(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
05-16-10 Sunday
90 degrees, good breeze, clouds varying from broken clouds, fixed clouds, open patch of blue sky, to full cover. There was a moment of a mist, but it was gone almost as fast as it was noticed. Temps did drop down to 88 degrees. Much of the day was sunny, in spite all the clouds. I am developing a good tan on the tops of my arms, about the only part exposed to the sun. After I left the area, I did drive through some rain, but that was not while working wood. This weather report is brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach department of Tourism.
The beast was so cat like. I did bother him where he had to turn his head at my hand and bite the air to tell me "stop" but he was still being a good kitty. He was in a head rubbing mood today. he really would have been happy if I just sat and petted him. I had work to do.
The last work I did was to place a forked trunk of Orange tree into the lathe. The idea is to use the fork to make an interesting pitcher. Orange is a hard wood, hard to hollow out, hard to work with. I got a different idea.
I dug out a piece of Norfolk Island Pine. I had a thirty inch long piece of the log with three sets of branches. I cut one section off.
I located the center (the pith is off center) and mounted into the lathe between the tail stock and drive center (mounted between centers). I flattened the top and bottom, and then turned a tenon on one end. I knew what I was making today, from the moment I decided on that type of wood.
Early in the year, I made a face vase, where the knots of the branches were the eyes of the faces. With that vase, I had made the vase first, then decided to carve the faces on it. This time, I knew what it would be. I turned it so there will be a nose sticking way out from the face, eye brow and mouth, all planned out.
I had sanded the outside well, but have to do some correction to the outside, shortening the nose to give more room for the mouth and chin.
I also started hollowing it but have a long way to go with that too.
My brother helped me make a boring bar a while back. I can fit different bits inside the bar for different cutting effects.
I had gotten some metal machining bits that have a triangle cutter on the end. One can rotate the cutter to have a fresh sharp edge. While turning today, using that bit in the boring bar, the cutter broke off. I noticed it a while after it happened. I took out the hone and flattened the top and the sides so I had some good cutting edges. Not as good as the cutter, but it worked fairly well. I have a long ways to go on the hollowing, but made good headway.
The Face Vase. long ridge is the nose.
I had picked some leaves off a plant out front for use with making another 'swirl of leaves', carved bowl. I have a bowl I made back in 2004 that was way too thick. a month or so back, I re-mounted it on the lathe and thinned it down, correcting some other errors. I want to carve on it, make it interesting. I traced several of the leaves on the surface. I am not satisfied with the effect, and may "erase" (sand) my lines off and start over.
The plant I am using for my leaves.
I have a sick one on my porch.
After I had cleaned up, I sat with my dremmel and drilled holes for the mice I made last week. I will have to make the holes bigger, but they locate where everything is. I will add eyes and ears to them later. I just realized I forgot to drill the tail holes. will have to do that this week.
I have a turning club meeting this Thursday. I want the mice to be ready for that. The face vase and leaf vase will each be a longer range project. At least a month away to finish.
I will see what I end up doing next weekend.
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