Category Archives: learning
Scroll panel Layout example
I was contemplating the S Scroll carving that I had recently finished, and looking forward to trying a different technique on the next set. The question in my head was, do you do the outline with ALL chisels, all V-Tool work, or a combination of both. The answer according to Peter Follansbee is “All of [...]
More Scroll work and my new Carving Bench
I snuck down to the shop after I got my kiddo to sleep to continue work on the S Scroll box face. I got a second scroll complete, and some of the outline of the other two. I’ve also learned a few things about crappy hardware store wood along the way. The open porous grain [...]
Practicing S Scroll for carving
Today I spent some time practicing a bit of carving… with a pencil. I recently read in a book recommended by The Village Carpenter (Kari Hultman) on her blog. I’ve been reading it since I got into the hand tool woodworking, and it’s been an inspiration. The book “How to Carve Wood” by Richard Butz [...]
More on punches with examples
I’ve been scanning the internet for examples of the punch marks used in period carving work. And when I say the Internet, I really mean Marham Church Antiques, and Peter Follansbee’s Blog. If you’re in to 16th – 17th century woodworking and carving then both of those sites should be in your favorites. The first [...]
Carving layout trick
Tonight I started work on another version of the carving layout from last time. I was setting up to measure out the layout, and happened on a method of laying out perfect squares with no measuring. The 17th century layout that I’m using, is based on squares, and my first attempt was a little off [...]
My first 17th century carving attempt
The last month or so has been a whirlwind of stress at work, as well as being very cold in the shop so I haven’t been able to get down there as much as I wanted. But finally I got a little time to work on this carving that I wanted to work on [...]
How to cut a dado using hand tools.
Cutting a dado When I set out to the dado for the train rack project, I sat down with the internet and browsed a few books. It took longer than I wanted to find a method using no power tools. Cutting a dado slot is most frequently done by table saw if you believed the [...]
A mystery solved
A while back I posted about a odd looking plane I’d found in an old painting by Jacopo from 1574. Recently I posted about a painting of building the Ark by Kaspar Memberger the Elder that had some great shots of workmen and tools. Yesterday I found another painting by Jacopo that I hadn’t seen [...]
A 1510 Joiners Tool Set
Details on Painting: Artist: Jean Bourdichon b. 1457, d. 1521 Tours, France Title: The Four Social Conditions- Work Date of painting: 1510 (from “The history of woodworking tools” by W. L Goodman) I ran across this great picture of a painting dated to 1510 of a Joiner in his workshop. I love these old pictures, [...]
Trying a little carving
I recently purchased the DVD of Peter Follansbee and his lessons on 17th Century Carving. I’ve been a huge fan of Peter’s blog for a long time, and so this was a no brainer. I also picked up a V-tool to try the first basic lessons. I got a little time last night, and I [...]
Tuning up a Dado Plane
Old German Workbench
Drawing some Gothic Tracery for carving layout