Popular Woodworking 2009-06 № 176, страница 45

A very shallow gouge is my favorite tool for removingthe background. Often. I use hand pressure akxtc todnw the tool. Similar to the outlining, here the left hand holding the tool is braced against the panel. The nghi hand acts as the power and steers the tool as well. When the gouge comes up to the incised line, pivot it left to right to free the chip of oak. Resist the urge to flick the chip free with an upward movement of t he gouge. It should be cut loose, not pried. Sometimes it's necessary to go hack and re-emphasize the outline, either with the V-tool or just with a downward chop using the shallow

In some cases, it's efficient to be able to switch handsand get at things from a different angle The but kgniund resulting from the gouge work is faceted. Don't bother to take the time to flatten the entire background. It iseither left faceted or often stippled with a toothed punch.

Static photographs do not show the movement, nor the muscle, used in these

cuts. The elbows are held fairly close to the torso, and much of the movement comes from I he lower body, shifting from one (col 10 the other, andtor changing the stance in relationship to the bench.

Once the background is removed, ttie next step I do is some slight shaping to provide a little depth to tlie pattern. For thb. I use the same shallow gouge that I used locut the background down. This process requites some care in choosing which directionto cut. I think of it as going up one side and down ihe oi her. Hand pressure is usualy the order ol the day for t Ins work, if I use the mallet, li'swith some caution.

Tbedetailsonthe surface follow the shying These ate the simplest of all the cu:s.

Most ofthem arejust twos! rike*w«ha$*f;r and malki. First 1 hold the gouge perpendicular to the panel and strike it hard wih the mallet. Then, in the next cut. the gome comes in behind the incision just mark, is held at an angle and is struck again with the mallet. This should knockout a crescett-

moon-shaped piece. The lateral movement of t he gouge might be necessary to get t he chip to pop out properly. These moon-shaped cuts are found all over the panel.

Thcrearcafcwot her ekmentsthat appear in the finished panel, and the order these are worked mattersliitk. Punchcshighlight some of the initial panel surface; the tootlied punch that stipples the background, and some V-tool outlining on the surface of the panel complete t he design.

This pattern is one of the most involved found on early New hngland furniture Leaminglhecutsand moves for this style of pattern will also cover the ekmentsof some of the simpler patterns as well. Of course, with the freehand stuff, youcan't go wrong - but when you have to folk>w a line, that's anot her story. fW

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