of one eye, and the oth­er pointer in the inside corner of the sec­ond eye (left). This is the distance thatshould separate the pupils so the eyeswill appear to look in the same direction.Mark the position of the pupils. Althoughthis trick may seem simple, it is easy toend up with assymetrical features if youskip doing it.

122

CARVING IN THE ROUND

Dividers

7 Adding the pupilsNow use a 4-millimeter No. 11 gouge

to form the pupils. Pare away a small halfcircle to shape the bottom of the pupil(right), then pry out the top half with thegouge inverted to finish the job.

CAR~NGINTHEROUND

8 Adding wrinklesAdd fine wrinkles at the corners of

the eyes with a 4-millimeter No. 39 V­tool. Three or four lines is sufficient tocreate the impression of age in the eyesof the carpenter (right).

CARVING THE EAR

123

1 Roughing in the earSketch in the outline of each ear.

Chiseling from back to front, carve theear so it tapers closer to the head nearthe front (left).

3 Carving the interior details of the earUse a 6-millimeter No. 11 gouge to

carve the small ridges inside the ear lobes(left). The ear lobe can vary in refinementdepending on how small the bust is. Inthis carving of the old carpenter, the detailis quite lifelike. Use it as a guide (below).

124

CAR~NGINTHEROUND

2 Shaping the hairline around the earUse a 12-millimeter No. 3 gouge to cut

around the shape of the earlobe. Gently pressthe edge of the gouge into the wood alongthe edge of the earlobe (right). Next, carveaway the waste, tapering the wood thatwill become the hair so it appears to curvebeneath the bottom of the ear.

CARVING IN THE ROUND

The pounce wheel shown in thephotograph at left was originallyintended to mark lines such as hemswhen sewing. It also does doubleduty marking evenly stitched seamson the carving ofthe old carpenter.

2 Undercutting the clothingTrim beneath the suspenders (right), overalls, shirt collar,

and other bits of clothing with a hobby knife. You should alsoundercut the cap. This adds to the perception of depth andmakes these items seem more realistic, and less as though theywere carved from the same piece of wood as the rest of the bust.

125

FINAL DETAILS

1Adding the hair and eyebrowsTo form the small curving lines that resemble strands of

hair, use a 4-millimeter No. 11 gouge (right). Use the sametool to form the eyebrows, curving the hairs up and to the side.

four be finished with a single color.While tempting to consider, a com­plex color scheme would detract fromthe carving. Instead, different areasare made darker to enhance the illu­sion of depth and highlight detail .

Carvings in the round are treated intwo ways. A imple stained finish suitsthe more folk y works, like the buston page 134. Wildlife carving , suchas the duck on page 136, are meant tolook as realistic as possible. Whilearti tic painting is beyond the scopeofthis book, you will find some point­er on how to paint a more plainlycolored figure.

Carved igns call for yet anotherfinishing technique: gilding. Tradi­tionally, this i done with gold leaflaidinside the inci ed letters. The simplerand cheaper bronze powder method isshown on pages 138-139. It is easy to

see why carved signs are finished this way. The metallic goldcolor reflects light and attracts attention to the lettering-andthe sign's message.

The recommended finishes are only that-recommenda­tions. With experience you may want to try different combi­nation . If there is a rule it i that the carving come first. Thefinish should never call attention to it elf and detract fromthe piece itself.

Bronze powder is sprinkled on a carvedpicture frame with a brush. Also used forcoloring incised letters, bronze powder isan inexpensive alternative to gold leaf

127

FINISHING

Before finishing this duck, a texture is created by wood­burning to simulate feathers. This step (described onpage 105) is absolutely essentia~ for the texture lendsa lifelike appearance that the finish will simply enhance.

For the woodworker accomplishedat finishing cabinets, tables, and

other flat surfaces, carvings presenta special challenge. While furnituremakers usually strive to incorporatea beautiful wood grain into theirdesigns, and accentuate its figure withrich stains and radiant fini hes,carvers frequently must supprethe effects ofgrain. In some cases, thewood's figure could distract the eyefrom the carver's work, turning anartistic rendering into a hopelessvisual tangle. In addition, woodsprized for their workability-bass­wood or pine, for example-absorbstains and transparent finishes uneven­ly. The large quantities of end grainexpo ed by carving only compoundthese difficulties.

The solution: Seal the surface, andrestore control to the carver. Oncesealed, even the wildest ofwoods submits readily to finishingthat will preserve the carver's vision.

The finish selector on page 129 will help you choo thebest finish for your project. Lacquer is recommended for chipcarvings (page 130). While it takes a bit oftime to learn how toapply a light, even coat, lacquer is a simple finish that com­plements the carving's straightforward style. Simplicity al 0

dictates that the low relief barnyard scene featured in chapter

••

FINISHING TOOLS AND ACCESSORIES

Different types of carving requiredifferent finishes. The chart on

page 129 describes the most appropri­ate finish for each style of carvingdescribed in this book. otice thatalmost all finishes call for you to seal thewood first. Sealing reduces problemscaused by moisture, and allows the fin­isher to get much more even coloringand predictable results. Straight lacquer,lacquer/sealer, or gesso are u ed to sealthe wood, depending on the application.

Coloring the wood is the next step.Gel stains, which contain pigments sus­pended in a petroleum-based gel, areexcellent for coloring wood carvings.They tend to hide the grain and seal thewood, leaving a uniform color. Specialwater-based stain for carvers are avail­able through wood-carving supplyhouses. The e are formulated to leavean even color-even on end grain-andcontain wax that can be buffed to ashineonce the stain i dry. A ingle color of

oil paint can be used to finish a low­relief carving, while realistic wildlifecarving usually require a wide palette ofacrylic paints. Also, do not forget thepossibility of using no coloring at all.ome carvings, especially chip carving ,

often look best finished with just a fewcoats oflacquer. Finally, use flat lacquerand varnish. Glossy finishes rarely workon carving . The many angles conspireto reflect light in different directions,with unattractive results.

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Application brushUsed for sprinklingbronze powder

Lint-free rag

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Broadbrush

Acrylicpaint

128

Angledbrush

Fine brush

GESSO

GessoUndercoat fordetailed colored painting

SizeSometimeB called"Bizing"; uBed aBadheBive forbronze powder

Bronze powderInexpenBive alter­native to gold leaf

Bronzing liquidMixed with bronze pow­der to make a paint-onbronzed effect

BRONZELIQUID

129

Water-basedstainSpecial carver'Bformula containBemulBified wax

FINISHING

Flat-spraylacquer

SpraLacqu

FI

Satin-epraylacquer

FINISH SELECTOR

TYPE OF CARVING BEST FINISH REMARKS PAGE

Chip carving Straight lacquer Simply protects the wood. 130Incised lettering Gilding (applying Bronze powder sprinkled over a special adhesive is an inexpen- 138

metallic gold color) sive alternative to gold leaf; bronzing liquid gives the same effect

• but can be painted oni when used on signs, only the lettersare glided, the rest of the workpiece can be stained or painted.

Relief carving Lacquer/sealer The lacquer/sealer (see page 130, step 1) is applied first, then 132and oil paint the carving is colored with the paint as appropriate.

Shell carving Gel stain Shell carvings are usually stained to match the furniture to which 134with varnish they are applied (chairs, highboys, etcl. You may use a gel stain,

which hides grain on the shell, and another type on the rest of thepiece. The stain is painted on lightly and the excess is rubbed off.The whole assembly can then be varnished.

Carving Water-based stain Special water-based stains contain wax; the finish can be buffed 134in the round with emulsified wax to a warm glow after It dries. The stain is available through wood-

carving supply houses. An alternative is a gel stain.

Wildlife and other Acrylic or oil paints After sealing the wood with lacquer, a thin coat of gesso is 136realistic figures on gesso base applied to seal the wood further. The figure can then be painted

with acrylic or 011 paints.

A coat oflinseed oil and oil color tubepaint helps emphasize the three-dimen­sional depth ofthis barnyard reliefcarv­ing (see chapter four), rendering subtledetails like punched-out leaves andwoodgrained barn boards more conspic­uous. Painting must be done with a lighttouch, however, to draw attention to •the carving and not the finish itself. ••

130

ALACQUER FINISH

APPLYING A FINISH

1 Brushing on the lacquerApply a coat of a lacquer. Detailed

projects like the chip carving shown atright have a multitude of spots where thefinish can pool. To avoid this problem, wipeoff all the excess liquid from the brusheach time you load it. Brush on the lac­quer with the tip of the brush. Dip onlythe corner of the bristles into each recess,applying the lacquer with a short dab.

2 Sanding between coatsSand the surface of the wood very

lightly with 400-grit sandpaper aftereach coat (above). Fold the paper intoa small point to get into the tight areasand work with the grain. Then apply asecond coat of lacquer.

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FINISHING

Using spraylac::C\uerBrush-on lacquercan leave bristlemarks if you arenot careful; lac­quer sprayed onwith a compres­sor and a spraygun involvesexpensive equip­ment and safe­ty considerations.Another alternativeis spray lacquer in a can.This finish is available in either satin or flat finish and producesa good-quality finish. To apply the lacquer, hold the can eight to12 inches from the object and spray a very light, even coat. To protectyour workbench, make a temporary shield out of cardboard.

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AN OIL-BASED FINISH

2 Painting the main subjectsMix boiled linseed oil and the appro­

priate shades of artist's oil tube paints foreach color. An old plastic container lidmakes a good palette. Brush on the paintwith a wide artist's brush (right). Wipeoff the paint with a rag or paper towel.The graining marks you made in the woodearlier with the scalpel or craft knife willabsorb more stain and darken. To lightenthe tone, rub harder. To make an areadarker, rub off less paint and apply moreas necessary. Also give the trees, rocks,and fence a light coat.

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132

1Brushing on the sealerMix up a small quantity of sealer

from 6 parts flat lacquer, 3 parts sandingsealer, and 1 part lacquer thinner andpour a bit into a shallow dish. With al-inch-wide paintbrush, cover the work­piece with a thin coat of the mixture (left).

This will give the whole object an antiquedbrownish hue.

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4 Adding fine detailsSome of the finer details made by the

punch (page 94) will go unnoticed unlessaccentuated by paint. Use a fine-tippedbrush to fill in each of the punched leaves(left). Also paint in the flowers and grass.

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FINISHING

3 Painting the darker elementsOften certain areas must be painted

in, such as the dark shadows of the opendoorways in the illustration at right. Createa simple palette to allow you to blendthe appropriate shades as needed-inthis case, light and dark brown. Put a fewdrops of linseed oil on the lid occasional­ly to moisten your brush.

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APPLYING AWATER-BASED STAIN FINISH

1Mixing the paintsBlend the necessary colors to pro­

duce the right shade. Pour a bit of eachcolor into a small vessel. Mix the twotogether a little at a time. Check thecolor by painting a bit on a scrap pieceof the same stock you used for the carv­ing (above). Experiment with the colorsuntil you find the right shade.

2 Painting the figureApply the stain evenly over the fig­

ure (right). Since the wood is not sealed,the stain should all be absorbed readilyinto the wood.

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134

3 Buffing the figureWhen using a stain that contains

emulsified wax (see page 129), the finalstep is buffing. Once the stain has dried,use a soft-bristled brush to bring out theshine. Rub the brush lightly but rapidly,getting the bristles into the smallestcracks and crevices.

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FINISHING

5HOP riPCreating an antique finishAn antique look can be created by simulat­ing the way a finish of an old piece tendsto wear off at the high points. This methodworks best with stains. Simply brush on thestain, then follow up by rubbing lightly with alint-free rag. The stain will be dark­er in the cracks and crevices,but all the wood will getsome effect. Sincethe wood gets darkerthe longer the stain is ".,left on, work on onesection at a time,brushing on the stain,then rubbing it off.This will preventuneven coloring.

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FINISHING

2 Applying the foundation colorsSqueeze some of the required colors onto a plastic lid to make your palette.

In the case of this female bufflehead, all that is needed is brown and white. Brushthe paint onto the duck with brown on top and white on the belly (above). Many carversprefer to hold small carvings in one hand while painting with the other. This makes iteasier to manipulate the workpiece while you paint. Because the paint dries so fastthere is usually no problem of soiling your fingers.

PAINTING COLORED FIGURES

1Applying the base coatSeal the wood with a thin coat of lacquer. Flat lacquer from a spray can works

well (see Shop Tip, page 131). Next, mix up a batch of gesso, following the manu­facturer's instructions. The material should be nearly clear, not opaque. Then brushon a thin coat of the gesso (above). This will prepare the surface for the paint.

Creating the incredible realism ofthisred-tailed hawk demands more thanskillful technique. A thorough study ofthe subject through photographs-oreven better, live models-is neces­sary. This bird was carved and paint­ed by Harold Westgate, ofEndwell,New York. The illustrations at rightand on page 137 demonstrate sometricks for painting a simpler decoy­a female bufflehead-with acrylicpaint. While painting can add the cor­rect calor, the feathered texture mustcome from preliminary woodburning(see page 105). To see what the fin­ished decoy looks like, see page 96.

4 Using a wide brushSome special effects, like the out­

ward splay of certain feathers, are bestcreated with a wide brush. To paint thefeathers, first load the brush with paint,then wipe off the excess. Set the brushdown at the tip of the feathers. Pressdown to make the bristles spread outslightly while at the same time movingthe brush away from the tip. As you pullthe brush back, lighten the pressure tolet the bristles come back together. It isa good idea to practice this movement onpaper or scrap wood until you perfect it.

FINISHING

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3 Adding fine detailsUse a very fine brush to add the del­

icate detai Is such as the white cheek"whiskers" and the shading of the feathertips (right). Load the brush very lightly toprovide maximum control. Several lightapplications are better than a singleheavy one. Also, when possible, let theheel of your hand rest on the workpieceto help steady it.

FINISHING

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Bronze powder is an inexpensivealternative to applyinggilding withgold leaf, yet it yields nearly thesame result. The sign at left was firstpainted with a green opaque stain,then the border and letters werefinished with bronze powder.

it to cure. Drying times vary for different brands, so checkthe manufacturer's instructions; some take minutes to cure,while others require up to 12 hours. Once the size is tacky it isready for the bronze powder.

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GILDING WITH BRONZE POWDER

1 Brushing on the sizeThe bronze powder is bonded to the wood with "size", a

special water-based adhesive used for gilding. The powder willstick to the size and not the bare wood. Use a very fine brushto apply the size only where you want to gild (above), then allow

Painting on the bronzing liquidAs an alternative to bronze powder, mix upa batch of bronze paint by blending bronz­ing liquid and bronze powder accordingto the manufacturer's instructions. Use avery fine brush to apply the mixture (left).When lettering, do not brush on the painttoo thickly or it will tend to pool in the bot­tom and ruin the sharpness of the letters.

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FINISHING

GILDING WITH BRONZING LIQUID

2 Applying the bronze powderBronze powder is applied with a spe­

cial fine-bristled brush. To load the brush,simply dip it into the container of pow­der. A fair amount will stick to the brushthrough static electricity. Move the brushover the workpiece then sprinkle it ontothe size by tapping the brush with yourindex finger (right). Do not let the brushcome in contact with the wood. Removeexcess powder by turning the workpieceover and giving it a few taps; the excessshould all fall off. Do this over a largesheet of clean paper to make it easier torecover the powder for reuse.

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A-B-C-DArtist's rolors: Rich, colored pigmentsmixed in linseed oil; u ed to tint oil­based stains for relief carvings.

Auxiliary fence: A wooden face fixed toa tool's rip fence that serves to attachaccessories and prevent accidental dam­age to the metal fence.

Bench hook: A lipped jig positionedagainst the edge of a work surface tohold chip carving blanks steady forincised work.

Bench stone: Any oilstone or water­stone used for hand-sharpening chiselsand other carving tools.

Blank: A piece of solid or glued-upwood used to create a carving.

Bolster: The enlarged portion of acarving tool's blade next to the handle.

Bronze powder: Metallic, powderedpigment used as a sub titute for goldleaf in gilding incised letters or archi­tectural carvings.

Buffing: Polishing a harpened edgeto a mirror-like finish using a clothwheel impregnated with fine abrasive.

Burr: A small ridge of metal that formson the flat face of a tool blade duringsharpening.

Carpenter's mallet: A wooden malletwith two flat, angled faces that offersmore control when striking carvingchisels vertically.

GLOSSARY

Carver's mallet: A cylindrical malletwith a rounded face that can be heldat any angle to the work; particularlyuseful when working with gouges.

Carver's screw: A commercial orshop-made screw used to fasten aworkpiece to a bench.

Carving in the round: The techniqueof carving free- tanding, three-dimen­sional subjects that can be viewed fromall side, e.g., busts or wild-life carvings.

Chip carving: An inci ed carving tech­nique in which de igns are createdwith patterns of small, inverted pyra­mids cut into the wood urface.

Chisel: A flat-bladed gouge u ed toshape convex surfaces, remove back­ground, and carve fine detail work.

Cross-grain cut: A cut made perpen­dicular to the grain direction.

Defining cut: A cut made in reliefcarving along the edge of a wastearea to eparate it from the area tobe left intact.

E-F-G-H-I-J-KEdge joining: The process of makingone wide board by gluing a number ofnarrow boards together edge to edge.

End grain: The arrangement anddirection of the wood fiber at theends of a board.

Ferrule: A metal ring that tightensaround the end of the handle of acarving tool to prevent splitting.

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Foundation color: The coat of acrylicpaint applied to a wildlife carvingafter the undercoat and before finerdetails are added.

Gel stain: A blend of pigments and dyessuspended in a gel that becomes liquidwhen stirred; ideal for wood carvingsbecause it hides the grain and seal thewood, leaving a uniform calor.

Gesso: A mixture of chalk and hideglue applied as a special undercoat tocarvings before painting or gilding tohelp the paint bond.

Gilding: The traditional technique ofapplying gold leaf to carvings; artificialgold powders made from a bronzealloy can be used as a substitute.

Gimlet: A small hand auger with atapered bit; u ed for pre-drilling carv­ing blanks to accept a carver's screw.

Gouge: A carving tool with a curvedsweep; struck with a mallet to shapeconcave surfaces.

Grain: The direction, size, and arrange­ment of the fibers that make up apiece of wood; specifically, the align­ment of wood fibers with respect tothe axis of the tree trunk.

Hold-down: Any commercial or shop­made clamp that secures carvingblanks to a work surface.

Incised carving: The technique ofcarving an image in wood by removingthe waste in intersecting angled cuts,usually between I/S and 1/4 inch deep.

Jig: A device for guiding a tool or hold­ing a workpiece in position.

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L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-SLacquer: A tough, clear, quick-dryingsynthetic finish available in flat orglossy finishes; the former is ideal forchip carvings.

Low relief carving: A relief carvingtechnique that uses undercutting, tex­turing, and manipulation ofperspectivebetween background and foregroundon a relatively flat workpiece to createthe illusion of depth.

Pantograph: A commercial jig used toenlarge or reduce a carving pattern.

Paring: Slicing away thin shavingsfrom a carving surface with a chisel.

Pounce wheel: A tailoring tool with awheel rimmed by tiny teeth; used incarving in the round to simulate stitches.

Punch: Small, shop-made imprintingtools designed to create small textureslike grass and leaves on relief carvings.

Release cut: A preliminary incisionfrom the edge of a workpiece to a lineabout to be cut; allows the tool tofacilitate tighter turns by removingthe waste wood.

Relief carving: The technique ofcarving that elevates the design intoprominence by removing all the sur­rounding wood.

Rosette: A popular ornamental chipcarving design with limitless geo­metric variations dating back topre-Christian Europe.

Roughing in: In carving in the round,creating broad details on a subjectthat will later be refined with finercarving tools.

Roughing out: The initial stage incarving in the round where the basicshape is established by carving awaythe waste.

Serif: The small decorative tails,flourishes, or hooks at the ends ofletters in certain typefaces.

Side pocket: In wildlife carving, thebulge created by the rib cage of a bird.

Size: A special adhesive for bondinggold leaf and bronze powder to wood;also known as sizing.

Spokeshave: A hand tool with anadjustable cutter for haping curvedsurfaces.

Stop cut: In inci ed carving, a cutmade to free one edge of a waste piecethat will be removed by a subsequentintersecting cut.

Strop: A strip of leather dressed witha fine abrasive to polish the cuttingedges of gouges, chisels, and othercarving tools.

Surgical knife: A knife with a blademade from very high quality steelthat cuts and sharpens better than astandard hobby knife.

Sweep: The curvature or angle of thecutting edge of a chisel.

T-U-V-W-X-Y-ZTang: The portion of a chisel's bladefixed inside the handle.

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Tearout: The tendency of a blade orcutter to tear wood fibers.

Template: A pattern used to guide atool in reproducing identical copiesof a piece.

Tenon: A protrusion from the end ofa workpiece that fits into a mortise.

Tung oil: A natural, water-resistantdrying oil derived from the seeds ofthe tung tree; available in pure, modi­fied, and polymerized forms.

Undercutting: Trimming away a smallquantity ofwaste from beneath the edgeof a raised detail, thus defining thedetail and adding depth to the carving.

V-Tool: A chisel with a V-shapedsweep; useful for carving deep linesand corners.

Veiner: A gouge with an extreme,U- haped sweep.

Volute: An S-shaped scroll whoseradius tightens toward its ends; foundin acanthus leaves and shell designspopular in Queen Anne and Regencyfurniture styles.

Waste: Wood carved away from thedesired form.

Wood burning: A finishing processthat imparts both color and textureto wildlife carvings by charring thewood with an electric tool.

Wood movement: The shrinkingor swelling of wood in reaction tochanges in relative humidity.

Pag referenc in italics indicat anillu tration ofsubject matt r. Pagr fi r nc in bold indicate a Build ItYour elf proj ct.

-B-C-D-canthu leave , 44, 69phabet , front endpaper, 62

Barnyard ene, 68, 80-81Ba kground, 82-83Final d tailing, 94-95

ini hing, 130, 132-133oreground,84-85ain elements, 86- 8d tailing, 92-93

hingl ,90-91arton, ayn, 6-7

B nch dog, 34B n h ton ,back endpap rBord r

hip car ing, 58-61orn r ction, 61

Br nz po der, 127, 13 -1 9Build It ur elf

nch grinding tation 25Bench hook jig ,53

arv r' mallets 8- 9ar ing arm 30 36arving tand, 36-37,84

ug -grinding jig , 28Bullru h cene, 38, 43

arp nt r' bu t, 97, 106Fin I d tailing, 125Fini hing, 129, 134-135

cr ating an antique fini h( hop Tip), 135

Head,114-115ear , 123-124eye , 119-122face, 106, 115, 116-122facial proportion 10

Preparing the blank, 10 -110

I DEX

Roughing in th form, 111-113Template 107,10,109

Carver' re 4Carving arm 0, 3Carving in the r undo ee

Carpent r bust; u k de 0

Carving tand 6-37) 4Chip carving 4 - 9

Ba i u ,50curved ut, 53triangl ) 3 42,50-52

Bench hook jig , 53Border ,5 -61

corn r ti n , 61Fini he 127, 129, 130-131Ro ette 4 54-55

he agonal) 5 , 56-57Chi el 1 14-15

Hand! ,15Protecting th blad back

endpaperhar eninb n h t n 2grinder 23-2

ize 16-17"eep 16-17

Clamp, 19, 1 5Bench do ,34Carv r' cr ,4Carving arm 30) 36Car ing t nd 6-37, 84

Combination tr p , ba k endpap rConcav ha ,3, 41-42Conve hap 9-40

Triangle , 38, 42De ign principle 44De ign. ee Patt rnDirection of c ing, 38Dra kni e 1

142

Duck de oy,96- 7,9 -99B dy and wing 101-103Fini hing, 126, 129) 136-137

o dburned texture, 105,126 136

He d,103-105e e 100, 104, 105

Preparing th blank, 1001i mplat 99, 100

- - - -J- -LFa ,97

Pr p rti n , 106e al 0 arp nt r' bu t

Fan carving , 70Fini h ,1291i hniqu, 71-79

Fini h ,127 129Bronz po d r, 127, 138-139Color d fini h , 12 ,129 136-1 7L qu r) 127, 12 ,129, 130-1 1

u ing la quer pray ( hopTip), 131

il-ba d fini h ,128, 1 9,132-133

t r-ba d tain, 128 1291 4-135

cr tin an antique fini h( hop Tip) 135

ilding, 127 138-139G ug , 13, 14-15

Hand! ,15Prot ting the blade , back

endpaperh rp ning,29gouge-grinding jig, 28

iz ,16-17eep ) 16-17

rinding t chnique 12In i d arving. ee Chip carving'

L tteringIn the round carving. ee Carp n­

ter' bu l' uck decoy

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JigsBench hook jigs, 53Carving arms, 30, 36Carving stands, 36-37,84Gouge-grinding jigs, 28Sharpening-stone holders

(Shop Tip), 24Joseph, Tommy, 10-11Knives, 13, 14-15

Chip carving, 50Sharpening, 22

Kona, Ted, 8-9Lacquer, 127, 128, 129, 130-131

lTsinglacquerspray(ShopTip),131

Lettering, 62Angled cuts, 65Curved cuts, 66, 67Finishes, 127,129,138-139Old English alphabet, front

endpaperSerifs, 64Signs, 63-67

curved layout (Shop Tip), 63sanding, 62

M-N-O-P-Q-RMallets, front endpaper, 13, 18-19, 19Old English alphabet, front endpaperPantographs, 45Patterns

Laying out, 44Scaled, 44, 45Transferring to workpiece, 31,

46-47,71barnyard scene, 80carpenter's bust, 108-110carving through a paper pattern

(Shop Tip), 47duck decoy, 100lettering, 64retracing, 72

Planes (tools), 18Pounce wheels, 125

Punches, 19, 95Shop-made punches (Shop

Tip),95Push knives, 18Rasps, 18Relief carving, 38, 43, 69

Bullrush scene, 38, 43Clamping, 34Fans and shells, 70

technique, 71-79Finishes, 127, 129lTndercutting, 68See also Barnyard scene

Riffiers, 18Rosettes, 48, 54-55

Hexagonal,55, 56-57

S-T-U-VSafety precautions, 31Sharpening techniques, 20

Grinding, 12Knives, 22Tools and accessories, 21

bench grinding stations, 25benchstones, back endpapercombination strops, back

endpapergouge-grinding jigs, 28sharpening-stone holders

(Shop Tip), 24Shell carvings, 70

Finishes, 129Technique, 71-79

Shop TipsCarving through a paper pattern,

47Finishes, 131, 135Securing workbenches, 35Sharpening-stone holders, 24Shop-made punches, 95Signs, 63

Signs. See LetteringSpokeshaves, 18

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Tools, 18-19Finishing, 128Pantographs, 45Pounce wheels, 125Punches, 19, 95

shop-made punches (ShopTip),95

Sharpening tools and accessories,21

bench grinding stations, 25benchstones, back endpapercombination strops, back

endpapergouge-grinding jigs, 28sharpening-stone holders

(Shop Tip), 24Wooden mallets, front endpaper,

13,18-19,19See also Chisels; Gouges; Knives;

V-parting toolsTriangles

Chip carving, 38, 42, 50-52V-parting tools, 14

Handles, 15Protecting blades, back endpaperSharpening, 27Sizes, 16-17Sweeps, 16-17

W-X-y-ZWildlife carvings, 136

See also Duck decoyWood burners, 19Woodburning

Duck decoy, 105, 126, 136Wooden mallets, front endpaper, 13,

18-19,19Woods, 31, 32

Grain,38Workbenches

Securing (Shop Tip), 35Workshops, 31, 33

Securing workbenches (ShopTip),35

ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThe editors wish to thank the following:

CARVING TOOLSDelta International Machinery/Porter-Cable, Guelph, Ont.; Diamond Machinery Technology Inc.,

Marlborough, MA; Garrett Wade Company, New York, NY; Great eck Saw Mfrs. Inc.(Buck Bros. Division), Millbury, MA; Lee Valley Tools, Ltd., Ottawa, Ont.;

Stanley Tools, Division of the Stanley Works, New Britain, CT; Woodcraft Supply Corp., Parkersburg, WV

GETTING STARTEDAdjustable Clamp Co., Chicago, IL; Great Neck Saw Mfrs. Inc. (Buck Bros. Division),

Millbury, MA; Lee Valley Tools, Ltd., Ottawa, Ont.

INCISED CARVINGAdjustable Clamp Co., Chicago, IL; American Tool Cos., Lincoln, NE;

Wayne Barton, Park Ridge, IL; Record Tools, Inc., Pickering, Ont.

RELIEF CARVINGAdjustable Clamp Co., Chicago, IL; Great Neck Saw Mfrs. Inc. (Buck Bros. Division), Millbury, MA;

Stanley Tools, Division of the Stanley Works, New Britain, CT; Tool Trend Ltd., Concord, Ont.

CARVING IN THE ROUNDAdjustable Clamp Co., Chicago, 11; Delta International Machinery/Porter-Cable, Guelph, Ont.;

Great eck Saw Mfrs. Inc. (Buck Bros. Division), Millbury, MA

FINISHINGLes Decorateurs de Montreal Ltee, Montreal, Que.; Olde Mill Cabinet Shoppe, York, PA;

Harold Westgate, Endwell, NY

The following persons also assisted in the preparation of this book:

Lorraine Dore, Alan Flegg, Ed Gallenstein, Martin Jones, Giles Miller-Mead,Ron Sheetz, Pauline Van Sertima

PICTURE CREDITSCover Robert Chartier

6,7 Andy Goodwin8,9 Ed Homonylo/Mammoth

10,11 Mark Kelley49 Courtesy Alpine School ofWoodcarving

70 Courtesy Henry Francis Du Pont Winterthur Museum136 Courtesy Wildfowl Carvings

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