sini s LIFE} THE ART OF WOODWORKING WOOD CARVING\ 3 WORKSHOP GUIDE ‘A SAMPLE OLD ENGLISH ALPHABET FOR INCISED CARVING MAKING A WOOD MALLET ‘2 Patri by Wayne barn, © 1984 By oye Baro, ‘AWOODEN MALLET SShop-bullding your own wooden mal- To fashion the handle, taper the sides it has cured, inser a shop-made wood: let from laminated pieces of hard- slightly from both ends to the middle en wedge in the kerf and tap it in wood is an inexpensive way to stock on the band saw. Then saw a kerf into place, then shape the head to your your shop with a selection of these one end of the handle. Copy the han- liking on the band saw. Mallet heads Useful, durable tools. Although the dle’s shape onto the middle head _are typically rounded on the top with illustration includes suggested dimen- blank and saw it out. Then glue up slight angles on each face to ensure sions, you can size the mallet to suit the mallet, alternating the grain direc- square striking. Chamfer the edges your needs tion of the head pieces to provide the of the head to prevent it from split Cut the three head blanks and the maximum strength ting and cut a bevel along the edges handle from a wood like oak or maple. Allow the glue to dry overnight; once ofthe handle fora comfortable grip Wooden wedge Handle Mx Bh" x Wets 5 a 8 t a a ' 5 5 8 5 5 5 s 5 ' ' J a a 5 ' WORKSHOP GUIDE MAKING A COMBINATION STROP Nothing puts a miro finish and razor-sharp ‘edge on carving tols ike an old-fashioned strop. A combination strop like the one shown at right allows you to work up to a high polish with several grades of buffing ‘compounds. To make the strop, simply cut a piece of 2-inch-square hardwood stock about 12 inches long and glue 2 handle to one end. Glue sttips of scrap leather to each of the four sides; hamess leather works best, although an old belt will do the trick. The first three sides can be charged with coarse to fine buffing ‘compounds; for final polishing, the last side is used without ary compound. ‘TRUING A BENCHSTONE ‘All benchstones will develop a hollow in the center after prolonged use. To true 2 benchstone, flatten it on a machined sur- face, such as glass pane or a commerical lapping table. For oilstones, rub the sur- face with a circular motion (left) in a stone over the slurty made from a coarse lap~ ping compound mixed with honing ol. Start with a coarse grit and work through finer agyits until the stone is flat. To true a water- stone, use water instead of honing ol for the slurry, or wet/dry silicon carbide paper taped to the lapping surface. PROTECTING CHISEL BLADES I you find yourself short of plastic tip guards, use an old leather glove to protect your chisel blades from damage and your fingers from stray cutting edges. Cut off the fingers and wipe alittle machine ol on their inside surfaces to keep the chisel blades from rusting. Slip a finger over each blade and secure the leather sheaths in place with elastic bands.“WOOD. CARVINGTHE ART OF WOODWORKING WOOD CARVING TIME-LIFE BOOKS ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA ST. REMY PRESS MONTREALTHE ART OF WOODWORKING was produced by Series Editor Series Art Director Editor Art Directors Designers Picture Editor Writers Contributing Illustrators Administrator Production Manager Coordinator System Coordinator Photographer Proofreader Indexer ST. REMY PRESS PUBLISHER Kenneth Winchester PRESIDENT Pierre Léveillé Pierre Home-Douglas Francine Lemieux Andrew Jones Jean-Pierre Bourgeois, Normand Boudreau Francois Daxhelet, Jean-Guy Doiron Genviéve Monette John Dowling, Adam Van Sertima Gilles Beauchemin, Michel Blais, Ronald Durepos, Jacques Perrault, Michael Stockdale, James Thérien Natalie Watanabe Michelle Turbide Dominique Gagné Eric Beaulieu Robert Chartier Judy Yelon Christine M. Jacobs Time-Life Books is a division of Time Life Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of THE TIME INC. BOOK COMPANY President and CEO President Managing Editor Director of Design Director of Editorial Operations Consulting Editor Vice-President, Book Production Production Manager Quality Assurance Manager TIME-LIFE INC. John M. Fahey TIME-LIFE BOOKS John D. Hall Roberta Conlan Michael Hentges Ellen Robling John R. Sullivan Marjann Caldwell Marlene Zack James King THE CONSULTANTS Wayne Barton studied chip carving under Swiss master carvers in Brienz, Switzerland, and is the author of three books on the subject. He runs the The Alpine School of Woodcarving in Park Ridge, Illinois, and teaches throughout North America and Switzerland. Ronald Rondeau is a master carver whose sculptures have won him over 100 first-place prizes in carving competitions across North America. He is a regular contributor to carving journals Chip Chats and The Mallet, and runs L’Atelier-Ecole Rondo in Beauport, Quebec. Wood Carving. p. cm. — (The Art of woodworking) Includes index. ISBN 0-8094-9544-9 1. Wood-carving—Technique. 2. Woodworking tools. I. Time-Life Books. II. Series. TT199.7.W66 1996 736. 4—dc20 95-36317 CIP For information about any Time-Life book, please call 1-800-621-7026, or write: Reader Information Time-Life Customer Service P.O, Box C-32068 Richmond, Virginia 23261-2068 © 1996 Time-Life Books Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval devices or systems, without prior writ- ten permission from the publisher, except that brief passages may be quoted for reviews. First printing. Printed in U.S.A. Published simultaneously in Canada. TIME-LIEE is a trademark of Time Warner Inc. U.S.A.CONTENTS 6 INTRODUCTION 96 CARVING IN THE ROUND 98 Carving a duck 12 CARVING TOOLS 106 Carving a bust 14 A collection of carving tools 16 Carving tool sweeps and sizes 126 FINISHING 18 Carving accessories 128 Finishing tools and accessories 20 Sharpening techniques 130 Applying a finish 30 GETTING STARTED 140 GLOSSARY 32 Wood for carving 33 Acarver’s workshop 142 INDEX 38 Basic carving strokes 44 Principles of design 144. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 48 INCISED CARVING 50 Basic cuts 54 Rosettes 58 Borders 62. Lettering 68 RELIEF CARVING 70 Fans and shells 80 Carving a barnyard sceneINTRODUCTION Wayne Barton on CHIP CARVING JN ‘sa small child I was fascinated with every aspect of wood: its feel, its smell, and. the 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 refinishing and antique restoration, And, from the age of five, under the watchful eye of my ‘Norwegian grandfather who lived with us, I was tutored in carving wood. Thus began a wandering journey that would bring a lifetime of joy, excitement, challenges, and friendships ‘Working with wood, fom topping trees to boatbuilding, was an activity [continued into adulthood and the one that gave me my greatest pleasure, So when the oppor- tunity to study in the woodcarving center of Brienz, Switzerland, presented itself, thought the world had stopped to let me on. This was the chance ofa lifetime. ‘The experience of carving in the midst of masters whose skills were rooted in centuries of knowledge and tradition proved exhilarating. Learning carving from these craftsmen included acquiring discipline and an appreciation of art and archi- tecture, particularly Gothic styles, upon which much of chip carving is based. Thad the added good fortune of studying close to ancient castles and cathedrals, where Tcould observe firsthand design concepts and theory put into practice. Twas easily drawn to a Swiss method of chip carving primarily because it seemed to represent the essence of simplicity. Though this style was relatively unknown in North America at that time, realized that with only two knives and a basic under- standing of technique anyone could, in a relatively short period of time, produce amazingly satisfactory work. ‘The fact that chip carving in Europe sprang from the peasantry’s effort to create beauty in their lives appeals to me, It also confirms my belief that man has a deep- seated desire to express himself artistically. Chip carving, a simple but decorative form of carving, fulfills this need very nicely. Everything from chairs, tables, and cupboards to plates, pepper mills, and pendants can be quickly and beautifully trans- formed with chip carving. Perhaps my enthusiasm for chip carving has been the spark that ignited similar fires 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, partic- ularly chip carving, has been the most perfect vocation for me, ‘Wayne Barton is the founder of The Alpine School of Woodcarving, and author of several books on chip carving published by Sterling Press, including New And Traditional Styles of Chip Carving. He lives in Park Ridge, Iino,INTRODUCTION Ted Kona carves A CHARLES II BELLOWS FE rom the time man discovered that he could fashion something from wood other than Spear ora truncheon, he has been hard at work carving, both asa trade and an avocation. Today, wood carving is in a state of fux. Even the keen amateur ‘working in his hobby shop appears to be moving avay from the use of gouges and sweeps toward small hand-held motor took that seem to disintegrate wood very efficiently inany grain direction. On the workbench and shop floor, wood chips and shavings are being replaced with very fine sawdust. Sole us throw out the anchor right now and carefully mix ingredients from old carving techniques with newer recipes to create a type of carving that should lat atlas 4 century or more, enjoying the labors as we proceed, The fireplace bellows shown at leftis a perfect example ofthis combination. A bands, il press, route, athe, and sanding equipment will quickly execte the foundation work, Then comes carv ing the design nto the face ofthe bellows. This is the fn part—the ellyin the donut The bellows can be made from maple, cherry, walnut, or oak. However, since this isa Charles I-period design it only seems appropriate to use the white oak that was widespread in the British Isles in the 17th Century. The pattern shown was glued nto the front board blank with rubber cement, and a colored fel-tip pen was used to delineate the background areas. With my drill press pulley bet system arranged for itshighest chuck peed anda small two-fluted bal mill adjusted to takeoff sto ‘of an inch, the colored background area was quickly removed This is where the real enjoyment began, Using a variety of flat and skeved gouges, the entire background area was worked over, Next, I formed the raised, rounded relief area, carefully cutting with the grain, leaving attractive shiny areas in the wake ofthe work. fine-pointed knife and a metal dental pick cleaned up slivers of ‘wood in the corners. “The front and back boards were routed around their respective edges to accept the leather flap valve three or four tacks held the %-inch leather in place.A piece of leather was also tacked at the hinge point of the front board ina slot. Then I drilled 4 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. Aer a ight sand- ing stained the wood, and 24 hours later applied a coat of Watco natural satin wx. The result was durable finish—and an eye-catching, functional bellows that should be helping to light fires for along time to come. Ted Kona is a former mechanical engineer who taught wood- working to Boy Scou He is curretly:a member of the National. Wood Carvers Association and a regular columnist for Chip Chats magazine. Kona lives in Beverly Hills, Michigan,INTRODUCTION Tommy Joseph on TRADITIONAL TLINGIT CARVING DV geste fen ase at my fiona ike mary ong IVA boys; vas 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 was simply a tao to be used for carving wooden blocks into the Tlingit Northwest Coast forms that had begun to intrigue me. My earliest recollection of exposure to wood carving is ofa demonstration given in elementary school. My first project, as a result of that demonstration, was a sim- ple wooden halibut hook, That hook started me on a search through museums and bookstores, collecting information on traditional Northwest Coast art forms. That same year, I began making bentwood boxes inthe traditional manner of my peo- ple: Cedar planks are left to steam all day in an open pit over a fire buried with lay- rs of spruce branches, skunk cabbage leaves, and seaweed. The cedar planks are then pliable and can be bent to form a four-sided box with only one seam. ‘Wood carving clases were not simple to find in most small Alaskan. communi- ties 23 years ago, so for the most part I practiced the skills on my own, acquainting myself with form and design, [used money from my paper route to purchase a piece of yellow cedar from which I carved a canoe paddle. Inthe early 1980s 1 was fortu- naieto be hired by the Ketchikan Totem Heritage Center as tour guide and demon- strator. The opportunity at the Center to study and practice carving, and to learn the Tlingit culture gave me insight into the art form, its meaning, and message. In the case of the 20-foot totem pole Tam working on in the picture inthe fore- ground, | first drew the plans of the totem on paper and then carved a small wooden model. The figures on the model were then measured and sketched to scale onto the pole, working from the bottom up. Each figure was roughed out and finished before ‘moving to the next highest one, using many different kinds of adzes, such as straight adzes, 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 of practice devoted to the study of design, drawing, painting and most importantly, the capability toshape these designs into a piece of raw cedar. The finished product, whether it be a totem pole, a bentwood box, a ceremonial mask or a bow! must convey the past, pre- sent, and future of the Tlingit people. A memiber ofthe Tlingit tribe, Tommy Joseph isa carving instructor atthe Southeast Alaska Indian Cultural Center in Sitka, Alaska,CARVING TOOLS he tools of the carving trade, laid out in their entirety, may a first seem overwhelming to the novice, forthe variety and choice is immense, However— and fortunately for the begin- ner—few toolsare needed to start carving, Even professional wood carvers, with hundreds of tools, at their disposal, perform the majority of their work with a dozen orso tools, The three fun- damental types of carving tool are the chisel, which hasa straight blades the gouge, which has a ccurved blade; and the knife. Addi- tional tools that ae frequently used include draw knives and scorps, ‘which ar esentially curved draw knives that greatly ease the cre- ation of concave forms. Chisels are either lat, skewed, corveiners. The lat chisel is imme- diately recognizable. Its simple flat cutting edge is a must in any toolbox. The skew chisel hasa blade angled to the right or the left for deaning out comers Veners create a deep, round cut, and V-tools form angled grooves. ‘Gouges scoop out concave surfaces, but also can be used to shape convex forms. Making grooves should be left to V-tools rather than attempting this with small gouges. ‘making it easier to control ‘mallet (above, right) will As you begin grinding the cutting edge of carving tool, a thin line Wooden mallets are classic elements of the carver’s tool box. The flat-faced carpenters mallet (above, left) has its face angled relative to the handle, ‘on one narrow spot only, dive to its oval face. Knives are useful in all carv- ing work. A relatively short-blad- ced knife is the main tool for chip carving. In other types of carv- ing, a knife can beoomeaneffec- tive surrogate for many tools. A sharp pocket knife isa perfectly acceptable carving too, although itwill ack the precision of more specialized tools. The basic tools of the carving trade ate shown starting on page 14 In addition to the chisels, ‘gouges, and knives, you will also need some accessories to get you started, These range from files, rasps, planes, and mallets, to clamps to secure the workpiece in pace. Ofcourse a cutting tool is only as good ait edge, and sharpening isasimportant to carving as the tool tse, There are many sharp- ening techniques and tools, and uch disagreement over the best among the experts. As with ‘ost aspects af woodworking, there is no one right way to do the job; the goal is the same no matter what the technique— a razor-sharp cutting edge. A detailed discussion of how to sharpen carving tools begins on page 22. Study this section thoroughly: Your enjoyment of the craft will depend upon it. The cylindrical carver’ not slp, since i strikes ofreflected light will appear at the tip ofthe blade, Once the reflection disappears—as it almost has in the photo at left—you have sharpened the bevel tothe edge, and should remove the gouge from the grinder