Cabriole Thing

[davewyo]

10 hours ago, wtnhighlander said:

Looking really sweet, Dave! These must be even smaller than I imagined. Can you include some known object in the next pic for scale?

 

7 hours ago, Immortan D said:

7 1/4", based on previous pics

That's close D. They are 6 1/2" overall, with the leg from knee to ball/claw being 4 1/2".

Ross, I'll put something in for scale on the next update.

[davewyo]

Started into the leaf carving. The photos are going to get kind of crappy throughout this part of the program. Low relief carving just doesn't show well.
 I won't go into teaching all the steps of the process or the terms that are appropriate to the various parts of the acanthus leaf. I'm just going to use the terms and go through what I'm up to. If you want a clear explanation I'm basically following an excellent video by Mary May.

I start off by defining the eyes. Then I strike in with a gouge to define where the leaf edges overlap. I take down the spots that go under another edge.

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I define the pipe on each leaf with a v chisel:

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Round off the pipes and take off the surface of many of the lobes on the leaves.

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Here's a shot in some raking light. I had to stop there for the night and go out and cover the garden. We'll be getting some frost tonight...

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Here's a comparison shot with a 6" rule, a double A battery, and a Bic lighter

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[Eric.]

It's looking great, Dave.  I really hope you spend as much time building the structure that belongs above these legs as you've spent on the legs.  I know you're all about the journey, but the time you've put into these things...they've earned the right to be used in a piece of furniture.

I'm gonna claim fame...

When Mary May first came to USA, she found a home (and schooling?) in the midwest, I believe somewhere near Sedalia, MO.  The guy that gave her a place to live was, in return, one of her first "students," and he is now a regular customer at my lumberyard.  He does some amazing carvings...which of course pale in comparison to Mary's, a true master.  Every time he comes in he blathers on for (what feels like) hours about Mary May and her carvings.  She truly is impressive though.

[davewyo]

38 minutes ago, Eric. said:

It's looking great, Dave.  I really hope you spend as much time building the structure that belongs above these legs as you've spent on the legs.  I know you're all about the journey, but the time you've put into these things...they've earned the right to be used in a piece of furniture.

 

Uh yeah...no question. If I don't royally screw something up I'll be trying to make a case worthy of the base.

Mary May rules. In addition to her mastery she is an excellent instructor, which isn't as easy as carving perhaps.

[davewyo]

One down and three to go.

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[davewyo]

And then there were four:

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There is still some serious fine tuning and clean-up to do but I moved on to the aprons. I made some templates and traced my pattern onto the parts.

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[..Kev]

Those look amazing Dave!

[Eric.]

They really do, Dave.  Great, great work.  I can't believe how much time you've put into these damn legs without any real plans for them. LOL  Awesome job, buddy.

[pkinneb]

Wow great job! There are a lot of skills hit in those legs

[shaneymack]

Absolutely incredible, Dave. Fantastic craftsmanship!

Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk

[davewyo]

Thanks Gang!

I cut out the pattern of two of the aprons on the scroll saw.

Front:

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Side:

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As far as getting close to the line my scroll saw skills were pretty craptacular, so I quit for the evening with two more to do.

1 hour ago, Eric. said:

I can't believe how much time you've put into these damn legs without any real plans for them.

I hate to say it Eric, but there may be a lot more to do on the aprons before the base of the Thing is complete. I'm going to try out a trial work piece and, if all goes well, I'm going to do some routing and carving on the fronts of the aprons and possibly the tops of the legs.

[..Kev]

The knee blocks look awesome!

[davewyo]

12 minutes ago, TIODS said:

The knee blocks look awesome!

Thanks Kev! I really tried to get the grain match to work. I have plenty of the same stock so color match wasn't a big deal. I was concentrating on the grain. It turns out that if the grain is close it doesn't matter too much when you're carving the knee and block. Once the carving goes on the grain match kind of disappears and the color is more important. Of course, we'll see what happens once some finish goes on. With the finish I expect that the grain match will reassert its importance.

[wtnhighlander]

Dave that absolutely too cool! Whatever use this 'Thing' is put to, will not be deserving the effort and artistry you have expended, even just to this point.

[davewyo]

7 minutes ago, wtnhighlander said:

Dave that absolutely too cool! Whatever use this 'Thing' is put to, will not be deserving the effort and artistry you have expended, even just to this point.

Thanks Ross!

Here is a highly detailed "sketch-em-up" drawing of what I'm thinking of doing with the aprons.

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Most of you can't attain this kind of exactitude in your drawings. This one is nearly CNC-ready.

[Chestnut]

15 minutes ago, davewyo said:

Most of you can't attain this kind of exactitude in your drawings. This one is nearly CNC-ready.

Hey that sketch is pretty good. I can draw well with a strait edge. Once i leave the ruler behind my drawing goes down hill FAST.

Those legs look awesome. What ever you end up doing with them is going to be really cool. I know you mentioned that you like the process but you have to at least finish your first attempt so you have a reference to come back to. Looking forward to seeing the rest of the adventure.

[Immortan D]

Da Vinci Dave! Woot!

[wdwerker]

You keep exceeding my expectations ! Whatever ends up living on top of those legs deserves a crown in some way shape or form.

[Chet]

I am just catching up on this Dave.  This is incredible, you are working way above my pay grade.  

[Guest]

Very cool.  

I always say I don't like period-type furniture, but I think it is just a cover-up for the fact that I will never be able to do a carving like that.  It takes a type of talent that most people will never have.  

 

[davewyo]

34 minutes ago, Mike. said:

Very cool.  

I always say I don't like period-type furniture, but I think it is just a cover-up for the fact that I will never be able to do a carving like that.  It takes a type of talent that most people will never have.  

 

Ya know...I haven't touched upon this because I think that most people will disagree with me, never try it, and then conclude that they were correct.

I really believe that just about anyone with a modicum of hand/eye coordination can do this. Sure, it won't be very good at first, but a little practice would result in rapid improvement. There are dozens of "mistakes" all over this project so far, but you would have to make close comparisons to see them (which is something most people don't do during day to day life). Little bits which chipped off from poor technique have been glued back on. Design changes have been made on the fly because a gouge slipped. Some cuts are "crunched" instead of sliced, which results in a lot of sanding and will probably show up under finish nonetheless. All kinds of proportions change across the four different legs. It goes on and on...

At the same time my handling of the tools has improved as the project goes along. I've learned how to strike in a line without popping off so many of the detailed bits that are supposed to stay on there. I've learned how to get crisper edges rather than jagged cuts. I've learned how to make a V tool follow the path I'm intending. I've learned how to go with the grain and, more importantly, how to feel when a cut is going against the grain before I tear out a big chunk. Don't get me wrong, I'm still popping off little pieces, making jagged cuts, and going at the grain in the wrong direction, but I'm doing it less often.

To reiterate...I think that all of you can do carving. You just have to give it a try, and keep at it.

 

[Immortan D]

3 minutes ago, davewyo said:

To reiterate...I think that all of you can do carving.

99.99% of the people can do it. That means everyone except me. I don't have the artistic gut, even though I could master the techniques, I won't be able to produce the designs. I cannot even draw them on a piece of paper.

[davewyo]

Just now, Immortan D said:

99.99% of the people can do it. That means everyone except me. I don't have the artistic gut, even though I could master the techniques, I won't be able to produce the designs. I cannot even draw them on a piece of paper.

I'm with you on that! I find that choosing a pattern, drawing it out, and feeling like I made good choices is the toughest part. Right now I'm trying to figure out a pattern that would go at the tops of the legs, and it's difficult as all hell. Of course...I'm totally enjoying it too.

The solution is to use and adapt other peoples patterns, which is by no means simple, but it gives you a starting point.

[davewyo]

At this point there's a lot of planning that needs to be done. I'm trying to go on to the the carving of the aprons and the tops of the legs, but to do so I have to work out the reveal where the case will sit on the base. I'm also working out a pattern for the tops of the legs and the aprons. I have some basic lay-out done, but I'm moving slow. I have to be careful right now and make sure I don't miss anything that's important when I later attempt to meld the case with the base. In fact, I may have to really solidify the design of the case, which (I don't mind saying) I have been avoiding. It doesn't look like much, but I have put some brain-wracking time in...

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Oh!...The jig in the first photo is to cut a recess in the tops of the legs. It's like a G&G detail but is doesn't slope.

Check out the blue tape on the compass in photo two. When you get your setting, lock it in (or it will move).

[..Kev]

I'm diggn' it!