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View Full Version : My carving set-up



Thomas Knapp
06-25-2009, 12:14 PM
Here is my current Carving set up. The platter is mounted on a talon chuck which is in turn mounted on a Best Wood Tools "Articulated Carving and Finishing Post".I like the ability to rotate the work and then just lock it in place with a lever. I built an additional support that sits close to under the area I am carving. It makes a firmer support when I am using a mallet on my tools. It holds the work at elbow height , which is what I like for carving. I have stated carving standing instead of sitting. It really makes a difference. I feel much more versatile standing. The work can be approached at many different angles and techniques can be changed more easily. Earlier I posted a picture of the set up clamped in my workmate. I was carving at the Camp Ground. Here it is mounted on my workbench in my basement, er no my shop, er no my studio. Yeah that's it! My studio. I have a little more finishing work to do on the platter. I'll post a picture when I am done. I think that I will mount a work surface to an face plate and use this for flat-work carvings also.

Mike Henderson
06-25-2009, 12:21 PM
Very nice setup. Your comment about your studio reminded me of a story one carver told. He said he started calling his work space a "studio" instead of a workshop when he discovered that people who worked in a studio got paid more for their carvings.

It looks like you do a lot of carving on turnings. If you have pictures of more of your work, I'd very much like to see it.

Mike

Thomas Knapp
06-25-2009, 12:37 PM
I am retuning to carving from a more than 20 year gap. So I don't have much to show. I tried power carving, but missed the feel of the tool slicing wood. I had been whittling a few simple spoons when I was camping and decided to get back into carving. One aspect that is good for me, chisels and gouges don't make dust. My allergy and asthma problems have really become much worse in the past few years. I really like your work Mike and hope the carving forum, becomes more active. Thanks for the tutorials you have posted.

John Timberlake
06-25-2009, 7:24 PM
Nice set up, Tom. Great looking platter as well.

Thomas Knapp
06-27-2009, 11:06 PM
Thanks for the kind comments. Mike, I did find this piece, that I did a couple of years ago. The handles were done with a combination of hand and rotary tool carving. I turned it with a wide rim and cut away everything that I did not want for handles.

Thomas Knapp
06-27-2009, 11:14 PM
I was going to add this to the previous post ,but I didn't see the attachment button on the edit mode. I carved the tenon on the bottom into feet also.

randall rosenthal
06-29-2009, 9:57 PM
heres some pictures of my shop. ive been working in it for 30 years (i built it) and have always called it a shop. i do pretty well but maybe i'll start calling it a studio.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n186/randallro/shop2.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n186/randallro/shop1.jpg

Thomas Knapp
06-29-2009, 10:20 PM
heres some pictures of my shop. ive been working in it for 30 years (i built it) and have always called it a shop. i do pretty well but maybe i'll start calling it a studio.

Call your shop whatever you want. It won't matter. I looked at your web page! You produce some great work and with the shows you are in you obviously know how to market your work too! My daughter majored in Art in college, so I have some idea of the amount of work it takes to produce a real income from Art. People look at successful Artists and comment on how lucky they are. Most of the time that "Luck" is really hard work.
Tom

randall rosenthal
06-30-2009, 6:11 PM
thanks tom.....for most its a 30 year "over night success". all you can do is keep banging away.


BTW...i like your set up. i wish other people would post theirs too. you can always pick up a good idea or see an interesting tool.