Thursday, November 25, 2010

Minitaure Knot Board



Mid Nov. 2010

Time to carve: 0 hours
Other work: 1.5 hours
Finishing: .5

Some times I look at a slide and I not so sure I am going to like it when it is done. This is one of thus slides but I was so wrong because this is really a great slide! I started with a thin round from a craft store. Next I found some old computer wire to form the knots and set forth tying them. This took me back to my days as a Tenderfoot in short order I had a bunch of knots ready for mounting. I painted the round white and when it was dry, I super glued the knots on the round. Using a labeler, I labeled each knot and then finished it with a couple of coats of poly.

OA Slide (2)

Mid Nov. 2010

Time to carve: 1 hour
Finishing: .5 hours

The second Order of the Arrow slide I've done and it is my understanding that members of the Los Angeles OA made these back when Whittlin Jim published this slide. Made of maple, I roughed this out on the bandsaw and set to work on the slide. When I finish carving and sanding it, I painted the slide with craft paint. As usual I finished it off with a couple of coats of poly. I like the simplicity and elegance of this slide! I wonder if the LA lodge members still make this slide?

Copper arrowhead

Early Nov. 2010

Time to carve: 0 hours
Metal work: 1.5 hours
Finishing: .5

I was in one of my favorite hardware stores one day and noticed they carried small sheets of heavier gauged copper than what I had at home. Remembering this slide, I got the copper and proceeded to cut out the patten. Just in case, I thought, I cut out two just in case I ruined the first one. Getting out a ball-peen hammer and set forth beating the heck out of the copper blanks. Once I got them hammered out, I turned the blanks and hammered the other side against a piece of wood. This cupped the metal into the shape needed for the slide. Hmmm...I thought both blanks turned out pretty good! A bit of sanding on the edges to smooth them. Now, I cut some more copper to form the backs of the slides and soldered the backs onto the slide using a small torch. An interesting effect from the torch, it discolored the copper arrowhead. This is really a good thing because after a slight buffing with fine steel wool the raised area where now shiny and the recessed areas still had the discoloring which really gives it some depth. Now I've got two really good looking slides.

Sittin' Pretty

Early Nov. 2010

Time to carve:2 hours
Finishing: 1 hour

Multiply pieces to carve with this slide. The first is the piece of cheese which not only has two neckerchief holes on top merging into one hole one the bottom, but also a hole within a hole in which the head of the mouse is mounted. The head is tricky since it has small details and it needed to be strong enough to carry those small details. Maple fit the bill here. The eyes are the heads of pins and the whiskers are made from paint brush bristles. Both were set in place by drilling small holes to hold the eyes and whiskers then gluing them in place. The tail is a piece of gray leather also glued in place. Painted with craft paints and finished off with a couple coats of poly.

Tom tom

Late October 2010

Time to carve: 0 Hours
Finishing: 2 Hours

The ring is made from a 2 1/4 PVC cap, I had hanging around my workshop, I cut the end off and sanded the edges. The top is made from some thin white leather cut in an X pattern with the center big enough to cover the ring. The arms of the X are thin so they can be tied behind the ring. The leather is soaked in water before attaching it to the ring and while still wet, I took thread and needle to sew up the sides which cinches up the leather. The designs were painted using paint pens and the whole slide was coated with a couple of coats of poly.

Compass

Mid October 2010

Time to carve: 0 hours
Finishing: 2 hours

When I look at the original pattern last spring I thought, hey I seen that kind of brass compass this should be easy to make. The funny part is I looked and looked for one of those and could not find one no matter where I looked. Oddly enough, I was packing my backpack for a hike on the AT and discovered a compass I found at summer camp. The compass was tossed in the wood by someone because it would not turn on it's base. Not wanting to leave it there, I put it in my pack to throw it away later. Now I had an idea, I broke the compass away from the base and cut a piece leather for the slide. Next I needed to fasten the compass to the leather. I could have just glued it to the hole in the leather but I wondered if I could make it so it would turn. I needed to find something strong enough to whole the compass in place but thin enough so I could use it with the leather. Cutting some plastic from an empty orange juice container, the plastic worked like a charm since it was pliable enough to fit over the flange in the back of the compass. I also decided to sew the plastic to the leather for more support. Now I have a workable compass slide.

Korea


Sept. - Oct.  2010


Time to carve: 12 hours
Finishing: .5 hours

Sometimes there is a slide that just "kicks your butt" while your trying to make it. Well this is one of those slides. I roughed out the cylinder back in September then spent the next month trying to figure out how to carve this pattern. Night after night erasing the pencil marks and redrawing the weaving pattern only to becoming confused when it was time to put knife to wood.  Finally one night the pattern made sense and I began to carve. I can tell you first hand if you try this slide, take your time, have a sharp knife, and concentrate when carving. Finished with shellac it stands out as a favorite in my collection. But why is it named Korea? According to Whttlin Jim, "that's where it came from".




A What's It

Late August 2010

Time to carve: 1.5 hours
Finishing: .5 hours

An interesting slide because it raises an eyebrow when people see it but also scratching their heads when they see what it can do. Carved from maple and the dot attached with fishing line. I finished it off with shellac.

The science behind this is the slide, despite the weight of the belt, transfers the center of gravity to the tip of the slide.  By focusing this to the tip, I can balance the belt on my finger.