Acanthus/Cherub panels

[Mark Yundt]

While trying to resolve the issues with the door trim ( see other post) I started on a pair of relief panels going to the same job.
The panels are 19" X 32" in basswood. There is a rabbeted lip around the edge that will allow them to sit in recesses cut into their woodwork. There are some areas of the carving that will extend beyond the frame of the carving and these will be added separately then carved in. It just facilitated making the panels much easier.
Once the panels were done ( thicker than the perimeter frame) I simply routed out the waste material prior to carving. The center large leaf will have to be much fuller than the rest of the carving so a section will be added here as well. Here too this was done for speed and ease of carving.
When doing panels this large and only carving the face it's pretty much a given they will warp. And these did as I was removing the waste with the router. They lifted nearly 1/4" on each edge. Not good!
To remedy this I just cut slots spaced 1" apart al across the back of the panels lengthwise with the grain. As I was making the cuts on my table saw the panels went completely flat just that quickly!
Here you can see the design suspended for viewing as I carve the panel fastened to a hydraulic swivel vise.
The pattern itself. One of the 2 routered out. And an upper quarter of the design getting carved.
These now are on the back burner as the door panel moldings are needed first and I now have an approved sample to finish that part of the job .

[Roger Strautman]

How thick is the panel?

[Mark Yundt]

1 1/2 inch.
3/4 , More with the extra for the carving. 5/8 for the relief cuts and 1/4 for the difference,,, there abouts.

[Mark Yundt]

These have been on hold for some time. Just got back on them after casting the 180 pcs. of moldings.
Here the outer areas are pretty much done and I'll start on the center section. This will have add'l stock added and that's why I waited to do this.
Final steps will be to go over everything to finesse it.

[Mel Fulks]

Nice design as well as work, like the lap onto perimeter. Cherubs look pretty happy with it. Or are they putti? Guess it's because they got BIG flattering leaf pants ...and no putty.

[Mark Yundt]

Thanks.
actually there are additional pieces that will overhang the perimeter which I will add separately. Again, little things like that go on last.

[Joe Butler]

This is one heck of a project Mark Thumbs Up. Was there a moment of you holding your breath when the panel when flat, If it would have been my luck the would have been a hair line crack there somewhere. . .JoeB

[Mark Yundt]

Thanks.
No, there wasn't any nervousness on my end. But things going wrong is my usual routine.

[Mark Yundt]

One down one to go. I got the little leaves attached that look like they drape over the frame.

[Joe Butler]

Mark, thanks for posting. It is work such as yours that drive the rest of us to work harder. . .JoeB

[Mark Yundt]

Thank you Joe! That's very kind of you to say.

[Mark Yundt]

If you've seen one you've seen the other but here are both panels ready to go out Monday.

[Roger Strautman]

Very well done once again! Thank you for keeping the bar really high for me and others.

[Bruce Page]

Beautiful work as always Mark! The overhanging leaves look really fragile. :eek:

[Mel Fulks]

Love that style. It's a formal world where everything casually falls into exactly the right place. Fine work.

[Mark Yundt]

Thanks guys , I appreciate it. Though the leaves appear fragile there is enough behind them to give support .
And I don't know anything about setting a bar but after doing these I wouldn't mind sitting AT a bar!

[Bruce Page]

Thanks guys , I appreciate it. Though the leaves appear fragile there is enough behind them to give support .
And I don't know anything about setting a bar but after doing these I wouldn't mind sitting AT a bar!

I'll drink to that!

[Joe Butler]

Well mark, I'll bet you have a hard time buttoning your shirt, your chest has to be swelled with pride :) . . .JoeB

[Mark Yundt]

Joe. I am happy they are done . And thank you. But I can't say these are some of my favorite carvings . Actually there are many things about them I don't really care for from a design aspect that bothers me. But with these clients and the designer they used it wasn't something I was about to change considering the past history. They came in , I carved them to what they wanted , and they went out. Every so often there are jobs like this. You do what you have to to get them
done.

[Mel Fulks]

Interesting comment Mark and there is "no accounting for taste". I was in the same place when I criticized your good work on those state department things. Some of the features there are most plebeian including stuff that has nothing to do with carving ,like the fluted pilasters with no entasis. The architect is not a classicist ,he is a post modernist who reinterprets stuff. Our government always has to make things have that " touch of the people ", guess we can both be glad they didn't ask you to carve a wooden bath robe hanging on a wooden nail. We both agree that designs we don't like can be well executed.

[Mark Yundt]

True!
But in the case of the State Department pieces they at least were designed by Allan Greenberg . As to Pilasters and entasis they are most commonly done straight sided. No entasis.
His site showing that and other projects as well as a link to a book he has recently published on classical architecture adds some credibility to the designs.