Chuck

Thanks I am far from being in a position to show others, I am just starting out....but I hope others that have more experience will guide everyone, including me. Chuck

For our needs basswood is problematic...I did carve one of the crowns in cherry but using castello worked much better. I have not tried pear. I have tried Yellow cedar and that works beautifully. Carves like butter. No grain at all. Its a softer wood but very strong. Hold a clean crisp egde. I also tried Jelatung and Tupalo (I think thats how you spell it) Not good for our small carvings though. Way too soft. But Alaskan Yellow cedar has possibilities. I Loved it so much I actually started building another barge with it. Here is a sneak peek. In comparison with Cherry version. If you can get some its worth a try. The entire backbone is done in alaskan yellow cedar.

Through the NRG....I am mailing Kurt 20 sets tomorrow morning. He will add the line item to the NRG store. But as they run low on stock I will cut more and send them. Chuck

These two pieces were done with just #11 blades. No finish applied on the top one yet. They are about 1/4" wide and just a few inches long.....only 1/32" thick. I think a large chisel would obliterate them.

The issue with chisels for me is the actual size and delicate nature of the parts we are carving. I just cant use the chisels with the same control as a #11 blade. A scalpel blade would be good also. Remember...these are tiny thin pieces of wood. Using a #11 blade you are just using the very tip. The last 1/32" portion of the very tip.....no more. Until you get a chance to try them all it would be hard for anyone to describe it. That was one of the benefits of getting everyone together at my shop so we could all try each others chisels and blades. Its the only way to tell. In fact, it wasnt until I tried a good quality chisel that I decided to buy them. They are expensive.

I actually still use the #11 blades even though I have a whole set of chesels. They just get into the nooks better in my opinion. I am no authority on the subject though. I did use the "v" shaped groove chisel to make the veins in the leaves which was easier than making "chip cuts" with a #11 blade. So I guess it depends on what you are carving at the moment. And what you are more comfortable with.

I havent used them much yet.....but flexcut has a special shaped "whatcha-ma-bob" to sharpen them. See below. http://www.flexcut.com/pw12-flexcut-slipstrop/ They also have a great how to video showing how to sharpen the chisels. Cant say much else because I barely used mine.....havent tried it yet. I mostly used a #11 blade. Chuck

As I mentioned earlier...I am just a beginner with carving. But to get this group started, allow me the opportunity to describe the 4 basic cuts or techniques I used to carve the crown cipher and the other designs. This is what I covered with my local club before we undertook the actual carving. Because the pieces are so small, I used Playdoh to demonstrate the four cuts we were going to start with. It allowed us to demonstrate in larger scale so everyone could see it. Once I am done with cut one....please do reply and let me know if this method to describe the cuts translates well enough for the web. If you guys think this is a good method I will delete your replies and continue with the remaining three..... So let me begin. To start here is an exampled of the same cipher on a contemporary model. It very plainly carved. And its gilded. Here is my first try also gilded. When you download and print the design patterns here scaledecorationschart.pdf You will notice on the crown design below, that I added some lines and arrows....the short red lines indicate where we have stop cuts...to be explained later. The dark vertical lines show the wood grain. The arrows indicate suggested direction for slicing the laser char from the sides of your carving. Either with a # 11 blade or chisel. I used a #11 blade. I recommend you indicate the grain direction on the enlarged designs before you begin...and also draw in where you will place your stop cuts to establish depth....and arrows to indicate what direction you will slice and carve in. Its just good practice and a great exercise before the wood shavings start flying. As you can see I only did this for some of the cuts on the crown cipher......feel free to fill in the others on your design sheet before you begin. Note the left leg of the monogram. It has an arrow in green. This is used to demonstrate the importance in cut direction with your chisel or blade. The playdough piece below represents this same part of the crown cipher. Notice the grooves I added to represent the wood grain. When you are slicing with your chisel or blade....I watched everyone in my club group begin. It is logical that everyone would start with the design right side up.....and start with this leg of the design. The goal when starting is just to slice away the laser char from the sides of the piece. Most started slicing off small shavings in the direction shown below. I did this also. Its seems like the obvious way to do it. But guess what happened? The blade caught on the grain and either split the leg off entirely or creating a large chip along the grain direction which ruined the piece.....time to start again. Can you see how this would happen? Some also decided not to slice or chisel away the char as they were shaping the edges. They decided to scrape it off with the edge of the #11 blade. Not only did this make a horrible noise...I wouldnt recommend this approach. It leaves a dirty and rough surface that wont take a finish well. It just doesnt look good. Since we are trying to learn carving its best to try cutting or chiseling. Very tiny thin shavings....dont try to remove too much. This takes time to do. Its very delicate work. Instead Slice in the other direction as shown below. This may seem obvious to most but it is well worth mentioning. This completes the first type of basic cut used on these pieces. Its real beginner stuff but hopefully useful. Analyze your piece for the wood grain and its direction and pre-plan the direction of your cuts to avoid splitting and ruining your piece. You can do this ahead of time by drawing arrows on your printed design sheet. Let me know guys if this way of explaining the four basic cuts works....if it does....I will continue on with basic cut number two.....the stop cut. God I love the smell of playdoh!!!!!! Chuck

Download the pdf here of the carving blank designs. It shows the designs actual size and also enlarged for clarity. The crown monogram is the easiest in my opinion and I recommend you start with that one. You will notice some red lines and arrows on the PDF.....They represent the wood grain and also a cheat sheet for deciding what direction you should slice in and where your stop cuts are located.... A more detailed explanation will follow and be placed in the pinned techniques......topic very soon!!! scaledecorationschart.pdf

I carved my pieces using only a #11 blade. I also tried a few micro chisels from Flexcut. They worked really well. I only really used the "v" shaped one. The important thing is to keep them very sharp.....as soon as the #11 blades got a little dull I threw it away and got a new one. I havent done any rotary carving because I dont like the look of the pieces after using the bits. Too rounded for my tastes but only probably because I dont know how to do it correctly. I also like the feel of the blade vs. the rotary tool. But guys, please discuss your tools and approaches here and hopefully we will have a few that will try rotary carving. Chuck

I am far from being an expert at carving in wood. This was my first attempt and it seemed to work really well. I am sure some of you will have alternative methods for mounting your carving blanks. The Queen's cipher is probably the easiest of the designs to start with so I recommend starting with those. To mount the blank, I used a thicker 1/8" or 3/16" thick piece of scrap wood (not included with the blanks). Its cherry and is hard enough to take a beating. I would imagine softer woods are not the best to use and probably should be avoided. The base was cut just a little larger than the piece being carved. It was glued on with a childs glue stick. This glue is easy to remove and cures permanent and strong....but will easily be treated with rubbing alcohol when the time comes to remove it. Dont be shy with how much you use. You want this piece secure. These are fragile pieces at 1/32" thick. Take special care with the areas that would be prone to breaking like the bottom tails for the letters. The glue will dry hard but also flatter. If some squished out its not a problem because you can easily scrape it away while carving. Because the designs are so thin it will have a tendency to curl when wet with glue. To solve this problem I sandwiched it with another small scrap piece and clamped it to dry. I let it dry overnight before starting to carve it. To remove the piece after you are done...I literally just filled a small plastic container with 90% rubbing alcohol and dropped it in. I let it fully submerge in a 1" deep bath for about 3 hours. It actually fell right off the base without any trouble. Feel free to share other ways here or in your logs when you start one. I would NOT recommend trying to carve these blanks without mounting them to a base. They will just break apart in the first 2 seconds. Chuck

Please feel free to post any books, publications or articles you may have read and recommend. If you read something that you will think can help others learn about carving or miniature carving please place it here.

This group area was set up to allow folks to experiment with relief carving as a group. Share ideas, techniques and advice. Laser cut carving blanks have been made available for those of you interested in using them. If everyone uses the same design it will be easier to share ideas and comment about them as a group. But it is not a requirement. Feel free to join in with the group if you would rather carve a different pattern and design. I would ask however that you refrain from using more advanced subjects like figureheads and fully "in-the-round" subjects as it is beyond the scope of this group at this time. To purchase a set of carving blanks CLICK HERE You will notice a few "pinned topics" at the top of this group area. These pinned topics were set up as an area for all to discuss those related subjects. If you have a question or comment related to them please post within those topics so everyone can easily find them later. Other than those pinned topics, we ask that you only create a mini-carving log of your own. Please title it similar to the example listed below. "Chuck's carving log" or maybe "Chucks first attempt at carving" It will work just like any other build log. This forum should not have any topics in it other than the properly named "carving logs" and pinned topics. Should you want to ask a question or post something, make sure it is posted in either a log or one of the instructional topics in the tabs above. Dont start a new topic. If for whatever reason you guys feel there is a need for a new instructional topic because your discussion doesnt relate to the ones already there....just start another one in the "tutorials and discussions" tab. You know the drill....this basically works like all of the other group project areas. See the other tabs above in this group area that have all the tutorials and instructions!!!! Feel free to ask any questions about this group here. All questions and comments are appreciated and very helpful.

Carving instructions in the Barge chapter instructions are here. But also follow along n this topic. Shallopinstpartthree.pdf

If you have questions, comments or recommendations for carving tools and wood choices please post them here. The carving blanks for this project are only available in boxwood to start...but with enough interest...maybe we will try some others. Feel free to elaborate here.

Post your methods and questions here on how you mounted your blanks or remove them after you are finished.

Your ears must have been burning. I am hoping to make a whole bunch of carving blanks.....package them up.....and send them to Kurt. Hopefully he can add them to the website so you guys can buy them. I didnt write anything like a "how to carve" but after having the workshop I dont think we will need that. I will just start an area where folks can share their experiences while trying to carve the blanks. I will post a few words about what we did in the workshop and how some of the guys chose to approach it. Then we can just talk about our own attempts once you guys get them. Here is what they will look like. They are very simple...Not very large....typical ship model-like decorations....they basically are the blanks for my barge prototype. They will be laser cut from 1/32" thick boxwood. As far as tools, I used primarily a #11 blade although I also used a flexcut mini chisel forsome aspects. The "v" shaped kind. I am sure everyone will have there own preferences. But its a few weeks away....at least.

Yes I did....right out of the package. These Albion tubes are so thin-walled there is no need to anneal them. They are very soft and pliable. Just a few light taps on each side is all you need. As you can see in the photo they start out much longer and after you tap them they get thinner because they stretch so easily. Yet when completed they are still stiff enough that they hold their shape real nice. I dont worry about making them perfectly the same width or length. It goes so quickly that it takes about a 1/2 hour to make several dozen. Then as I need them its easy to find a bunch that came out the same if that is what is needed. I used 1.5 mm tubes for these.

Thats funny and thank you. But like everyone else, I am always just learning more with every project. I do however pride myself in doing as much research as I possibly can. It usually only leads to me second guessing myself. But than you for the kind words. Chuck

Mark , your guess is as good as mine. I actually think most ships were like this..... but because of Steele and a few other rigging texts that focus mainly on frigates, people have found comfort in being able to say its correct. But just because one or two contemporary texts write about particular methods however, it sometimes still doesnt match what you see on contemporary models with original rigging or even many contemporary drawings or other not as well known texts. You see so many contradictions. I believe its fair to say that you can use what you find in a contemporary rigging source but you shouldnt get so comfortable or insistent that its the correct and only way it was done. For each time you read or find another so called contemporary example....you will ultimately find two more that are completely different but just as plausible. I think when it comes to rigging there was a lot of experimentation and different methods that were acceptable. As an example.....the bobstay on a cutter after 1800. I have seen them with tackles set up with blocks. I have seen them with deadeyes and a lanyard. I have seen some with no bobstay at all. With regard to the bowsprit guys....the same is true. Some have a lanyard between thimbles and an eyebolt as I show it. Others have it set up with blocks and a tackle while others also use deadeyes. Its nuts. But its comforting in that nobody can say that you are wrong. Just different!!! See below for the variations in bowsprit guys on contemporary models. The surly model in the thomson collection is different than these two which are different. I have a few others not as close up that show no lanyard or tackle but simply hooked to the eyebolt at the bow. Its crazy stuff. Not all are original rigging either but many are. So to everyone building the Cheerful...feel free to choose between the many examples available. I can only select one. And I will never pretend that its the one and only correct way.

That is the Winchelsea on the cover......its a nice coffee table book. Lots of photos. Chuck

Thanks guys....Yes indeed, the hooked guys are on eyebolts already shared by seized blocks. It was very common on Cutters. Take a look at some contemporary models. There are many variations but you would be surprised how much they crammed up there. I have a bunch more but these photos give you a good idea of just how many different variations I have found. To post them all would make your head spin. You hardly see two that are the same. Picking one version to use was the hardest part. Some cutters had no bobstay....others have no topmast stay....the treatment of the forward braces was also interesting but represented in as many varied way as I could find models to look at. These smaller vessels are not as well documented and there isnt any one source to use as standard starting point. Its all over the the place. In fact, I have changed my mind so many times because you find yourself second guessing everything. Chuck

Thank You The bowsprit guys were also served their entire length. Thimbles were seized into the end of each. I used .025 brown rope for these. There are two of these and both were made at the same time to ensure they came out the same length. As mentioned earlier I am using dark brown for the standing rigging. The forward end have hooks fashioned from 24 gauge black wire. This is hooked to the eyebolt at the bow. The other end has a lanyard that stretches across to an eyebolt in the hull. Chuck

The bobstay was rigged today. I used a length of .025 dark brown rope that was served its entire length. A 3/16" single block was seized to one end while the other end was placed through the hole in the stem. That end was seized to itself as shown in the photos. The bobstay tackle was set up with .012 light brown rope. The running end of the tackle being brought inboard and belayed to the pin rail at the bow. I did not glue the belaying point at all. It is simply fixed on the belaying pin by using a simple twist of the loop around the pin's bottom. I will leave the running end a bit long for now as with all of the other lines. This line may go slack depending on the tensions from other lines etc. So not using any glue until much later (if at all) will give me an easy opportunity to loosen it at the belaying in and re-tension to suit. This will be extremely important when I turn in the deadeyes for the shrouds and set up the backstays. Once the backstays are rigged it has a tendency to make the aft shrouds go a bit slack....being able to re-tension is a huge factor so no lines will be made permanent until much later if at all. The rigging is not pulled to tight at this point. Just enough tension so it doesnt go slack. I see so many models with teh rigging so tight it causes big issues. I have restored many models that were 100+ years old and the lines were never glued permanently. This made fixing them and re-tensioning so easy that I have decided to give it a try on my models. Just pull out the belaying pin and the line is free to be re-tensioned.

Thank Druxey Today I also mass produced a few dozen thimbles in various sizes and thicknesses. I used thin wall brass tube from Albion. They were 1.5mm and 1.2mm and 1.7mm in diameter. I have no idea which will be used where yet but making a bunch now will save me from having to stop while rigging. Blanks of various thickness were cut and then I used the blunt punch shown to shape each end and flare it. Just a few light taps will do it. Then you can blacken them or even paint them whatever your preference is. You can see one blank before I used the punch on it in the lower left hand corner. You can see teh difference between the others pretty clearly. Chuck