FURNITURE CARVING
Hand Carved Headboard Step by Step
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FURNITURE CARVING
Hand Carved Headboard
In July of 2012, my phone ringed. It was Jim from state of Washington. As I understand he is a Doctor. He wanted to find out if I am interested in Carving a Black Walnut Headboard for his King Size bed.
Jim has a woodworking friend Paul, who is doing all woodworking jobs for Jim. Paul is very nice and kind men, he sent me email with some pictures and drawings. So here they are. From those pictures I have to carve ” hand carved headboard” the true furniture carving! The only difference between me and 300 years ago whoever carved it should be, who is better woodcarver in furniture caving field.
Furniture carving: The Original pictures provided by customer.
FURNITURE CARVING: Hand Carved Headboard
As for me, it is very interesting project. So I decided to post updates on my site.
September 18 2012 I got Laminated Black Walnut to my shop. .
FURNITURE CARVING: Hand Carved Headboard Step 1 Drawing
The challenge in these case is, the original picture of hand carved headboard is not very clear as you can see. So I had to modify and change some colors in photoshop. I think after that I can start my step 1. When you draw or sketch an object, you are limited by two dimensions, you have to think ahead in 3d, it is what sets appart a really good wood carver from fine artist. By the way, in the world, many fine artist who can draw and paint but not as many woodworking artists who can carve in 3d. Drawing is a form of visual expression and is one of the major forms within the visual arts. So took my pencil and sketching paper and started to draw a future hand carved headboard.
Drawing process took me about 2 weeks before we came to agreement with customer. He finally approved his project of furniture carving.
FURNITURE CARVING: Hand Carved Headboard Step 2
How I flattened surface of future hand carved headboard with router.
After Drawing is done it is time to reach for right tools and start the process of furniture carving creation. But before I can carve a have to make sure my material is absolutely flat. I made jig from 1/2″ maple plywood for my NOT hand tool but still one of my favorite Festool 1400 router.
The classical method for flattening a big surface is to use winding sticks and hand planes a . While some craftsmen truly appetite this labor of love, others prefer to delegate this grunt work to power of mighty router. The router method is really similar to the action of a shop CNC machine. A router is placed inside a plywood sled that rides along two parallel plywood rails that are attached to the sides of the workbench. The router sled is very easy to make from scrap 1/2″ plywood. The rails I made from 2×6 construction-grade lumber from nearby Lowes.
The only catchy part of this process, if there is one, is making sure the two guide rails made from 2 x 6 are not only parallel to one another but also roughly parallel with the top of workbench. And my workbench is huge it is 48″ x 96″. Fortunately, there is a very nice and old trick you can employ using s thin cable.
Once the rails are in place, the router is dropped into the sled and the bit is plunged down. Ideally, you want to set the router bit at the lowest part of the workbench. One way to do this is to plunge the router bit until it just touches the bench. Move the sled and router to various parts of the workbench (with the power off ofcouse) to see if the router bit catches or slides freely. If it slides freely at any given point, you have just found a location that is lower than the original spot. Reset the router plunge depth at this new setting and continue to scan the bench. Once you have the router bit set at the lowest point, bring the sled back to the end of the bench and start the routing process. Anything higher than that low point will be routed away and you’ll be left with a nice flat surface.
Perhaps one of the best parts about this easy to make jig is that you can re-use it for many other things in field of furniture carving. Have an end grain cutting board that needs flattening, but you don’t want to send it through your planer? Have an oddly-shaped natural edge slab that is just too large for your tools? Both situations can be handled with a plywood jig like this. I am using it when I have big surface for my furniture carving.
FURNITURE CARVING: Hand Carved Headboard Step 3
Carving
Furniture Carving: From the begging to the End.
Hand Carved Headboard
Furniture Carving done by hand by Master Woodcarver Alexander Grabovetskiy.
About the Author:
Alexander Grabovetskiy is a Master Wood Carver and Woodworking Artist. Born July 4 1973. Currently his woodworking / woodcarvingShop located in state of North Carolina town Waxhaw. http://aalmarkllc.com