Popular Woodworking 2009-06 № 176, страница 42

I he tools and the »orkhokJmg. <. arvtng then- panels requires a few du'ferent look: simple carvrtg tools (gouges and V-tooh), jn awl. J txxnpau and stamping looh.

the shapes of i he vanous gouges used to cut the pattern. In this work, the V-tool is not used Thegougesare struck perpendicular to the surface, then the shallow gouge follows to remove the negative background This method createsa distinct pattern with clear separation between the background and foreground.

Another approach is work that is cut with the V-tool. then accented with various gouges, achieving a modeled, shap.'d look. Inessence, this style has no distinct background and foreground separation.

In none of these stykrs isa template used, late 17th-century joined work from tie Connecticut Riser Valley, now knownas "Hadley"chests, utilized a template. To ny eye. these chests represent the dying gasp of 17th-century carving

Oak t» I he preferred timber for this work. While I have done this type of caning on sawn oak. both flat sawn and quanersawn. the best material for it isgreen. riven oak The riven oak results in aquality of material I la!

is unsurpassed, each board is truly radill. resulting in a stability and ease of working that hasspoikd me for the duration. Sawn umber cannot compare.

From a straight-grained section of oak. 1 split the log into halves, then quarters, eighths. 16ths,and(whenitsalargeenoudi log) 32nds or beyond. Then some hatclet work follows, to cvvn out any dev ui ion f rem flat In the split surface. Scrub, or fore plane

ground

A few simple tools and a little practice can bring satisfying results In this style.

Three Kinds of Carving

I think of 17th-century carvings as falling intoone of three forms, essentially characterized by the met hod of defimngthc pattern. Some of the more varied designs feature V-tool work that defines the outlines, whik various gouges and chisels remove the background Some of these patterns ait laid out with a compass, awl and st raightedgc. others are mostly freehand.

A variation on this idea isa style of carv-ingin which all theelementsare defined by

fast wM V too* to define the shapes, then gouips to provide a more shaped appear am e

work follows the hatchet. 1 have a German smooth plane I adapted for this work that hasan iron with a pronounced curve. This plane is quite aggressive, and It leavesafur-rowed surface on the stock. The next step is to produce the true, flat surface on the panel: for this I often use a jointer plane. I check with winding stteks and a straightedge then kave the panel Ibrat kast acoupk weeks. This lime allows the surface to lose someofitsmotsture. If I dothe carving with the stock dead-green it cuts fuzzy, and it often breaks out. The panel will still have conskierabk' moisture in it. but t lie surface will be drier than the middle of the stock. This gives you the best of both worlds: the crisp cuis of the dner stock and the ease of cutting the green wood.

Splitting the slock. I vr split halt an nak log

into I6UK to he spM again into Unds. loch isedge shape Is truly radial. It's very stable and. \shen scfuared. extreme!y satisfying to \saik.

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