[TomFinn]

Greetings All,

My name is Tom Finneran and I am a lapidary. I've been carving in hard stone, i.e., nephrite jade, agate and crystaline quartz's primarily for about 20 years. My specialty is lathe turning of these materials. I also do carving primarily in a non-figurative, sometimes abstractly symbolic, mostly freeform style. Was that ambiguious enough?

Most all my carving and a bit of the turning is done on a fixed arbor unit as opposed to using a flex-shaft. Carving hard stone requires primarily diamond tools for the roughing out and often specially made sanding tools to finish the piece. These are nearly always self manufactured to fit the task. It has been my experience that every carver I've spoken with seems to work as a tool maker to effect the concepts given to them by the Creative.

I've greatly admired and appreciated what little I've seen of the work of the other members and look forward to learning and sharing through this forum.

I'm enclosing one piece I made "Reliquary for the Wicked Witch of the West" of Siberian Nephrite Jade, blued steel, pattern ("damascus") steel, and morian/smokey quartz. Measurements approximately 7.5"x2.75"/19cm x 7cm.

Sincerely,

Tom

Attached image(s)

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[StixnCanes]

Welcome Tom,

Really beautiful work.

[Jim Kelso]

Welcome Tom. Very pleasing design and beautifully executed. She has a fine resting place

[Janel]

Greetings Tom,

Do you have photos of your turning set up? We have a topic for showing your studio and workbenches, if you want to post images there. I, for one, really like to see where other folks work. Could you show us some of your tools too?

Welcome to The Carving Path! Thank you for posting the photo of the "Reliquary for the Wicked Witch of the West".

Janel

[TomFinn]

Janel, on May 14 2008, 01:58 AM, said:

Greetings Tom,

Do you have photos of your turning set up? We have a topic for showing your studio and workbenches, if you want to post images there. I, for one, really like to see where other folks work. Could you show us some of your tools too?

Welcome to The Carving Path! Thank you for posting the photo of the "Reliquary for the Wicked Witch of the West".

Janel

Hey Ya'll,

Thanks for the welcome. Ron, love the intimate utility of your work. Jim, I've images of many of your pieces already in my files, exemplary craftsmanship. And Janel, you seem to be the "Den Mother" of this site. I like the composition and execution of your work very much. Eventually I will get some photos of my shop out to the forum.

Later,

Tom

[magnus homestead]

Hello Tom,

A belated welcome to you. I have been too busy to check in here very often these days.

I really like your work! Do you have a website? Hope to see more of your work and

definitely would like to see photos of your work setup as well.

Blessings,
Magnus

[Janel]

Hi Tom,

I haven't been called a den mother before, but it sounds like an interesting description for what I do here. I am actually the owner of the forum these days, and share the administration of it with Tom Sterling. Thanks for the compliments.

I look forward to seeing what you do when you are ready.

Janel