Janel Posted August 15, 2012 Report Share Posted August 15, 2012 I am starting another What's On Your Bench topic! It is fun to see what members are up to at any point in the course of their work. Today I am starting the final surface smoothing of a rabbit that is being carved from a magical black wood from Africa, that was unidentified when given to me. When polished it has a golden chatoyance gleaming out of the black wood. It takes a very high polish, so I am going to try to aim for the kind of surface that will show the light in the wood. In this photo, I am very lightly scraping the surface to remove tool marks and irregularities. I prefer this method over sanding to smooth. It is a good way to see the form and the slight bits of scratch or form that need dealing with. Next comes the fine sanding to polish steps. To begin with, I made a new batch of toothpick sanders. This wood can be scraped very smooth with the sharp tools. To bring the shine out, and deal with what little marks the tools have left, I will use mostly 600, 1000, 1500, and maybe 2000 wet/dry papers, but occasionally I need to use 320 and 400 in a couple of spots that need more adjustment. To finish, I will use cloth backed abrasives from 4000 to 10,000 to bring the gloss to its limit. I need to test what to "finish" the surface with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy Seton-Browne Posted August 15, 2012 Report Share Posted August 15, 2012 At the moment my bench is in a cardboard box awaiting building will post photo once there is something onit rather than it being in my imagination! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Posted August 15, 2012 Report Share Posted August 15, 2012 Nice work Janel. Very nice. I have an Antler piece on the bench. A contemporary Maori wheku-style pendant. Most of the design and shaping is done, just need to apply the detail. Might look at some paua inlays as well. Cheers, Billy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debora B Posted August 16, 2012 Report Share Posted August 16, 2012 Ooh, what a nice topic. Coincidence is I've just finished a piece today. But let me start by saying I really like your custom made sanders Janel. They seem a great aid and a great idea. I'll definitely have a go at trying them out when needed. I really like 'm; Janel-sanders And i really like your piece too Billy. I admire your skills for working bone and this Antler looks very stark. Love the design! It has fine detail already, i wonder what you'll be adding to it more??? Like i said, just finished a piece, inspired by all you folks here at TCP. It's my first ever love (tea) spoon. I guess i better post that in the show&tell? Cos here it's about the bench, and on my bench has been, and will be for quite some time ahead bed posts. Im in the making of 3 or 4 four poster beds (scale 1:12) and i'm carving Acanthus leaves to certain sections. Tedious work cos there are 16 or more to do... so i took a side road by making a little spoon. That was fun, but now back to work again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michiel Posted August 18, 2012 Report Share Posted August 18, 2012 Hello everybody! I have 3 weeks off so beside cleaning the area from the mud of the latest flood I found some time to torture my bench. I try not to but cant help to work on serveral pieces at the same time. So i can switch to something different when i get tiered or frustrated. First i have here a little pedant whiche need some more cleaning up befor i can start polishing it. ... and this one is waiting for his eyes. Here i tryed a hei matau made of two materials - bone and olivewood - hope it will work out. ... always trying to improve my skills and looking jealously at the Billys art i tryed something in his style and practice the patterns on this one .... ... hoping i can apply it one day to this tusk. As i lost most of my material and tools it is going a little bit slowly and this pieces are the "leftovers" i had in my bedroom. Thank you janel for this nice topic - i enjoy it very much. That is it for now - i am off to clean up some logs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janel Posted February 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2013 Hey, what's on your bench? I've been sharpening tools and am eager to carve wood with them now! Janel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Posted February 7, 2013 Report Share Posted February 7, 2013 Just looking at starting a new piece. I have a nice piece of whalebone, and for the first time, a piece of giraffe bone are all prepped and ready to go. Not sure which one I'll start first, but have sharpened the gravers, replenished the sandpaper trays, and am rearing to go on whatever comes to mind first. Cheers, Billy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Edward Posted February 11, 2013 Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 Hey Janel I like those tooth pick sanders , a great idea! thanks for that! The wood that you mention sounds very cool, bu tperhaps its a gold-black coral maybe from Hawaii, I have seen a small piece of it when in NZ and was dazzeled by it, they said it was from Alaska but I have heard that it comes from Hawaii, you described it perfectly. What is the brand name of the cloth backed abrasives that you use, 4000 to 10,000 really has my interest! Thank you for this once again. Tom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janel Posted February 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2013 Hi Tom, It is wood for sure. Cushioned Abrasives - Micro-Mesh - Micro-Surface Finishing Products, Inc. I have 2,400 to 12,000. They are cloth backed. Some can be backed with a soft foam. Use "micro mesh abrasives" for a search engine search on line, lots of things show up. This is the product: http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=6461&site=ROCKLER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niky Posted July 10, 2013 Report Share Posted July 10, 2013 Ooh, what a nice topic. Coincidence is I've just finished a piece today. But let me start by saying I really like your custom made sanders Janel. They seem a great aid and a great idea. I'll definitely have a go at trying them out when needed. I really like 'm; Janel-sanders And i really like your piece too Billy. I admire your skills for working bone and this Antler looks very stark. Love the design! It has fine detail already, i wonder what you'll be adding to it more??? Like i said, just finished a piece, inspired by all you folks here at TCP. It's my first ever love (tea) spoon. I guess i better post that in the show&tell? Cos here it's about the bench, and on my bench has been, and will be for quite some time ahead bed posts. Im in the making of 3 or 4 four poster beds (scale 1:12) and i'm carving Acanthus leaves to certain sections. Tedious work cos there are 16 or more to do... so i took a side road by making a little spoon. That was fun, but now back to work again Hi Debora what lathe are you using? Is the top part of the post hand carved? or you figured out a way to use the lathe to make the swirls? I imagine you made a pattern to repet the exact profile; is it made from metal, plastic or wood? are you using a milling machine for the two level square part? working to scale is amazing; Cornel Schneider (a Swiss, my idol) http://www.cornelschneider.ch/ is making the smalest violin on record!! 29mm, his previous one was 31mm! Do you have a day job? or is this how you make a living? your work is remarkable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debora B Posted July 10, 2013 Report Share Posted July 10, 2013 Hi Niky, to fill in your questionaire ) here 'ill go! what lathe are you using? The parts were milled on Sherline CNC lathe. In order to make the story complete, the whole project is a collaboration with a dear friend of mine. We made a design that would incorporate his milling skills with my hand carving. Is the top part of the post hand carved? No, the basic leg, as you see them were completley made on the mill. Only the acanthus leave section were carved out. Initially the decorative balls at the top proved a bit of a challenge because the lack of support for the wood stock. Milling closer to the top it all become so unstable and flimsy, being so thin it caused trouble with accuracy. We decided to mill the leg in two parts; the upper with the barley twist, and the bottom section with panels. That solved the problem so the finials were milled out too. you figured out a way to use the lathe to make the swirls? Being a CNC mill he could write the codes to mill the swirls. I must say, it was his first go on a CNC and it was a steep learning curve. But i have great admiration and pride for the man, he did a really great job! There are jigs and set ups to make barely twists using on an ordinary lathe. I also have carved them by hand in many occasions but this particular design lend itself very well to try to be milled using CNC. are you using a milling machine for the two level square part? Yes, those were also milled out. We doubted if we would use thin panels as would be on the head and foot board but this way turned out fine! It's getting a bit awkward now cos i never meant to show off with someone else's work, or give the impression i made all of it. I merely showed what was on my bench, my own little carving contribution My friend deserves all the credit! Like i said, he did a marvelous job and im so proud of him! Do you have a day job? or is this how you make a living? I do have a day time job, so time behind the workbench is scarce and shattered. So no, i am not making a living out of it... yet. I do sell some but not enough. My production rate is simply insufficient to sustain a steady income and the market for these objects is relatively small. I hope that answers most of your questions? As for Cornel.... jaw dropping!!!! Thank you soooo much for sharing his work! The realism he manages to materialize is simply.... amazing! I have to say... although i create scale models the skills and techniques i recognize in netsuke carving are so inspiring to me. Being a member here for just a short while now has taught me so much already. All the knowledge that is shared and explained and i love it to bits! On top of it you are all so talented and i've seen the most amazing pieces pass by. Very inspiring and aspiring as well! Cornel Schneider can be added to the list... pfff, i'm blown away! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janel Posted July 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 On my bench is a kagamibuta netsuke. This is the lid in progress, mammoth tusk. Sanding and refining stages. More of same tomorrow. The bowl is black cherry burl, with its little voids filled with cyanoacrylate and gold leaf pushed in as filler. Tiny voids so the gold is not immediately evident. The view of the frog is an odd one for how I usually carve frogs, but the challenge is interesting. I am also carving everything into the background with the background positive. Janel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niky Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 I am still figuring the way the site works !?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niky Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 Hi Niky, to fill in your questionaire ) here 'ill go! what lathe are you using? The parts were milled on Sherline CNC lathe. In order to make the story complete, the whole project is a collaboration with a dear friend of mine. We made a design that would incorporate his milling skills with my hand carving. Is the top part of the post hand carved? No, the basic leg, as you see them were completley made on the mill. Only the acanthus leave section were carved out. Initially the decorative balls at the top proved a bit of a challenge because the lack of support for the wood stock. Milling closer to the top it all become so unstable and flimsy, being so thin it caused trouble with accuracy. We decided to mill the leg in two parts; the upper with the barley twist, and the bottom section with panels. That solved the problem so the finials were milled out too. you figured out a way to use the lathe to make the swirls? Being a CNC mill he could write the codes to mill the swirls. I must say, it was his first go on a CNC and it was a steep learning curve. But i have great admiration and pride for the man, he did a really great job! There are jigs and set ups to make barely twists using on an ordinary lathe. I also have carved them by hand in many occasions but this particular design lend itself very well to try to be milled using CNC. are you using a milling machine for the two level square part? Yes, those were also milled out. We doubted if we would use thin panels as would be on the head and foot board but this way turned out fine! It's getting a bit awkward now cos i never meant to show off with someone else's work, or give the impression i made all of it. I merely showed what was on my bench, my own little carving contribution My friend deserves all the credit! Like i said, he did a marvelous job and im so proud of him! Do you have a day job? or is this how you make a living? I do have a day time job, so time behind the workbench is scarce and shattered. So no, i am not making a living out of it... yet. I do sell some but not enough. My production rate is simply insufficient to sustain a steady income and the market for these objects is relatively small. I hope that answers most of your questions? As for Cornel.... jaw dropping!!!! Thank you soooo much for sharing his work! The realism he manages to materialize is simply.... amazing! I have to say... although i create scale models the skills and techniques i recognize in netsuke carving are so inspiring to me. Being a member here for just a short while now has taught me so much already. All the knowledge that is shared and explained and i love it to bits! On top of it you are all so talented and i've seen the most amazing pieces pass by. Very inspiring and aspiring as well! Cornel Schneider can be added to the list... pfff, i'm blown away! I used to make the most intricate jewelry; now I just make a shop drawing and have it CAD designed then the actual physical piece is fast prototyped… this is why I carve netsuke... Ok Debora (your English is remarkable) you more than answered my Qs; I have a Sherline no CNC. Also a Delta lathe for serious wood turning I just visited Cornel in in May; I have family in Geneva, every time I am in Swiss I visit him, he is incredibly modest. Is the Savonarola chair for sell? You can go off the forum to discus this. The Louis XV table is a very daring enterprise.... I am impressed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Murray Posted July 26, 2013 Report Share Posted July 26, 2013 Some rings and nonsense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janel Posted July 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2013 Hi Josh, It is good to see a bench in action, thanks for showing it to us. Janel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janel Posted August 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2013 The kagamibuta was completed a month ago. The bowl is black cherry burl. In between then and now I have worked on a variety of experimental things, but have not taken photos of the completed pieces. This one is in progress tonight. It is a nicandra bud beginning to blossom. The plant in the background is the model. Now to watch paint dry . . . and begin another project while waiting for the next steps with this one. Janel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony N Posted August 24, 2013 Report Share Posted August 24, 2013 love the stuff here here what I have been working on the rings are bone the spikes are deer antler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony N Posted August 24, 2013 Report Share Posted August 24, 2013 peace in bone lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lachlan Posted August 25, 2013 Report Share Posted August 25, 2013 Very nice Janel, your work has inspired my to try some relief carving! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lachlan Posted November 3, 2013 Report Share Posted November 3, 2013 Some photos of my bench. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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