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What’s on your carving/embellishing bench?

Finished with the pyrography/sanding on the little box, and am now applying color. This is the rewarding, yet tedious part of the project. I chose 7 different colors (watercolor brush pens), some that complement the Bocote, and then a few to add some color pop and contrast. Aside from the challenge of staying within the lines, haha, it can be difficult to maintain a random distribution of color. At this point, around 60% of the triangles are colored. Following the coloring, I will seal the wood, and then carve/sand the finial.

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Another project I'm working on is a demo Shreddies bowl. This one is Black Locust. I have laid out the rectangles (shreddies), and rough carved the rim. The bottom of the bowl is also prepared. Next step is to use files and fine diamond burrs to refine the rim. Then, I will relief carve the shreddies, do a bunch of pyrography, and then paint/ink the exterior. I will leave the interior natural. I'll do this bowl in sections, so I can show each step of the process. Using this for a demonstration with the Appleridge Woodturners this Monday (April 28th--if you're in the Ellijay, GA area, come on out).

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Nice! Ok, so what is the penny for?

Michael Anderson said:
Finished with the pyrography/sanding on the little box, and am now applying color. This is the rewarding, yet tedious part of the project. I chose 7 different colors (watercolor brush pens), some that complement the Bocote, and then a few to add some color pop and contrast. Aside from the challenge of staying within the lines, haha, it can be difficult to maintain a random distribution of color. At this point, around 60% of the triangles are colored. Following the coloring, I will seal the wood, and then carve/sand the finial.

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I like this piece. It looks like something thats been floating in the water a while and sea grass has grown on it. Waterline falls naturally at the widest part.
 
David Wyke said:
First attempt at carving something on a HF. I was going to add flowers at the top and some color but figured I better not push it and just stick with weeds 😁.
The lacquer showed some of the ink left in the grain so I may go back over the carving and make it a little deeper this week.
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Wow! Fantastic piece!
 
David Wyke said:
First attempt at carving something on a HF. I was going to add flowers at the top and some color but figured I better not push it and just stick with weeds 😁.
The lacquer showed some of the ink left in the grain so I may go back over the carving and make it a little deeper this week.
View attachment 75033

View attachment 75034
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Next time, try using black gesso, rather than ink. Gesso is a chalky medium that artists use to the prep their canvas before painting. It comes in white or black. It sits on the surface, doesn’t penetrate into the grain, and sands well. You can remove the paint brush lines with a light 220 or 320 grit abrasive, followed by a buffing using 4/0 steel wool. And very easy to carve through using carving tools, either hand held, reciprocating carving tools, or rotary chisel or Manpa carvers held in a micro motor handpiece.
 
Donna Banfield said:
Next time, try using black gesso, rather than ink. Gesso is a chalky medium that artists use to the prep their canvas before painting. It comes in white or black. It sits on the surface, doesn’t penetrate into the grain, and sands well. You can remove the paint brush lines with a light 220 or 320 grit abrasive, followed by a buffing using 4/0 steel wool. And very easy to carve through using carving tools, either hand held, reciprocating carving tools, or rotary chisel or Manpa carvers held in a micro motor handpiece.
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Donna, have you ever sprayed gesso? I'm not sure how much you'd have to thin it, but would it work in an airbrush?
 
Donna Banfield said:
Next time, try using black gesso, rather than ink. Gesso is a chalky medium that artists use to the prep their canvas before painting. It comes in white or black. It sits on the surface, doesn’t penetrate into the grain, and sands well. You can remove the paint brush lines with a light 220 or 320 grit abrasive, followed by a buffing using 4/0 steel wool. And very easy to carve through using carving tools, either hand held, reciprocating carving tools, or rotary chisel or Manpa carvers held in a micro motor handpiece.
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I’ll definitely check out black gesso. Do you think black milk paint would also work?
I need more information on carving, tools used like micro carvers, and should start a thread asking these questions here and on the WoW site. It’s something I like and plan to do more of and hoping to take a carving class this summer.
I had to use three coats of the India ink, sanded the first coat and used 0000 steel wool on the next two coats to get the coverage required, smooth it out, and take the sheen down.

I’ve look at this one https://www.woodworkingshop.com/product/pg34540/ at my local wood products store but it only goes to 35,000 rpm’s so not sure that is fast enough.
 
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Walker Westbrook said:
Donna, have you ever sprayed gesso? I'm not sure how much you'd have to thin it, but would it work in an airbrush?
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Gesso is pretty thick to run through an airbrush. And thinning it enough to use an airbrush would require multiple coats. If you really wanted to spray it, I would recommend an air gun. Much larger needle/sprayer.

But it's really simple to apply the Gesso on the piece while it is still on the lathe. Just run the lathe at the slowest speed, while holding the brush, and move it slowly from foot to rim. Let it dry for about an hour or two, re-apply if necessary. Let that dry and then sand it smooth. If you sand too much, just repeat the first steps.
 
David Wyke said:
I’ll definitely check out black gesso. Do you think black milk paint would also work?
I need more information on carving, tools used like micro carvers, and should start a thread asking these questions here and on the WoW site. It’s something I like and plan to do more of and hoping to take a carving class this summer.
I had to use three coats of the India ink, sanded the first coat and used 0000 steel wool on the next two coats to get the coverage required, smooth it out, and take the sheen down.

I’ve look at this one https://www.woodworkingshop.com/product/pg34540/ at my local wood products store but it only goes to 35,000 rpm’s so not sure that is fast enough.
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Milk paint will absolutely work. And the great thing about milk paint is that you have a variety of colors. It's best to buy the powdered and mix only what you think you will need for that session. The powdered material has a very long shelf life provided you keep the bag well sealed. Once you mix the powdered medium with water, the shelf life is about 3-4 hours. Kimberly Winkle is the master of using Milk Paint. I recall that she wrote an article for American Woodturner, the Journal of the AAW a few years ago. It's worth a search for that article if you are a member.

Just a cautionary note - do not buy the General Finishes pre-mixed products that are labeled 'Milk Paint'. Because they are not milk paint. That is a marketing scheme. Their product is an acrylic paint, and that product does not act like the real thing. It is very hard to sand smooth.
 
David Wyke said:
I’ll definitely check out black gesso. Do you think black milk paint would also work?
I need more information on carving, tools used like micro carvers, and should start a thread asking these questions here and on the WoW site. It’s something I like and plan to do more of and hoping to take a carving class this summer.
I had to use three coats of the India ink, sanded the first coat and used 0000 steel wool on the next two coats to get the coverage required, smooth it out, and take the sheen down.

I’ve look at this one https://www.woodworkingshop.com/product/pg34540/ at my local wood products store but it only goes to 35,000 rpm’s so not sure that is fast enough.
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That micro motor handpiece is fine for running either the Manpa cutters, found here Manpa cutters or rotary chisel cutters, found here rotary chisel. Both carving bits are very aggressive and should be used with great care. When I use them, the piece I'm carving is still held in the chuck, so that both hands are holding the carver.

Use eye protection and keep speeds within the recommended limits for each bit. You also need to check your bit in the collet of your handpiece. With use, the bit will 'walk out of' the handpiece. You will need to check the bit regularly to re-insert it back into the collet of your handpiece. If you don't, the bit will eventually get so far out, that very little of the shank is left in the collet, and rotation from use will bend the shank.
 
David Wyke said:
I’ve look at this one https://www.woodworkingshop.com/product/pg34540/ at my local wood products store but it only goes to 35,000 rpm’s so not sure that is fast enough.
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You might want to look at this. More money but I think in the long run will be more satisfying . There are some now more versatile for bits and more powerful. Got started on this one from Dixie Biggs and Sammy Long uses them in his classes.
https://www.woodcarverssupply.com/Micro-Motor-Tools/products/72/
 
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David Wyke said:
I’ll definitely check out black gesso. Do you think black milk paint would also work?
I need more information on carving, tools used like micro carvers, and should start a thread asking these questions here and on the WoW site. It’s something I like and plan to do more of and hoping to take a carving class this summer.
I had to use three coats of the India ink, sanded the first coat and used 0000 steel wool on the next two coats to get the coverage required, smooth it out, and take the sheen down.

I’ve look at this one https://www.woodworkingshop.com/product/pg34540/ at my local wood products store but it only goes to 35,000 rpm’s so not sure that is fast enough.
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Take a look at the Ram line of micro motors. They have a Cube size as well. I started with a Ram BP-50 and have since upgraded to he BP-HST. No complaints of either . Great machines. The only reason I upgraded was because I wanted the 1/4” handle on the same machine. Not a fan of Foredom type carvers, and with thr HST you get both. Good luck.
 
Michael Anderson said:
Thanks Mike! The penny serves as a spin bearing.
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I'm waiting for the video. I can't quite picture how to incorporate a penny as a bearing.

Michael Anderson said:
Totally a gimmick, but what else are you going to do with a penny 😂
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One use for a penny is to show scale:

tiny_things_B_cs.jpg

Another use is to save for retirement. No, wait, I retired almost 20 years ago and I forgot to save the penny...

JKJ
 
John K Jordan said:
I'm waiting for the video. I can't quite picture how to incorporate a penny as a bearing.



One use for a penny is to show scale:

View attachment 75070

Another use is to save for retirement. No, wait, I retired almost 20 years ago and I forgot to save the penny...

JKJ
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Lovely! Fit for a mouse king. :)

Here is a link to the gallery post: https://www.aawforum.org/community/media/triangle-overload-spin-top-box.25558/

I used a doming block to hammer the penny to shape.
 
Michael Anderson said:
Here is a link to the gallery post: https://….

I used a doming block to hammer the penny to shape.
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Ah, didn’t see those pics, thanks. That doming block looks really useful. I see some offered on Amazon.

At a class long ago with Clay Foster and the famous John Jordan we did some metal disk shaping like that, but with a wood “doming block”. They cut a domed hollow into the end grain of a log section and used a hammer with a domed face. Some made metal lids and inserts for vessels and such. Possibilities are endless.

Have to get pennies made in the ‘50s or earlier for real copper. I do have some 120+ years-old sliver dollars I could try beating into dish shapes. Or not.

JKJ
 
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