need some advice

[David Coburn]

Hi...

I'm about to do an oval library table from African Mahogany and it has some carving involved. There is a turned newell center post and 4 wing shaped carved pedestals. The pedestals are 25" tall, 3" wide, and 10" deep. How would you guys generate a drawing of this size that you could get reproduced and then use carbon paper underneath (or something similar) to get the image onto the wood?

If you would approach this in a completely different manner please describe what you would do instead.

thanks,
david

I'm including a concept pic of the table. Total size is 42" width (top), 24" depth (top), & 30" tall.

E_Knr_18.jpg

[Roger Strautman]

When I enlarge something I either take the drawing to a copying business and let them do it or I enlarge on my own copy machine and tape the several sheets together after copying to the size I want. I use carbon paper to transfer the image. Hope this helps.

[David Coburn]

Roger,

thank you for the reply. Another gentlemen suggested the same approach in regard to a copying business so I'm thinking that is a good one.

Went to your website and looked around. Very nice stuff. I especially liked the church hanging banners.

thanks again,
david

[David Coburn]

Well, I ended up just doing it the old fashioned way... I put a 1" square grid on the drawing and printed it out... I then put a 1" square grid onto the glue-ups (before I band sawed it) and just eyeballed the drawings over... They all came out pretty well. printed out the drawing

Here’s a picture of the legs with the grids prior to any carving… You can also see the turned Newel as the center post. I’m also including two pictures of the leg I’ve been working on so far.

before any carving:
ek_pic_1.jpg

1st leg carving effort:
carving_1.jpg

1st leg standing:
carving_2.jpg


I do have one question for you more experienced carvers.... How much sanding do you do? Do you like leaving some of the carving marks or do you go for completely smooth? Also, this is African Mahogany and I need to darken it up quite a bit so I am thinking that I will use a sanding sealer and then stain... Any comments on this approach would be appreciated as I don't normally use stains. Generally I would dye it (if it needed more color) and then use either a wiping varnish or lacquer topcoat.

thanks,
david

[marty shultz]

I like your carving. Very nice!

[Tim Balda]

I do very little sanding.
Instead, do it the old fashioned way, scrape the carved part.
In the days before sandpaper, the apprentices would scrape the wood with a sharp tool to remove the tool marks.
Try using a 1", #2 gouge sharpened with a long push-bevel and polish the bevel.
Use a strop to keep it sharp while you are doing the scraping.
you will find the tool marks come right away.
You might need to experiment with the size and type of tool as different ones fit different hands.

Nice work.

Tim

[Paul Kasman]

Beautiful job.

[David Coburn]

Well the table is finished...

and since I started with this thread I thought I would add to it with the finished product.

My design, I turned the center post (Newell), first attempt at carving… I think it turned out reasonably well.

It’s smaller than the pictures make it seem… 42” long x 24” across the top x 30” tall. The lady has a really nice two story mahogany library that she is going to put it in. I deliver it Saturday. I hope she likes it.

All comments are welcome, if their nice.


wings_5.jpg wings_4.jpg wings_2.jpg wings_1.jpg wings_6.jpg wings_7.jpg

cya,
david

[Terry Beadle]

That table is absolutely stunning !!!

I just drank a six pack of awe!

Thanks for posting. Now for some of that humble pie....hoot!

[David Coburn]

Thank you Terry.... I mainly wanted to answer so I could say "Awe shucks..."... Just kidding, I appreciate the kind words. The real work was in all the sanding I did in removing the actual carving marks on the wings. Her library is very formal and after a lot of thought I felt the table would actually fit better with smooth wings but geeze that was a lot of work...

thanks again,
david

[Ryan Mooney]

Wow that sure did come out nice! The sort of piece that makes you stop and look closer when you walk in the room. The wings really came out nice, great lines and I like the crisp breaks on the front of them! and a fantastic job on the finishing. I'd say all that work was well worth it.

Unconvinced about the center post, I kind of think I might like it better without, but its well into personal preferences at that point.

[Jim Underwood]

Love the carving! Very precise and defined.

[David Coburn]

Thank you Ryan and Jim....

I delivered it on Saturday and she was very satisfied. I was very relieved.

Also, thanks especially on the finishing comment. I very rarely put color onto anything that I do. This was General Finishes Java Gel stain followed by their Satin wipe on Urethane. About 5 or 6 coats if I remember correctly. I did the feet, the base, the wings, the turning, and underside of the top all disassembled. Then I put it together wrapped everything below the small skirt in plastic and did the top. Doing the wings took a long time because each pass had very little volume to it. I would apply the Gel and then wipe it down. I would have to remove way more of the Urethane than I wanted in order to get the thick buildup out of all the crevices... It seemed like it took a long time to do the finish.

thanks again,
david