Woodworker's Journal 1992-16-6, страница 62
^AVA like curly or bird's-eye maple, arc good choices. You may even w ant to make a few sets with painted animals, figures and stable. This is one project that will make you feel justified for all those precious scraps squirreled away over the years: even the stable can likely be gleaned from a plank end or cutoff. If you don't have a piece that's at least IV* in. thick for ihe stable, then laminate a few scraps to obtain the required thickness. The Figures and Animals As you'll note from the photo of the Nativity Scene, the figures shown are the three wise men (each a separate pattern!, three shepherds (each a separate pattern). plus Mary and Joseph (two separate patterns). The animals shown are three ewes (two from the same pattern, the third different), one ram. one donkey and one camel. You may want to make more shepherds or animals, but keep in mind that if you make more than the number shown in the photo, you'll probably have trouble fitting the extras into the stable when it comes time to pack the Nativity Scene away. There's realty not much involved in making the figures and animals. Photocopy the page, paste the patterns onto your stock, then cut them out. Or. trace the patterns onto ihe stock, using carbon paper between the magazine page and the board. Take note of the grain direction shown on the various patterns, and try to locate the patterns on your stock so that the grain direction is as indicated. This will help avoid cross-grain weakness that would be a problem if the patterns were laid out differently. Once the figures and animals are cut out. use a '/ir> in. diameter drill bit to establish the eye holes, then lightly sand. The Crib and liaby Jesus Transfer the full-size pattern for the crib to your I in. thick by I in. wide by 1'/« in. long block. There's little danger in working small pieces on the scroll saw, bul if you feel more comfortable, you could cut the crib from a wider block. Ihe crib ends are cut to fit from '/s in. thick stock, and then glued in place. Baby Jesus is carved from the 'A in. diameter dowel. Just round the dowel ends, narrow the neck area to indicate a head and body, then add a pair of dots w ith a pen for the eyes, and finally drill a hole in the face center and glue a splinter into il for the nose. Then lay baby Jesus in a bed of sawdust in the crib. A little glue in the bottom of the crib will hold the sawdust and baby Jesus in place. I he Stable Our simple 6-stcp illustration shows how to make the stable. First, lay out the full-size pattern on your stock, as shown 62 TIil- Woodworker's Journal |
