Hello to everyone

[greenman]

Hello to all, my name is Rob, i've been lurking on here for ages and thought it about time i said hello and joined in a bit,
I am looking forward to being part of this brilliant forum. here goes, my first photo,
made this the other week for my brother who's just moved to Canada, it's in lime and is 12 inches across, oak leaves carved in front and a maple leaf in the centre,
all comments appreciated...

 

[gasmansteve]

Hi Rob
Welcome to the forum,superb first post mate, guess you could teach some of us lot a thing or two
Steve

 

[CHJ]

Welcome to the forum Rob, great carving enhancement there, tool access and control on that inner carving must have been interesting.

 

[Wood spoiler]

Hi Rob and welcome

Fantastic piece with clever symbolism, carried off with aplomb

 

[monkeybiter]

That's a bit special, how long does it take to carve something like that?

Incidentaly where in South Yorks are you?

 

[greenman]

Thanks for the encouraging comments, must admit i was a bit nervous but alot happier now,
Mike, I'm in Sheffield, are there any other members in or around Sheffield?

 

[spasm]

Hi Rob,

very nice work, i've been thinking of doing similar my self just get to get better at carving, working with lime is exelent for carving i was thinking of using beach, I did some oak leaves the other day didn't quite get as much detail in but it was fun.

what thickness was the bowl haven't carved a bowl yet so some advice would be useful.

Spasm

 

[SVB]

Very nice.

Welcome to the forum,

Simon

 

[RATWOOD]

Welcome to the forum Rob

 

[greenman]

Hi Rob,

very nice work, i've been thinking of doing similar my self just get to get better at carving, working with lime is exelent for carving i was thinking of using beach, I did some oak leaves the other day didn't quite get as much detail in but it was fun.

what thickness was the bowl haven't carved a bowl yet so some advice would be useful.

Spasm

Hi Spasm,
thanks for the comments, the bowl thickness was about 15mm to accomadate the oak leaves, i made a platter in oak a while ago and managed to go through
the bottom while carving the leaves, didn't want to make that mistake again, i turned the ring in the bottom to keep the maple leaf contained, drew the outline and just carved away the background with a small Henry Taylor palm gouge, here's another picture with the leaf unfinished, hope this helps. If you'd like any help with carvings let me know. cheers Rob.

 

[Dave Huxley]

Hello Rob, I think your carving is just great and a wonderful job all round,I have wanted to have a go at carved work on my turning for a long time and have just purchased Cris Pye's book "Carving on Turning" in which it gives a long list of carving tools, could you please give me an idea of what tools you need to be able to carve such a design as you have shown us all,which is exactly what I would like to be able to do and would I be able to use these tools for other may-be harder woods.
I would be most grateful for any help .
Many thanks Dave

 

[Paul.J]

Hello Rob and welcome
Great first piece so will look forward to seeing more of your work.
Do you carve the Lime when it is still green or do you dry it out as much as you can before you carve it :?:

 

[spasm]

Hi Rob,

Thanks for the offer of help with carving, I think there are a few here with the same idea of carving bowl's and platters, I was about to train myself with the help of Cris Pye's letter carving book, to carve letters on bowls platters but all my money is now going on a lathe so letter carving is going on the back burner for a while, but the odd leaf or corn ear I’m sure I can do seeing what you have done has only inspired me to do some of this work.

Spasm

 

[skeetoids]

Hi,

A lovely piece, well thought out and executed.

The leaf detail is most excellent.

Welcome to the forum.

Cheers,

Lee.

 

[richburrow]

Great skills!!!!
Welcome along, you will like it here
Rich

 

[greenman]

Hi Dave,
The main chisels used for carving the maple leaf were 'Henry Taylor Super Sharp Set' palm chisels £37 from axminster for set of 6, i've had mine about 20 years now and still as good as the day i bought em,they are perfect for reaching the inside of bowls.The oak leaves were a bit deeper so used larger Ashley Iles gouges and Pfeil V tool and fishtail with mallet. I think the individual chisels are around £20 each
http://www.classichandtools.com/acatalo ... Tools.html
Also sharpening carving chisels is different to turning, i use a rexon bench grinder reversed with the guards swapped over so the wheel rotation is away from you, with a rubberised silicone carbide wheel for honing and a polishing mop the other side, Ashley Iles used to sell one but i did it myself for alot less, the kit for wheel and mop and polish is here-http://www.ashleyiles.turningtools.co.uk/sharpkit/sharpkit.html
Chris Pye uses wetstones, slipstones etc which is the best way of sharpening but it takes alot of time, the buffing wheel is fast but over time rounds off the corners.
The only other thing i tend to use is a 'Draper Rotary Tool with Flexi Drive' with the small milling tool to undercut leaves where access is a problem.
Paul, i have only ever used seasoned lime, from John Boddys or Mike Smethurst woodturning, seems very difficult to get hold of big noggins and expensive.
Hope this post is usefull and not too long, Thanks again for the warm welcome. Rob.
heres something else with leaves on.

 

[chrisbaker42]

Awesome carving

 

[CHJ]

Thanks for the rundown on tooling and your sharpening methods Rob, so useful for someone thinking about starting and wondering what's needed.

 

[spasm]

Rob i'm humbled at you carving wow realy nice work,

this is one i've done

hope the link works.

spasm

 

[greenman]

Rob i'm humbled at you carving wow realy nice work,

this is one i've done

http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad244/spasm1965/carving/gargoyle.jpg

hope the link works.

spasm

Nice carving spasm, all the best Rob.