Making a rocking horse

[Wongo]

I have received PMs from a number of members in the past 4 years. They wanted to know how to build a rocking horse and things like where to start, where do I get the plans from, who timber to use, etc.


I am currently building another rocking horse for my younger daughter. I will take you through the whole process step by step. Hopefully this thread can give you a good start.

This project is going to take a while (2 – 3 months) so be patient with me.

PS: Midge, you need to start now or the grandson will not get one for his 18th birthday. :D :U

To be continued…:D

(But before we use any power tools, lets talk about shop safety. :D :D)

[les88]

I am ready:2tsup::2tsup:
les

[Wongo]

OK first thing first.

TOOLS:

I made this one 5 years ago. I didn’t have many tools then so I found a local woodworking shop and did most of the machining there.

So it is possible if you do not have a jointer, thicknesser, tablesaw or bandsaw.

http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=939 (http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=939)

[Wongo]

Plans, book, DVD and accessories

I find Anthony Dew from the UK has the best. http://www.rockinghorse.co.uk/

You can purchase his plans and book on the web. His book covers 9 projects from a simple toddlers’s rocking horse to a large full carved rocking horse. The plans also come with pictures and instructions. So you can just buy the plans but not the book. I have both.

[Wongo]

Accessories

There is no one, I repeat no one in the world makes better rocking horse accessories then Anthony Dew.

It costs a bit more but it’s worth it. Things like the glass eyes, the mane & tail, the saddle, the stirrup, all the metal works & leather and brass fittings are very well made and they are in the right proportion.

This Large Rocking Horse Deluxe Accessory Set costed me around $800 (includes shipping, tax and custom quarantine)

Remember, the rocking horse you build will last many generations. So it deserves the best materials you can get.

[Wongo]

Carving tools

See attached pictures.

I find the Microplanes rasps especially useful.

Oh, you also need a carver’s mallet, spokeshaves and a drawknife.

[bitingmidge]

Hey Scott, I'll be specially interested to see how much time you save on this one because

a) you know what you are doing
b) you've had heaps of experience in the meantime.

Can you keep that in mind as the commentary unfolds?

Cheers,

P

[Wongo]

Duct collection

You must have a ....

:D just kidding.

[Wongo]

Timber

Obviously you need something strong and easy to carve. :think:

Mahogany, Kauri Pine, Cedar, etc

BUT…

[Wongo]

Painted horse VS natural-finished horse

Natural finished horse

It is harder to do. All the mistakes you made will show. (-)
It is more expensive as you are likely to use a more exotic timber for a better look. (-)
Timber availability. It requires stock as thick as 70mm and 300mm wide. Unfortunately they are hard to find. So it is really limited. I have tried a lot of places and the only one I can get is Kauri pine from Anagotte timber in Sydney. Of course you can laminate pieces together but there will be more glue lines (-)
It is beautiful and more appealing to adults. After all it is a piece of furniture. (+)

[Wongo]

Painted horse


The painted dapple grey is a more traditional finish. See picture. They used to make it that way because it requires less sanding. (+)
Children love it because it looks more like a horse(+)
It is easier to make. A coat of paint will hide every bit of mistake you made.(+)
It is a lot cheaper. You mix and laminate woods. You can use soft wood for the head because it is easier to carve. You can use harder wood for the legs. You can use off-cuts(+)
Wongo doesn't like it (-)

[Wongo]

Can I do it?

Yes, you can definitely do it. If you are a keen woodwork and if you spend the time in planning, studying and researching then you will get a good result.

And remember this: you are carving a rocking horse not a real horse.

So let's do it.

[Wongo]

Getting the wood

I rang a number of timberyards. None had anything 70 mm thick. Then I thought maybe I should paint this one. :nonono:

:no: :no: :no: It is wrong.

I knew that Anagotte timber has 70 mm thick Kauri pine. However, I wasn’t so sure as my first rocking horse is also made from Kauri pine. I don’t want to have 2 identical rocking horses in the house.

I finally decided to go with Kauri pine again. But this one will be stained to a darker colour. (I hate staining timber but…:- )

Went to Anagotte timber on Monday and bought

250 cm X 25cm X 7.5cm ($130)
180 cm X 30cm X 5cm ($75)
200 cm X 30cm X 3.5cm ($63)

and I was ready to go.

[Wongo]

Picture 1
Mill a piece wood to 70mm thick. Copy the head and neck to the wood. It is much easier to work on the straight edges first before cut the patterns out. (see read lines)

Use a spade bit to drill a hole for the mouth.

Picture 2
The head and neck are bevelled where they are joined. The angling of the head gives the horse the appearance of turning its head a little. This effect will be further enhanced when we join the neck to the body.

The actual angle is not critical. It is about 5mm bevel on the 70mm thick wood. If you really want to know, it is

inverse tan(5/70) = 4.1 degree off centre. :D

Alternatively, you can cut the bevel on the head only and just double the angle. But I find it easier to do it on both the head and neck.

[Wongo]

Cut the head and neck on a bandsaw. It is a good idea to use a new blade for the job and I just happened to have one handy. :2tsup:

Insert 2 dowels and clamp the head and the neck together. Make sure you have plenty of wedges for it. The angling of the head makes it hard to clamp.

Cut 2 ear/eye pieces (13mm) and glue them to the head.

The head is now ready to be carved. I must say carving the head is probably the hardly part of the project. (at least for us non-woodcarvers) I am a bit nervous.:-



I am interested to know who has a desire to make one in the future. There must be a lot of proud parents and grandparents out there who would like to build a rocking horse for their children and grandchildren. I know BM is one of them. Can we have a quick show of hands please.:2tsup:

[Scally]

That is a good looking piece of kauri.
Is it good to carve?

I started a rocking horse a while ago. I used a plan and have carved the horse out of radiata.
I liked the way the plan laminated boards for the head-neck to add a bit of strength.
The grain runs the wrong direction on the shoulders and rump.
My plan was to use this pine horse as a guide to a slightly larger version using native timbers and cutting the backleg-rump and front leg-shoulders from single boards.

Your bandsaw did a clean job. What size is it?

[Wongo]

Scally,

Kauri is OK to carve. Sometimes it is a bit hard but you want that for strength. My bandsaw is a JET 14” and the blade is 3/8” 6 tpi.

[rtfarty]

I have just signed up for a 3 day carving course with Anthony Dew in Fangfoss, Yorkshire.
I was made redundant from my job but paid up to the end of September so I am doing the course before we come home (New Zealand) in December.
The course runs from Sept 28-30 and we carve a medium head.
I will take as many pics as I can and post them for anyone to see.
Looks like you are starting up a stable Wongo. Nice looking horse.

[Wongo]

Enjoy the course rtfarty. Once you've made one you can become a member of the guild. :2tsup:

[Waldo]

Can we have a quick show of hands please.:2tsup:

G'day Wongo,

Yeah me, for my little girl. :2tsup: I've wanted make one after seeing the thread on your first horse. Ruddy beautiful mate, ruddy beautiful.

Wongo, what plan number did you use, plan 110?


Can we have a quick show of hands please who wants to make my rocking chair.:2tsup:

Yeah me. :U

[Wongo]

Yeah, it is plan 110 large rocking horse. The one I made for Jasmin is plan 109 medium rocking horse.

You know there is a problem don’t you? When the new one is done Jamsin is going to say “Daddy, how come Emily’s horse is bigger then mine? It is not fair, blah, blah, blah”:doh:

[flynnsart]

Can we have a quick show of hands please.:2tsup:

:clap2: :clap2: I would love to make one one day, so am reading this thread with interest. Thanks for sharing.

Donna

[ss_11000]

it looks like an interesting read Scott:2tsup:

[Wongo]

I have been working on the head very slowly. I am afraid of making mistakes.:- It is quite intimidating I must say.

It is a good idea to do it a little bit at a time, step back, think about it, do something else and then continue. That is why I am working on the legs at the moment. The legs are 35mm thick.

[Honorary Bloke]

Great thread, Wongo. My grandkids are too old for a rocking horse but I want to learn the techniques for other possible projects. Keep it going, please. :)

[Caliban]

Scott
You better count me in as a "one day I'll have a go at that"
Number one grandson is 2 months old now so I'm running out of time.
I've been reading about the power carving option from the Renaissance rocking horse guy at windsor.
Great thread, keep us posted.

[Wongo]

Scott
You better count me in as a "one day I'll have a go at that"
Number one grandson is 2 months old now so I'm running out of time.
I've been reading about the power carving option from the Renaissance rocking horse guy at windsor.
Great thread, keep us posted.

Jim, lets not talk about that bloke from windsor.:doh:

Great to hear from you BTW.

[Yawally]

Thanks Wongo for your time and effort to post this project. I look forward to following it and hopefully making one as well for my grandchildren.:;

[Caliban]

Jim, lets not talk about that bloke from windsor.:doh:


Oh!
Why is that?
Or should you pm me the reason?:oo:
I'd be interested to know, I've read lots of good stuff about him in mags.
I borrowed a copy of Anthony Dew's book and started reading it tonight.

[Yonnee]

I would dearly love to be able to give one of these a go. My four-going-on-twentyfive year old daughter keeps asking for a pony and this would certainly be a cheaper option... ...And I wouldn't even have to build a horse float! :D

I'll definately be keeping an eye on this thread.

Yonnee.

[Wongo]

Oh!
Why is that?
Or should you pm me the reason?:oo:
I'd be interested to know, I've read lots of good stuff about him in mags.
I borrowed a copy of Anthony Dew's book and started reading it tonight.

Hovo, put it this way. They are the Ozito in rocking horses.

[Wongo]

It is a real challenge carving the head. The nostrils and the eyebrows are the hardest. When carving the head, try not to be too greedy. Do a little bit on one side then do the same to the other side. It is easier to maintain the symmetry this way.

I have pretty much finished with the gouges. Sand papers will take over from here. I sanded the head with 80 grit sand paper and the head is starting to look like a horse.

[Lignum]

Your amazing Wongo, what a tallent, top stuff:2tsup:

[Wongo]

Thanks mate.

My fingers are really hurting right now after 2 hours of sanding. I kept thinking how happy that little darling of mine is going to be when she receives this birthday present.

It was worthwhile the first time and it will be worthwhile this time. :)

[ss_11000]

:2tsup: looking great so far mate

[Waldo]

G'day Wongo,

This is brilliant. :2tsup:

The horse you're doing now and the first one for your little girl will become heirloom pieces that will pass on through the generations.

Just put the word on SWMBO that this is what I want to make my little girl, and she says, "and where's it going to go?", I've planted the seed which is a start.

I've been hanging out to see the newest update, now to wait for the next installment.

[Wongo]

Well Waldo, I didn’t do much today.

I managed to shape the ears and gave the horse some teeth. You can give the teeth a bit more details but I don’t think it is necessary. Too much detail makes it look odd. The nostrils and the ears will be hollowed out but it can be done later.

The head is now ready to be attached to the upper body block.

[Waldo]

G'day Wongo,

:2tsup:

Like you said early in the piece, it'd be a crime to do anything like painting the horse when it's finished - same applies to the detail, put too much in eg. individual teeth and you'd be trying too hard for realism when it's not needed.

[Wongo]

Mill 2 boards, 45mm thick, for the upper body block and neck muscles blocks.

Cut the straight edges on a table saw before cutting the muscle blocks on a bandsaw.

The upper body block – mark the centre of the neck. Draw a line to show the angling of the neck to body. The angle isn't important, a few degree is enough.

Glue the neck to head and the neck to the upper body block. Make sure you have plenty of clamps available. To make the clamping easier, I screwed the neck to the upper body. Make sure the joints are tight all around.

[Andy Mac]

Hi Wongo,
It's really taking shape now, and looking good!
Just a small technical question, as you seem to jump from carving tools to sandpaper. Is there no use for a series of rasps and files, or is that just a personal preference? I find I use rasps a lot for rounding & shaping the outlines in curved/carved pieces, like that dragon rocker I made.
Looking forward to more updates.:)

Cheers

[Lignum]

I reckon the head is as good as any i have ever seen. Classy:)

[wheelinround]

Wong must be decendant of those who made Entoomed Warriors his craftsmanship of his horse head is so real.
:2tsup::2tsup:

[Wongo]

Thanks.:-

Andy, I do use my files and rasps a lot but mainly for the horse’s body. It is very awkward to use them on the head as it is so delicate. Sandpaper seems to be the best way to go.

Actually I have been shaping the legs and it is where my microplane rasps are so useful.

[Wongo]

The legs are ready to be attached to the lower body block. Once again try not to carve too much. I only carved the outside of the legs.

The lower body block (70mm) is a little tricky to make. The legs are joined into the lower body block at different angles. The lower body block is notched out at each corner. The angle is 8 degree from the vertical for the back legs and 5 degrees for the front legs. The front legs also spread out 5 degrees.:stars:

Mark the block very carefully and we will try to cut it tomorrow.

[ptc]

Wongo thank you for the wip.
I bet Maloof could not make a Rocking horse.

[Caliban]

Great work Scott.
What do you think of using camphor laurel? I can get it in the sizes required, maybe even wide enough to do the head in one piece.

[Wongo]

Jim,

Camphor laurel is a good option. Not sure how strong it is but I am sure it is OK. It will look beautiful too.

There is no advantage making the head in 1 piece. It is actually harder carve the head out of a big block.

[Wongo]

Cross cut the short side of the joint on a table saw. Set the blade to 5 degrees for the front legs. Make sure you set the blade height to cut to the lower point of the bevel and finish the cut with a hand saw.

Now cut the long side on a bandsaw and make sure you make the cut at least 1mm on the waste side of the line.

[Waldo]

G'day Wongo,

Keep it coming, this is beaut.

[DJ’s Timber]

In the third shot there, what's the writing say on the timber there, Silly Wong, Willy Wong or something? :U

Now now, Waldo that's no way to talk about Scott's daughter Emily :q:U

[Wongo]

In Dew’s book, he attaches the legs to the lower body block without cleaning up the cut by the bandsaw. 4 years ago I would just accepted it and do it because I did not have the skill nor did I have the tools. But now I think I can do a little bit better.

The pictures will tell you how.

Tomorrow I will attach the legs to the lower body block.

[Waldo]

G'day Wongo,

Oops, apologies Emily.

:smack: naughty boy Waldo.

:smack: :smack:

[Wongo]

Just keep going Waldo until I tell you to stop. :smack:


:harhar:

[Caliban]

Just keep going Waldo until I tell you to stop. :smack:


:harhar:

OK Scott
that's long enough, he thought he was teasing you, you silly.
He didn't realise it was Emily's name.

[Toolin Around]

That is some impressive work Scott. A real work of art. :2tsup:

[Wongo]

The legs are now attached to the lower body block. Use 3 screws on each leg and a leg muscle block to cover the screws.

[Wongo]

Turn the lower body block upside down. Place the flat surface on 2 pieces MDF. Use another piece of MDF draws lines on the legs. This will make sure the lines are level with the lower body block.

Use a low angle plane to flatten the lower body block. Cut some grooves to break up the surface for easy shaving.

[Wongo]

The horse will be mounted to a pair of hoof rails. So we need to cut the hoof notches.


Place the horse on a flat surface. Level the lower body block by adding spacers to legs. It is important to keep the rocking horse perfectly vertical.

The hoof rails are 7cm wide so we want to cut the notches around 6.5cm long. See picture 2.

[Wongo]

The distance between the 2 front legs is 29 cm. The distance between the 2 rear legs is 29.5 cm. So the hoof rails should form an virtual block 30.5 cm wide and 7 cm high (see picture 5) to be able to secure the 4 legs.


Cut the notches with a hand saw and trim with a block plane and shoulder plane.

[Wongo]

Cut the middle body blocks and glue them to the lower body block.

[Wongo]

Insert a few family items for posterity and close the body. With the horse in max weight, it is so important to have the temporary blocks in place to protect the hoofs.

[Honorary Bloke]

Putting in those family items is a very cool idea! :2tsup:

[Wongo]

We need find a way to secure the horse. With the horse head and legs in the way, it is impossible to clamp the horse on a workbench. A strong horizontal bar is perfect for the job. See picture 1.

Also it is a good idea to protect the horse head by wrapping it with a blanket.

The horse is very heavy. It will be lifted and turned all the time so some of the older members might find it a challenge. In which case you might want to find a help whenever necessary.

This afternoon I worked on the design of the posts for the stand. Picture 3 is what I finished with. Now I need to find a good wood turner to turn them for me.

Anyway there are a lot of wood to be remove so be prepared. It will be physical.

[Wongo]

It is finished. :D

Just kidding. It is easier to figure out what to do with this one as reference.


http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=55033&d=1189134369

[Wongo]

This is the part of the project when you do a lot of work but see very little progress. It is discouraging at times but we will get there.

Be very careful when carving the bottom of the neck. The little pointy bit that glued to the body is extremely fragile.

[Caliban]

Awesome job Scott
=
Keep us posted.

[Caliban]

Now I need to find a good wood turner to turn them for me.



And you think you'll find one here?:oo: :oo: :oo: :wink:

[rtfarty]

Scott
The horse sitting on the beam looks like a very stable way to support it. It looks more stable than in the carvers chops that Anthony Dew uses.
My carving course has been put back to the end of November but I will take plenty of pics for the forumites and post them in the new year when I'm back in New Zealand.

[Duey]

Hello,

I am a new member to this forum and in the not so distant future would like to attempt to build a rocking horse for a future grand child.
What I have seen so far has impressed my greatly to the point where I feel like starting the project sooner than later.
The photo's are just fantastic and a great help for the budding maker.
Where does one get the plans for the horse ?


Thanks
Duey

Edit : I have just re read and found where to get plans.
Is it available in Aus ?

[Caliban]

Try here. http://www.rockinghorse.co.uk/

Scott did post the address on page 1 of this thread.
Or you can buy the book which has the plans in it on grid paper, you just need to enlarge on a photocopier till the little squares are one inch square(25mm).well in the old copy I have they are anyway

Hello,

I am a new member to this forum and in the not so distant future would like to attempt to build a rocking horse for a future grand child.
What I have seen so far has impressed my greatly to the point where I feel like starting the project sooner than later.
The photo's are just fantastic and a great help for the budding maker.
Where does one get the plans for the horse ?


Thanks
Duey

Edit : I have just re read and found where to get plans.
Is it available in Aus ?

[Wongo]

I have started working on the chest and boy it is hard.:oo: It is basically cutting end grain.

I just take my time and take small shavings. It is OK to use a mallet but there is always a risk to crush the fibers.

[Honorary Bloke]

Good idea, putting blinders on the old boy so he won't panic. :D :D

[Wongo]

The horse sitting on the beam looks like a very stable way to support it. It looks more stable than in the carvers chops that Anthony Dew uses.


That’s right. It is rock solid.

It is actually very versatile. You can clamp the horse in many different ways. The pictures above show how I clamp the horse vertically. :2tsup:

[Groggy]

Wongo, can you use a harsh grit and a belt sander to mould the chest area? Or a surform?

[Groggy]

Good idea, putting blinders on the old boy so he won't panic. :D :DI think the gag is to stop him getting horse flu :wink:

[Wongo]

Wongo, can you use a harsh grit and a belt sander to mould the chest area? Or a surform?

No for 2 reasons. It is a tight area (with the head and legs in the way) and the centre of the chest concaves in slightly. So the only way to do it is to carve and then hand sand.

[Groggy]

No for 2 reasons. It is a tight area (with the head and legs in the way) and the centre of the chest concaves in slightly. So the only way to do it is to carve and then hand sand.Ok, it was just a thought, back to training the termites then...

[Caliban]

I think the gag is to stop him getting horse flu :wink:

That's an old gag! :D and a reasonably clever pun:wink:

[Cruzi]

Been reading this thread with quite some interest and you have inspired me to give it a go.

Sorry if it's a bit of topic but a question, is it worthwhile trying the half sized ones before going the whole hog or is it like making boxes, ie the smaller they are the more fiddly and exact you have to be?

[Wongo]

The large horse is a lot heavier and needs more room to handle, otherwise there is no difference between a large horse and a small horse.

[Waldo]

G'day Wongo,

You're a curse, you've put images of rocking horses and rocking chairs in my head - as if i don't have enough to do. :D

:2tsup:

[Pete Vivian]

Hi Wongo and all the other thread followers. Picture attached of my latest made from reclaimed Oak and Ash. Anthony Dew medium sized utilising his deluxe accessory set. I totally agree with Wongo about painted horses and also his comment about the accessories. Looking forward to seeing Wongo's finished horse. Went to Fangfoss last weekend and met the great man himself got some great bargains on accessories too.

Regards

Pete

[Wongo]

Nice rocking horse Pete. Is that the same one you showed us last year?

This one turns its head to the other side. That’s interesting.

[Wongo]

Went to Fangfoss last weekend and met the great man himself got some great bargains on accessories too.


How is he doing? He must be in his 70s now.

[Pete Vivian]

Hi Wongo
no this is another one, the last was Mahogany on an Oak stand, the one before was Mahogany on an Ash stand. I just decided to turn the head that way on the first and have done the same ever since. Tony seemed fine I guess he has to be at least well into his late sxties, I've got one of his books from way back like all of us he looks a lot younger then! I've just started another horse this time a small in Cherry on an Oak stand to be followed by a small painted (!) on bows. Speak soon

Pete

[Wongo]

Made some more progress on the horse’s body. There is a lot of timber to remove. Every corner must go. You really should take your time, do it slowly but not be afraid to cut the wood off.

There is nothing worse than a horse with a square bottom. I have seen plenty of them.

[Wongo]

I wanted to take a break from the carving. So I made the stand. I am using Tallowwood for the stand.

First I need to get the posts turned. Dress the wood to 95mm square. Cut the corners off which made it easier for the turning.

A quick trip to my mate Ron and they were done. Thanks Ron.:2tsup:

I am very happy with result. The design turned out nicely.

[Wongo]

Don’t forget to undercut the shoulder. It will guarantee the joint with no gaps.

Build a little jig to support the post. It makes the scraping and sanding a lot easier. Make 2 cuts to the tenon on a bandsaw. Cut the wedges on a drop saw. 4 to 5 degrees will be sufficient. Since the wedges on the top rails are visible so it is a good idea to file the wedges to a perfect fit.

Don’t forget that the wedges should be at an right angle to the direction of the grain on the board. Otherwise the wood will split when you hammer the wedges home.

I use epoxy for this joint as it will fill up any cavity exists in the joint. I also added a number of screws from underneath to strengthen the joints.

[Waldo]

G'day Wongo,

This is great watching your progress and for that reason it should be archived into Best of the Best. Second time around I'd guess there be less trepidation when you're doing the carving.

I'll archive this thread on me Mac when your done, that way I can come back to it when I convince SWMBO that I have to make one of these for Sarah.

:2tsup:

[jmk89]

Wongo

I reckon I might start one of these for my Grandkids - my children are only 2 and 4, but I reckon it will take me 20 years to make one of these!!!

[Wongo]

Thanks Waldo and jmk.

The tenon should be just a hair smaller then 35mm in diameter. It is easy to cut a matching hole by using a standard forstner bit. Use a drill press for this job. You will have to file tenons and fit them individually. The tenon shoud be loose in the hole.

Be very careful when cutting the holes on the top rail and bottom. Check, double check and triple check the position of each holes and the distance between them. OR you will regret.:doh: I was so close to a disaster, luckily I checked the distance for the 4th time.

Put a couple of nails to the cross piece. It will keep the cross piece and bottom rail square during glue up.

[Caliban]

Still great work Scott.
I can't believe that your first foray into woodwork was to make one of these. Now you have so much skill this still seems daunting, but for a total newcomer that first horse must have seemed impossible. I'm not too bad at woodwork now but I'm still too apprehensive to start.
You the man!

[Lignum]

Wongo, my advice... Give up the computer crap and make Rocking Horses for a living... you will make a killing:2tsup:

[Wongo]

Thanks Lig but no thanks. Let say I could sell one for $6,000, cost of material is around $1,500, so the profit is $4,5000. A good rocking horse maker should only make 12 rocking horses a year. Assuming I could sell one every month for 12 months, that gives me $54,000 per year. NO THANKS :D

Jim, you are right. It is an ambitious project for a beginner. That why it is the project I am truly proud of. I did it with a few simple tools and bought what I needed as I went along.

I remember going to the workshop in Balmain. I wanted to cut bevel on the horse’s neck. The guy there told me the best way to do it was on a jointer. Not knowing what a jointer was I asked him if he could do it for me.:-

I collected a lot of tools by the end of that project and 4 year later..:o

[damienhazo]

Respect Wongo. Respect.

[Wongo]

The horse is progressing slowly. I have been busy with something else. I have another 6 weeks to get it done.:-

I applied 3 coats oil mixed finish to the stand. 2 more coats and it will be ready. I really like the color of Tallowwood. It is beautiful.:2tsup:

[bitingmidge]

The horse is progressing slowly. I have been busy with something else.

I wondered how you'd keep up, what with your appearances on Dancing with the Stars and everything!

P
:D:D:D

[Wongo]

What crap show are you watching Midge.:D

[Caliban]

I wondered how you'd keep up, what with your appearances on Dancing with the Stars and everything!

P
:D:D:D

Pete
Scotty doesn't dance with the stars.
He is the star.
Scott
Don't take any notice of him.
Oh, and I think your tallow wood stand is very pretty:2tsup:.

[Wongo]

Just a word of warning. This is one project that at some stage you will doubt whether you will ever finish. It can be very stressful as times.

Anyway, the carving is over and I spent a couple days with the rasp and files. I was happy with the back, belly, shoulder, chest, neck and the rum. Inspect the horse form different angles. Make sure all the curves look natural. Do pay a lot of attention to the rump area. Make sure it doesn’t look square. I still need to take a little more off but I will leave for now.

Now move onto the sand paper. It is going to be a lot of sanding but as least it is a no-brainer.:cool: