---- Chris Pye: WOODCARVING - NEWSLETTER ---- June 2004 http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com "Dedicated to the teaching, learning and love of woodcarving" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please forward this newsletter to a woodcarving friend, and anyone else you think might be interested. Thanks! This is an opt-in newsletter and you should only be receiving it because you requested it from the website, or were sent it by a friend. Subscribe or Unsubscribe easily on the home page here: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/ or using the link at the end of the newsletter. ****Back issues here: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/intro/pastnews.html including zipfiles for 2001, 2002 & 2003 newsletters ============================================================ Hello Everyone! CONTENTS: 1. Website News New Inspiration 2. Quick Carving Questions 1) Gravewoods? 2) Carving benches for stone & wood? 3) Finishing? 4) Tropical Hardwoods? 3. Follow up: Bandsaw Blades 4. Superglue Tip: Joe DeAngelis 5. Article: Notes from a Tool Maker by Mike Komick Website Bookmarks at the end. List of Slipstones Woodcarving Manuals Teaching __________________________________________ 1. WEBSITE NEWS __________________________________________ 1) NEW INSPIRATION! Thanks very much to Colin Bourner for the inspiration this month, a coat of arms in Oak, about 14" x 12" and carved by the man would set me on the path to carving: Gino Masero This is what Colin says: "I am a cabinet maker and wood machinist by trade. I met Gino in my furniture shop in Battle, Sussex in the early 70's when I was a partner in a company called Europine making Pine Furniture in Mount Street. Gino wanted a 3ft Welsh Dresser and I suggested a swop for a carving of "my" coat of arms. In 1973, we used to sell a 3ft Welsh Dresser to the trade for £25,and we charged £50 retail through our shop. Gino raved about our furniture which he admired whereas I raved about his carvings. Somewhere in the middle we were both excellent at what we did but to my mind his was talent from the gods. In essence, I was a very competent tradesman. He was a genius." See it here: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/gallery/g_inspiration.html I think it's the fluid, competent use of the tools that inspire. He was unbelievably quick and would definitely and quite modestly, thought he got the better bargain! __________________________________________ 2. QUICK CARVING QUESTIONS __________________________________________ **** QUESTION 1: GRAVEWOOD? **** "I'm looking for advice on the possibility of carving a gravestone in wood. It would be full size, approx 2'6" above the ground and my preferred wood is Oak. Have you any tips/suggestions about this project? In particular I'm interested in the need for preservative treatment of Oak." **** ANSWER **** I have actually done this: carving a 'gravestone' in Oak, and as far as I know it's still there... Wood will rot if it is embedded in the earth - that's the principle problem I worried about. I know you can soak the lower end in fence post preservative but I chose to have mine lifted away from the ground. The shape was rectangular with a rounded top and I had framed it in thick brass strip which itself extended into the ground. The bottom edge of the 'gravewood' was thus a few inches above soil level with a groove beneath, like you have on a window sill, to encourage water to drip away. I soaked it all well in linseed oil. =================================== **** QUESTION 2: CARVING BENCHES? **** "I've recently started carving and I am looking for a plan for a workbench to hold down both wood and stone. Do you have any suggestions?" **** ANSWER **** Yes indeed - buy my book Woodcarving Tools Materials & Equipment vol 1! http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/writing/w_bk1.html You'll find details on benches therein. There won't be a lot of difference between the bench you need for wood compared to stone in height and construction, but you do need to allow for different ways of holding the different materials. (For example you wouldn't clamp stone.) You want to make sure the benches are weighted down well. The danger in sharing benches is that stone bits and grit will damage the edges of your carving tools so you may like to consider a false top for when you use one or the other. =================================== **** QUESTION 3: FINISHING WOOD? **** "I have carved a misericord in lime and wish to finish it in a dark oak shade - something like Colron Wood Dye-Jacobean Dark Oak. My intention is to seal the wood with diluted Garnet polish - less orange than Button - stain, add a few coats of Danish oil and then wax. Any problems with this sequence or are there better alternative methods? - your Woodcarving Tools,Materials & Equipment book has left me somewhat confused on this subject." **** ANSWER **** I only cover a few basic finishing methods in my book - ones, however, that work for 95% of every carving I do. For the rest I do give - and give again - the very best piece of advice: Whatever you do, test it on a similar piece of wood first! =================================== **** QUESTION 4: TROPICAL HARDWOODS? **** "I have always loved working with exotic hardwoods. Could you share with me some tips on the proper tools and different methods you would use?" **** ANSWER **** Sorry, I have little experience of exotic hardwoods - you probably know more than I do! I do know that the dust of many can be toxic to lungs and skin; and for hardness you may need a less acute bevel than normal - and that's about it. **PLEASE SEND IN YOUR COMMENTS AND TIPS FOR A FOLLOW UP NEXT MONTH! __________________________________________ 3. FOLLOW UP: __________________________________________ Bandsaw Blades (April 04) - Thanks to David Mac Donald R & D makes a carving blade which has a slightly wider kerf and it works well for me. I would like to share the source of these blades in which I have no investment other than my satisfaction: R & D Bandsaws 42 Regan Rd., Unit 17 & 18 Brampton, Ontario Canada L7A 1B4 Toll Free order desk: 1 -- 800 461 3895 __________________________________________ 4. SUPERGLUE TIP: Joe DeAngelis __________________________________________ Just a short message to follow up on Chris's request to submit a woodcarving experience/tip for this great newsletter: If I've made a boo-boo or found a defect in the wood that causes me to break off a delicate appendage, I apply super glue topped with baking soda while the glue is still "wet". With this I can build up more substantial, replacement material. It's strong and I grind and shape to the desired effect with a rotary carver. Works for me! Joe DeAngelis email: joejan@pa.net Web Site: http://user.pa.net/~joejan *** ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SHARE AN EXPERIENCE OR TIP? Just write... __________________________________________ 5. ARTICLE: SOME NOTES FROM A TOOL MAKER by Mike Komick __________________________________________ SOME NOTES FROM A TOOL MAKER by Mike Komick Preferred Edge Carving Knives I originally studied metallurgy and have been working in the metal trades, in total, for thirty-eight years: welder, welding instructor and welding inspector. While working in a correctional facility, I was asked to make carving knives for the Native Brotherhood. It was here that my fascination with tool making began. When my contract ended, eighteen months later, I worked for Finning, a heavy equipment dealer. During this time I gave making tools serious interest, pursuing it as my hobby. Five years I was laid off and decided I'd have a go at making tools full time. I was helped out with a Self Employment program which gave me some marketing skills. My primary product is still Native style carving knives and related tools. I'd like to thank Richard Baker Sr. of the Coast Salish, Squamish First Nations for inspiring me to pursue my dreams of being a good tool maker and pushing me to go to the next level. Acquiring the proper steel to make the tools is the first step. I use tool steel; this has a high carbon (0.85%) and high nickel content (2.85%). The carbon give it the hardness and the nickel gives it ductility. The two together give the edge its toughness. I shape out the metal with a plasma torch - not a low-tech forge. Next, I grind away the excess metal with a grinder and follow this with files to clean off the grinding marks, a process which almost sharpens the blade In turn, I wet/dry (220 grit) sandpaper away the file marks. At this point the blade is ready to be shaped and heat treated. I heat the blade to a cherry red - and if need be put any curve in the length. While it is still red, I dunk the blade in an oil bath - this quenching hardens the blade. I then put my hardened blades into an oven at 400 degrees for an hour - this tempers the blade and relieves any stress in the metal. The whole process hardens my knives to RC 57+. Cooled blades are taken from the oven for polishing. I start by getting the scale off with 220 grit, then work through 320, 400, 600, 800, 1000 and 1500 grits to a final 2000. The polished extremely sharp knives are mounted in yellow cedar handles in the traditional Native Brotherhood way. Each one is checked over for defects and I have no hesitation to unquestionably guarantee my knives for a year. My list of customers for whom I have made tools is now long and includes famous carvers Simon Dick, Nathan Jackson, Simone Charlie, Ross Hunt and Calvin Hunt. Dick’s Fine Tools, a tool retailer in Metten, Germany, also carries Preferred Edge Carving Tools. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Copyright 2004 Mike Komick Preferred Edge Carving Tools & Supplies http://www.preferrededge.ca Michael & Louise Komick 21911 Wicklow Way Maple Ridge, B.C. V2X 3A8 Canada. mike@preferrededge.ca Phone (toll free) 1 888 - 811- 5551 Fax 604 463 - 4395 ===================================================== That's all for this month! Joy and success in your carving! Chris Pye ------------------------- PS: One for the bench: "I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent; curiosity, obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism have brought me to my ideas." ~ Albert Einstein ____________________________________________________________ SOME WEBSITE BOOKMARKS ____________________________________________________________ ----------------- SLIPSTONES WOODCARVING MANUALS Over 16,350 copies of these ebooks have been downloaded in the last 13 months. Full list and details: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/index.html * Quick Carving Questions - 1 http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/qcq1.html (Sponsored by Tools for Working Wood: http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/) * The Accomplished V Tool 1 - Free evaluation copy http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/v1.html * Learning to Carve - Free eBook http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/learncarving.html * A Guide to Safe Woodcarving - Free eBook http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/safecarving.html * Mistakes and Woodcarving - Free eBook http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/mistakes.html * Fundamentals of Woodcarving - Free eBook http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/fundamentals.html *Slicing, And The Value Of The Inside Bevel With The Chris Pye #2 1/2 Finishing Gouges From Ashley Iles - Free pdf http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/slipstones/slicing.html ----------------- TEACHING * UK (1-TO-1 PERSONAL TUITION) Full details here: http://www.chrispye-woodcarving.com/tuition/t_custom.html Single day: £150 3 days: £360 5 days: £495 Lunch included. Local B&Bs in a very beautiful part of England... * USA (CENTER FOR FURNITURE CRAFTSMANSHIP, MAINE) http://www.woodschool.org/ Sept 20 - 24 Ornamental carving (Mouldings) Sept 27 - Oct 1 Relief Carving Oct 4 - 9 Carving Tutorial Full details to be announced. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Copyright (c) Chris Pye 2004 Chris@chrispye-woodcarving.com ----------------------- -----------------------