Taylor Hendrix on mon 4 dec 06
Howdy again,
Guess what Taylor threw this weekend? I bet Jon can guess. That's
right bowls. These were monsters too (23 inches/ 25lbs) which are
going to be pierced at the rims. Here is my question: what is the best
thing to carve piercings that are going to be hte negative space
between tree branches and canopy? I'm trying my hand at the
trees-in-the-bowl thing (about time right?) and I don't want to put
too much undue stress on the bowl. I'll be carving at the leather hard
stage or so. Exacto just won't cut it (har har har) because the blade
seems to want to go straight. I will be making compound curves, you
see. A needle tool is going to be too rough, but I sure like the idea
of its manuverability. If you clay carvers out there can describe it,
I can make it.
--
Taylor, in Rockport TX
http://wirerabbit.blogspot.com
http://wirerabbitpots.blogspot.com
http://clayartmugshots.blogspot.com
Don Goodrich on mon 4 dec 06
Taylor,
You can do wonderful things with jewelers' saw blades.
They're very flexible and steerable and the teeth go down
to teeny tiny sizes.
You can even customize them with a Dremel tool to be even
more suited to your purpose.
Good luck,
Don Goodrich
On Mon, 4 Dec 2006 14:21:49 -0600, Taylor Hendrix said :
>I'm trying my hand at the
>trees-in-the-bowl thing (about time right?) and I don't want to put
>too much undue stress on the bowl. I'll be carving at the leather hard
>stage or so. Exacto just won't cut it (har har har) because the blade
>seems to want to go straight. I will be making compound curves, you
>see. A needle tool is going to be too rough, but I sure like the idea
>of its manuverability. If you clay carvers out there can describe it,
>I can make it.
>
>--
>Taylor, in Rockport TX
Donna Kat on tue 5 dec 06
On Mon, 4 Dec 2006 14:21:49 -0600, Taylor Hendrix wrote:
>Howdy again,
>
>Guess what Taylor threw this weekend? I bet Jon can guess. That's
>right bowls. These were monsters too (23 inches/ 25lbs) which are
>going to be pierced at the rims. Here is my question: what is the best
>thing to carve piercings that are going to be hte negative space
>between tree branches and canopy? I'm trying my hand at the
>trees-in-the-bowl thing (about time right?) and I don't want to put
>too much undue stress on the bowl. I'll be carving at the leather hard
>stage or so. Exacto just won't cut it (har har har) because the blade
>seems to want to go straight. I will be making compound curves, you
>see. A needle tool is going to be too rough, but I sure like the idea
>of its manuverability. If you clay carvers out there can describe it,
>I can make it.
>
>--
>Taylor, in Rockport TX
>http://wirerabbit.blogspot.com
>http://wirerabbitpots.blogspot.com
>
>http://clayartmugshots.blogspot.com
>
>______________________________________________________________________________
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
Dental tools. Ask your dentist hygenist for their old tools (they throw
them away as soon as they are too dull for plaque but that is plenty sharp
for clay.
Donna
Maurice Weitman on tue 5 dec 06
Hey Tay,
Gettin' pretty macho with yer throwin, aincha?
If you don't want to use a dental tool and want to make or modify
something, here are two other ways I've done something similar to
what you want to do.
First is the easiest to get started with... find a thin, longish
sewing needle or straight pin with its head clipped off and jam the
unpointed end into something like a dowel/chopstick, etc. with a pair
of pliers or vise. A dab of epoxy will keep it in there.
Then just stick the needle through the clay (gotta be pretty dang
soft) and carve away whilst holding the pointed end with the other
hand. You may find it comforting to stick the point into another
dowel/chopstick (or cork) while you're doing your carving to keep
your fingers from getting tired/sore.
The second method involves those large cheese/clay slicers. I think
I got one at an NCECA a while backl. Big Ceramic Store sells them
for 15 bananas.
(Click on
the picture for an enlarged image. n.b. The ~brass tube is
adjustable and removable.)
The deal is that it comes with a wire that may be on the thick side
for what you want to do, but which is easily removable.
I've made several alternate wires, mostly wavy, stretched springs.
But you can easily make one with an "e" or "b" metal guitar string...
you know, the thinner ones.
To use a wire to do detail carving/cutting, one needs to keep it very
taught. You, being a strong Texan buck, can probably keep the wire
taught in your bare fingers, but after a while, you'll appreciate
something else keeping it taught for you. So... drill a hole, unhook
the wire, thread it through, hook it and cut away.
Now, if you had to make hundreds of holes, well, that could get
tedious and Plan A would be better.
Regards,
Maurice
At 14:21 -0600 on 12/4/06, Taylor Hendrix wrote:
>Howdy again,
>
>Guess what Taylor threw this weekend? I bet Jon can guess. That's
>right bowls. These were monsters too (23 inches/ 25lbs) which are
>going to be pierced at the rims. Here is my question: what is the best
>thing to carve piercings that are going to be hte negative space
>between tree branches and canopy? I'm trying my hand at the
>trees-in-the-bowl thing (about time right?) and I don't want to put
>too much undue stress on the bowl. I'll be carving at the leather hard
>stage or so. Exacto just won't cut it (har har har) because the blade
>seems to want to go straight. I will be making compound curves, you
>see. A needle tool is going to be too rough, but I sure like the idea
>of its manuverability. If you clay carvers out there can describe it,
>I can make it.
Snail Scott on tue 5 dec 06
At 02:21 PM 12/4/2006 -0600, Taylor wrote:
>...Exacto just won't cut it (har har har) because the blade
>seems to want to go straight. I will be making compound curves, you
>see. A needle tool is going to be too rough, but I sure like the idea
>of its manuverability.
A street-sweeper bristle with a sharpened
edge may do the trick: less 'deep' than an
x-acto blade for a tighter turning radius,
but enough for some rigidity, and sharper
than a needle tool for a cleaner deep cut.
-Snail
Eleanora Eden on tue 5 dec 06
When I used to cut silk screen film I used a tiny razor knife that swivelled. You could
make any curve effortlessly. You could also make it not swivel. So if you want a razor
knife that doesn't have to go straight you can probably find one.
Eleanora
>On Mon, 4 Dec 2006 14:21:49 -0600, Taylor Hendrix wrote:
>
>>Howdy again,
>>
>>Guess what Taylor threw this weekend? I bet Jon can guess. That's
>>right bowls. These were monsters too (23 inches/ 25lbs) which are
>>going to be pierced at the rims. Here is my question: what is the best
>>thing to carve piercings that are going to be hte negative space
>>between tree branches and canopy? I'm trying my hand at the
>>trees-in-the-bowl thing (about time right?) and I don't want to put
>>too much undue stress on the bowl. I'll be carving at the leather hard
>>stage or so. Exacto just won't cut it (har har har) because the blade
>>seems to want to go straight. I will be making compound curves, you
>>see. A needle tool is going to be too rough, but I sure like the idea
>>of its manuverability. If you clay carvers out there can describe it,
>>I can make it.
>>
>>--
>>Taylor, in Rockport TX
>>http://wirerabbit.blogspot.com
>>http://wirerabbitpots.blogspot.com
>>
>>http://clayartmugshots.blogspot.com
>>
>>______________________________________________________________________________
>>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>>
>>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>>
>>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
>
>
>Dental tools. Ask your dentist hygenist for their old tools (they throw
>them away as soon as they are too dull for plaque but that is plenty sharp
>for clay.
>
>Donna
>
>______________________________________________________________________________
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
--
Bellows Falls Vermont
www.eleanoraeden.com
David Hendley on tue 5 dec 06
The best tool I have found for this sort of thing is, believe it or not,
actually a tool made for carving clay that I got at Trinity Ceramic
Supply.
It is basically an x-axto-type of blade, but it gets no wider than
about 1/8". The blade is just stuck in a dowel handle. The narrow
blade allows you to make tight turns. It has stayed sharp for a long
time.
To make your own, I think you could perhaps start with an
X-Acto blade, and simply make it narrower with a grinding wheel.
David Hendley
Maydelle, Texas
david(at)farmpots(dot)com
http://www.farmpots.com
liz gowen on tue 5 dec 06
To add to Don's suggestion I will let my favorite little discovery out of
the bag for carving tools. These are jewlers vise.They can be found at some
of the ebay shops for a couple of bucks. The ones I like are slightly
larger than a pencil in diameter and you can put in a sewing machine needle
for a great pin tool,some take flat or round (jewlers saw blades)the tools
you can make are only limited by your imagination.
Liz Gowen
Taylor,
You can do wonderful things with jewelers' saw blades. They're very
flexible and steerable and the teeth go down to teeny tiny sizes. You can
even customize them with a Dremel tool to be even more suited to your
purpose.
Good luck,
Don Goodrich
Lee Love on tue 5 dec 06
On 12/5/06, Taylor Hendrix wrote:
> going to be pierced at the rims. Here is my question: what is the best
> thing to carve piercings that are going to be hte negative space
> between tree branches and canopy? I
Taylor, I can't picture what you are trying to do. But a good way
to go is like cutting a circle in plywood: drill a starter hole
first. Open space in the middle to give the knife room to maneuver.
Cut a surface outline as a guide, made the space in the middle and
carve from the middle to the edge.
I use wood block carving tools on clay. Maybe linocut
tools would work too. Not sure what you are trying to do, but those
cable type coping saws are good for cutting in any direction.
--
Lee in Mashiko, Japan
http://potters.blogspot.com/
"Let the beauty we love be what we do." - Rumi
"When we all do better. We ALL do better." -Paul Wellstone
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