Thread: New Carver - some letter carving

That's both beautiful and impressive. All the more so for being your first project. Fantastic stuff! Well done.

Gidday Derek nice work, welcome aboard and may your journey with us be a pleasant one.

Very good result with what I'd assume would be a difficult wood to work with. Nice typography too!

Hi Derek, Great looking project, love the Shell and the letters look like they could have been machine made which is a testament to your work. Well done . Brian .

I think you have done well.

Nice job !
I have a book of chris Pye and also found his instruction so clear. It already happened that when i was a bit lost on a project ( even if it had nothing to do with his ), reading a few pages helped to put my mind on the right track.
Got a couple of shells to show, too...

Welcome here !

Welcome, Derek:
There's a very nice crisp finish to your carvings.
No flies on that scallop shell.
The symmetry of the form is still a struggle for me.

Nice work Derek.
I haven't tried carving with Sheoak - just looking at it makes me shudder a bit.
Nice grain though. Im impressed.

Thank you all for the encouraging comments.

Please do not hesitate to give constructive criticism - looking at the sign now I feel that the plain rectangular shape is a bit staid, come curvature would have been nice (but so would a bandsaw, which I don't have).

the letters look like they could have been machine made which is a testament to your work. Well done . Brian .

Thanks Brian, I can promise you that photos are always flattering, there are certainly plenty of blemishes.

Copeau - I had a browse through your blog, yours is the level of carving that I aspire to, didn't see any shells though?

Robson Valley - I know what you mean, I spent a long time on the shell, looking at it from different angles trying to make sure it was symmetrical. I guess that sort of thing comes naturally for some. I envy those people...

Raav - The Sheoak is a blessing and a curse. It needs a lot of force to move material (and the chips are unusually sticky on your tools) but it gives nice crisp surfaces as long as you are not cutting right on a radial plane. I am hoping the hardness gives good longevity. As for grain - Sheoak is one of my favourite woods from and aesthetic standpoint, but you have to be careful that the beautiful grain doesn't overshadow the carving.

Regards

Derek

Shells will come soon... i was waiting until the last one was finished : I'm fuming it at the moment. I could'nt update my blog for a while, been having issues with my internet connexion.

Very nice work, I like Raav have looked at Sheoak and backed away from it because of the hardness, bit like all the jarrah I have sitting in my shed. I think the rectangular shape is fine, it's a sign. If you curve it or do fancy edging you just distract from your beautiful lettering and shell. Keep up the carving your off to a great start.

Originally Posted by Robthechisel

I think the rectangular shape is fine, it's a sign.

I agree, and it goes well with the letter's typo.

Well done.

Derek,
Excellent - nice crisp lines and sound form for the shell. Yes, Chris Pye is very good. Drillit.