Thread: Ball and Claw Chippendale Legs

Fascinating branch of carving , have you seen all the videos on u tube https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ba...w=1280&bih=617

I once seen a guy on utube carve a massive elaborate dining table ball & claw leg in about 10 mins !
I think he was a pro who'd done it more than a few times !

Hello, Stage one complete and I have a good feel with whats going on. Attached are the pics of the first leg, a few minor errors on my part, actually the whole part I was the only one doing it. Anyways my first suggestion, start on the back claws first, without even thinking I started on the front corner. If your like me and have never attempted the leg you quickly find out theres a couple of little obstacles waiting for you, very minor ones which I can fix but they're there silently waiting, which I'll show. But by the time you get around to carving claw No4 you have a really good feel for what ya doing and the concept is understood.

Have a look at the pics yeah....

Second tip, on the front 2 claws dont follow the arch of the ball as it over laps the curvature, only go to the base of the curve, reason being that with the nature of the shape if you follow the arch over the curve, you start carving into the first knuckle, The end product you'll see the ball curves under the first knuckle at the first curve of the leg, but if you follow the pre-drawn template in 2D it chews into it. So as I found out that once you reach the curve your 3D skills come into play and you start carving the ball which then in turn misses the first knuckle. But that bit is in Stage two, have a look at the pic.

IMG_5328.JPG This is claw No. 4 , so you have a bit of a feel at this stage.

IMG_5329.JPG This is claw No.3, I'm sorta in the middle of Stage 1 and 2, Ive sorta started to carve the ball into shape, see claw No.4 is just straight will slight outta decline.

IMG_5330.JPG Claw No.4 again, following the base with the first circle, the second is for the limit of the underside of the ball.

IMG_5331.JPG Other then following all the other lines and stuff, this base is what you need to keep an eye on, few minor mistakes here if you have a close up look.

IMG_5332.JPG Claw No.3 the line is for the next stage as the highest point of the ball, everything else top and bottom is starting to curve away.

I'll put the front claws up tomorrow. Yeah

Hello, so here are the front two claws, So what's happened is in the beginning I simply followed the directions given, and due to what I think is where you the mistake lies, and I'm thinking my line of sight in the first instance and second my position to the work piece.
IMG_5336.jpg Here is the view I had, thinking yeah all seems to be going fine.

IMG_5335.jpgIMG_5334.jpgIMG_5337.jpg Now here is the result of what I thought was correct, not allowing for the curve and altering direction I've slightly carved into the claws at each top corner, and it looks very untidy.


IMG_5333.jpg So on the second claw I marked the top corners to remind me.

So a little more care needs to be given here, now I know what's going on here the others won't suffer the same result, but nothing major or unfixable. Also if you look at the first pic in the second row you'll see clearly the two different aspects of ending up with the same result. I'll leave this leg now and get the others up to the same stage, these are good and exciting times with new legs coming into the world..

Hey Mike, isn't it the case that those cuts into the claw are in what is waste material as you round/shape the claw? Looking good all the same.
Philip.

Originally Posted by HuonPhil

Hey Mike, isn't it the case that those cuts into the claw are in what is waste material as you round/shape the claw? Looking good all the same.
Philip.

Yes Phil, it all looks to be going fine so far to me, as long as it is remembered that the sphere of the ball foot has a slightly flattened base.

Andy there is always a time when roughing out a carving when you've got to rely on what you KNOW is true , A FACT.
ie. you know that the sphere is equal & has the same measurements pole to pole & one side of the equator to the other - that is the place to start by making the ball with it's flattened off south pole.
While it is still in the square bandsawn form it will be easy to mark the exact south pole , YOU KNOW EXACTLY where that will be.
Next - make a tiny indentation with a small cross head screwdriver. This sort of um... like a turners centre mark & is your datum mark from which you can confidently make other marks.

Next- with a compass you can mark the flattened off base of the sphere (say 3/4" to 1" in diameter) which will be the bit that stands on the floor.

Next- with dividers measure to the top of the sphere /arch of the bottom of the foot. YOU KNOW where that is.

Next- Mark a horizontal equator line on all 4 square sides remembering to take into account for the flattened bottom of the sphere - draw it out on paper to work out how much to allow for the flattened bottom. Then you will know that it is an exactly correctly positioned equatorial mark at the correct height.

Next- make vertical pencil marks in each side of the ball exactly down the centre. You KNOW for sure where that is .

Next- Take a compass to where this vertical line crosses the equatorial line & that will give you the insides of the claws & outside of the sphere.

By maintaining the square leg & measuring from it ,you have now accurately drawn on the shape within.

Carve the ball first , KNOWING for sure you are doing the right thing in the right place. where the centres were marked on the equator are the highest point & shall be left on until the final finest grade of sandpaper right at the end .

Thinking in 3D is hard but it is cracked by thinking in squares ! For what is a ball except a rounded off square ? This principle carries all the way though sculpture & especially carving.
Even the most subtle nude starts out in two dimensions looking from two 90 degree angles (just like a band saw pattern) & then the corners are rounded off.

Mike

Is it better to complete a leg and move on to the next, or keep each leg at the same stage as the next? My theory behind the first option was that I could use that as my reference for the others, and I also thought that the second option would keep each leg farely identical as the next, what's your thoughts?

I would work in short stages on all four together, lets say you first would take one leg & carefully do the bottom hemisphere of the ball (with it's small flat) , taking it to a fairly fine tool finish .
Then do the same on the other three, that way you would have the best chance of them being identical & the freshest memories plus an ideal subject to copy from .
Mike

Ooooo she not easy that little ball, made a few small errors again, Mmmm maybe more then a few anyways its all good and fixable ( I think ). I've tried 3 different cramping methods and still not happy with any that I've used, made a small jig (out of wood) to lock the leg in on all 4 sides, tube clamp with metal tie downs holding it to the bench, trail clamp thing (the square robust one). Im sort thinking that the height of the bench is also wrong, and my finger found the end of a chisel. Other then that all good.

Attached is my first attempt at the ball, any advise would be appreciated and welcomed.

IMG_5346.JPG IMG_5347.JPGIMG_5348.JPGIMG_5349.JPG

So what do you KNOW for sure now ?

You KNOW for sure that the bottom of the sole of all the birds toes including the claws curve around the ball touching it firmly around the ball.
So you also KNOW (for better or worse ! because you have undercut the ball rather too severely & left no wriggle room !) but nevertheless let's see if it's still in there.

1. To apply what you KNOW the length of the toe & claw which remember touches the ball all the way down the ball has been set by your depth of undercut - so cut toes to length . $ 1..jpg By making this cut from the above photo angle it will define the claw point - ie. just inside where the where it touches the sphere all the way around.


2. Now it is time to leave certainties & to draw on the toes oversize but definitely in the right place - you know this because of the logical progression of working with facts.
When working in this way you may not see clearly or at all even where you are going ! BUT it will get you to the point where you can "see" where to go.
It'll only get you so far & after you have established where the piece goes in the block, more & more reveals itself only as you go.
3. Thinking in the square is then naturally abandoned & rounding off the corners brings the piece to life. That's the arty bit but it is best to stay square for as long as is possible that way you make an accurate carving in the shortest possible time.

Mike

Yes, thanks Mike I did go a little further then what was recommended, so before I did that I lightly draw a claw on one of the corners and thought, this could work but I haven't put that pic in, I will this arvo. Now what your saying is that only for the rear claw? Or for all? Have a look at the attached pic this is what I was following, let we got a couple more pics for you to have a look at.
claw-wood.jpg

I'm sorry to say your undercutting has gone too far way too soon & there is only enough wood left to carve two short toes , one on each side of the ball . You,ll have to put this one down to a learning experience .
This is the benefit I tried to keep making on keeping it all square for as long as possible .
When you look at the angle of the claws on the pic they are at 90 degrees to each other , like the corners on a square ,I'm afraid the wood is no longer there to do any kind of job with this leg.

A quick google search on "how to carve a ball & claw leg " will bring up quite a few videos of folk doing it , it will help I'm sure to watch them .Stuff like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o05TZ_f-jZI is worth a thousand words.

Mike