What’s on your carving/embellishing bench?

[Todd Bowen]

Interesting, Thanks for your thoughtful response. I may wait a bit. Seems a little pricy to get into. I think I want to start by just carving out cracks that happen in salad bowls. And progress from there. I still need income before I get to crazy with the speedy side of things.

I would recommend a micromotor tool that has 1/8" and 1/32" collets. Depending on what you want to do, the burs will vary. MDI has a nice variety of saburr tooth burs, which can remove wood quickly. For more detailed work you would want double-cut burs. Diamond burs for smoothing can also be helpful, and there are a bunch of specialty burs for texturing (e.g., cup burs).

Thanks, that is beneficial information. I recently picked up a Dremel with a flexible shaft for $30 at an estate sale. It is so easy to hold as the handpiece is small. The thing that I am missing is the saber-tooth bits. I will look into those. I have a very nice Walnut native edge crotch that is going to require the cracks to be carved out. Another adventure in wood turning is underway.

 

[Todd Bowen]

I would recommend a micromotor tool that has 1/8" and 1/32" collets. Depending on what you want to do, the burs will vary. MDI has a nice variety of saburr tooth burs, which can remove wood quickly. For more detailed work you would want double-cut burs. Diamond burs for smoothing can also be helpful, and there are a bunch of specialty burs for texturing (e.g., cup burs).

Wow, your work is beautiful. I hope to aspire to your level of creativity. Currently, I'm having to be 50% production-focused to create the income to buy the endless stream of goodies required to play at the top of the game. But production, with an artistic flair has its benefits to a degree. CBN wheels next after I get a paycheck for my turn.

 

[Dale Lynch]

Trying to get into embelleshing, My first try was an egg cup with a barley twist stem. Lacking a creative mind I decided to give the twist another go, just more of it. Used a foredom with saburrtooth bits and a sanding drum.

 

[John K Jordan]

I used a new (to me) Mastercarver with the Micro Pro hand piece for the first time this week. It came with a variety of bits, carbide, diamond, piercing, more.

Wow, I'm gonna like this thing. It's already let me do some things I would have had a hard time doing before, not I'm not sure there is a better way - I pondered options until I pulled this out and tried it - YES! The hand piece is lightweight and easy to hold. First thing I did was hook up a foot switch. Good light is important.

The head mounted magnifier helps a LOT - it came with sets of lenses for different powers.. I forget the brand (got it from Graeme Priddle).

I blurred what I'm working on since it's a secret. Maybe I'll post some more interesting pictures later...



JKJ

 

[Ted Pelfrey]

Saw a piece by John Jordan at the TAW that I really liked. Just a simple hammered texture. But I like it. Thought I’d give it a try , gonna leave the one side natural.

 

[Norm Marentette]

Looks great Ted. What carving bit are you using for the texture?

 

[Ted Pelfrey]

Looks great Ted. What carving bit are you using for the texture?

That’s a Dremel engraving tool used with a rounded nail head.

 

[John K Jordan]

Saw a piece by John Jordan at the TAW that I really liked. Just a simple hammered texture. But I like it. Thought I’d give it a try , gonna leave the one side natural.

That looks great! And like a lot of work. Do you have a photo of the "rounded nail head" you're using?

Hey, have you ever tried a pneumatic needle scaler? Made for cleaning rust, slag, and paint from metal, they drive a bundle of thin steel rods into the work. I use mine to clean up steel before welding.

Years ago people started using them to hammer textures into wood. As purchased, each thin steel rod had sharp flat ends but some were rounding the end of each rod to quickly hammer-texture large areas. Haven't read anything about these lately for texturing.

Home Depot, Harbor Freight


I'd like to try the nail method. All the stippling I've ever done has been one cut at time with a little egg-shaped carbide bit in a Dremel. Would take forever and a Sunday to do a large area!



JKJ

 

[Norm Marentette]

Exactly what I was thinking of trying John.

 

[David Wyke]

Worked on this a couple hours today, need to take a break and turn a bowl or HF.
Still need to add a little detail, figure out the center part, (have a few things running through my head), and decide on dye or acrylic paint. Still trying to figure out this carving thing!!
May end up being a wall hanging, center piece, or a new style frisbee!

 

[John K Jordan]

Exactly what I was thinking of trying John.

What, the needle scaler or the carved stippling?

One benefits from a good air compressor.
The other benefits from an good level of patience.

Here's a student stippling a handle for a horse rider's crop.

I draw the boundary with a pencil, carve the divots trying for randomness, then cut a v-groove to clean up the inevitable irregular edges.


JKJ

 

[Eric Winckler]

I am new here but I am attempting to make a lidded box for the AAW swap. I love the challenges and Ted Pilfrey has introduced me to different ideas. I have a question about possibly using Indian ink on the flowers and leaves or just leave it naturally.
Ted has a lot of great ideas and ability with his embellishments. So Ted keep me going with your challenges.
This lidded box is about 5”x5”. Who ever gets it I hope they like it.
So sign up for the Lidded box swap before June 30th

 

[Eric Winckler]

What size hammer do you use?

Saw a piece by John Jordan at the TAW that I really liked. Just a simple hammered texture. But I like it. Thought I’d give it a try , gonna leave the one side natural.hat size hammer do you use?

 

[Tom Gall]

Years ago people started using them to hammer textures into wood. As purchased, each thin steel rod had sharp flat ends but some were rounding the end of each rod to quickly hammer-texture large areas. Haven't read anything about these lately for texturing.

Needle scalers work great ... IF you are doing an entire piece. Hard to control for a selected area or band. I added a piece of 1/2" PVC pipe over the needles ... easier to control but still not very precise.