[Spookhouse]

Ok i tried to make a roughout of that oazrk character that was in the magazine a couple back it didn't go well. I did the side profile first. Then the back. Basically it looked nothing like the roughout in the mag. so do you trace the picture on the flat side of a square peice? Or the corner? And any tips on how to make good roughouts is appreciated.

[whitecree]

I rarely use a pattern other than as a visual aid or reference. I just wade in and start making chips.

However, I think tracing a side view and then lining up the front view will work out better.
Get the side view cut away before starting in on the front view. Once that is done, then work out the back and start trimming things down so all sides agree.


Using the corner as the front of a figure can work out well, if the figure isn't too deep or broad for the rest of the wood. In this case, you would trace a left and right side view.

[Phaeton]

An easy way to work with patterns would be to transfer the front and side image to a thick paper and then cut the image out with a razor and save both pieces.

The cut out image can be placed on the wood and traced for the rough cutting and then use the outer part (with the pattern removed) for the fine cutting, carve the wood until it will fit inside the outer part exactly.

Bill
^v^

edit to add:
I forgot to mention, it's a good idea to make the pattern slightly larger, if your like me by the time I can get the wood to fit inside the outer part there are several spots that were over-cut.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

if I use a pattern, I trace the front and side view on a block and line up either the head or the foot, both should line up so that when you cut the tops match.....cut which ever side is the simplest, then take the slab and some two sided tape and put it back on then cut the other cut........

[santagibbs]

If I could only figure that out! It just comes through as Greek to me.. No problem with the front but my mind goes blank with the side... I know you are making good sense and Curtis would draw it form the front and then the side..I didn't watch him cut it out though. He bought a small projector and was going to use that, somehow, but never did.. Now if I could figure out how to use the projector! Charlotte

[Thomp]

Charlott,

WARNING: Im back on my meds (Which make me chatty.) so this is a Long Read..!

I have several books here on the Ozark people, one is by mike shipley i think one of his charters was in the issue you mentioned.

but i make the rough outs with a side view and a frontal view,
its nice if they can be printed out on the same sheet of paper but its not necessary...if you have them the same size... in heigth....

I'm not a purest, So i use my scroll saw for charter rough outs less than 2-1/2x2-1/2" and under 16 " long due to the capability of my scroll saws arm limits.

I figure waste wood is waste, whether it hits the shop floor as chunks or chips....

go to this link or the next one.
this is last months issue

http://carverscompanion.com/Ezine/Vo...3FrameSet.html

its back issues of wow woodcarver online magazine. Here is a front & side view of a pattern: by pete leclure of a bottle stopper head figure...

http://carverscompanion.com/Ezine/Vo...merpattern.jpg

when you get the page up scroll to and right click on the picture of the line drawn pattern and tell it to print picture or save it to disk where you can remember its location like desktop on your computer...

once you have a single image (1/2 of this pattern) sized to your wood stock get out the packaging tape fold the pattern around the corner of your stock.
and remove excess paper then package tape it really good, i cover the inti re pattern....

if you have access to a bandsaw or a scroll saw. cut out one side, of the pattern.. collect all the pieces put them back in place then tape them back together to make as much of the original block as you can...

after your block is reassembled and taped turn the block to the other pattern side and cut it out as well. this time when all the pieces fall apart you will have a rough out.

keep the pattern, as its a Gide to what your carving will look like when done use it for reference.

---- #2

if you don't have access to a saw:
this is a tougher method, of course you could resort to a coping saw, but I'm too lazy for that.....

first after getting the pattern printed to size. wrap the wood stock on 2 sides with graphite or carbon paper. (dull side towards wood).

then attach the pattern (TIGHTLY over ) the graphite or carbon paper and carefully trace the outer lines of the pattern on both sides of the pattern, remove the taped on pattern and carbon paper and start making chips...
Some carvers use a mallet and chisel. (Harold Enlow) shows in one of his books i have the mallet and chisel method to remove the bulk the books arnt that expensive, i got 3 for $15.00 + S&H... and they are worth every penny..

the mallet and chisel requires much care and lots of stop cuts to keep toes and such from flying into the chip pile... "Of course nothings easy.."
when you have your rough out done don't try to out think the pattern,
big brim hats worn with the front brim high and the rear brim low over the neck will come out as a big block.. if your following the pattern right.. that's the way it is.. you have to make the decision of how the hat is orientated inside the block... how big the head diameter is and that determines how big the crown of the hat is going to be.. whether its a cowboy or a hillbilly, ER' (Ozark folk)

hope this helped some.. there's a lot of info here to discuss and discover only when your doing the steps,

there is certainly one step with bandsaw rough-outs that is the scary part and its determining where all the parts are...

my really difficult problem is interrupting chins and beards where they are cut out by this method because the face gets as wide as the shoulders see the photo below for a cowboy bottle stopper i was working on...
the dark line beneath the chin is the chin mustache and its wide as the shoulders...
slight lines can be seen as I've mapped this one after cutting it out with the scrollsaw....

good luck!

holler if you get mired in the details
Thomas.
email me if you get stuck maybe i can get you un-mired..

[Just Carving]

Here's what I have been doing for a roughout:

I use my knives and carving tools from start to finish, so if you use a bandsaw, or otherwise, I can't help you. But you might be able to use some of these principles.

Previously, I would draw all the views--or at least as many as I could from a pattern--and carve the waste away from the side and then redraw the pattern on the front and carve away, and redraw the pattern, etc. But that's pretty much a waste of time. Now, I draw the side view first, and remove the waste. Then I draw the views as I need to, and remove the waste. It's still pretty much the same, except I do less drawing. It may be that I have been it doing the hard way for a while now, i.e. drawing all the views first, carving, and then redrawing the views again, etc., but now I am taking a short cut, and only redrawing as I need as well as visualizing rather than drawing. So, that's what is working for me now.

A couple of tips though: Regardless of what I do, I have found that using center lines and maintaining the centerlines helps to keep the piece symmetrical where applicable. Also, using key guidelines helps to keep the views aligned. An example of key guidelines for a caricature might be the brow line, the eye line, the chin line, the shoulder line, the beltline, or hemline for a dress, etc. You don't need a lot of them, but the more the better--just make sure they are even and straight all the way around the caricature from the beginning. Also, maintaining--redrawing--the centerlines and guide lines is important. Otherwise, after a while, you'll be wondering where they were.

[Kenny_S]

Bob has a great suggestion but redrawing isn't a waste of time. You would be surprise what you actuallyt come up with using this method. Sometimes noot what you were looking for. Sometimes even better.

Now What ever size of wood I am using 2 x 2 x6, or 2 x 3x 6 or whatever, I put the pattern side by side. If it is a 2 x 2 x 6 block of would, then it is a 4 x 6 double pattern, 2 inch front and 2 inc side and fold the pattern at the corner of the 2 by 2, then band saw it out. Or you can draw it on both sides and use Bob's method.
Personally, I do not have a problem with roughouts. Those that do have a problem with them,,,, well, they don't have to use them and that eliminates their problem
MY suggestion Mam'm use what you are comfrotable with using. After all, ir is for your enjoyment.

Best to you

[Phaeton]

I think the Ozark Character is in Issue 35 on page 72 by Mike Shipley and it's 2-1/8" x 2" x 4". Mike said "Start by roughing out your blank on a bandsaw." and I think this is where the word roughout came from but basically it's a carving from a pattern.

In the picture below I think the block on the left is called a "cutout" or shaped only with a bandsaw, and the block on the right is a "roughout" or rough shaped with a duplicating machine.

The shorebird is my current project done with a pattern and I think this method will work for you if you make a front and side pattern like the one shown and carve until it fits. You can tell I over-cut the head and rump areas but what the heck, I just wanted to get it close.

Bill
^v^

[Lynn O. Doughty]

One of the first mistakes a beginning carver makes is trying to cut out a blank following someone elses pattern. After transferring the pattern to the wood they cut it out following the lines. Unfortunately, the pattern they transferred is the "finished" outline of the carving. Once they start removing wood they are carving off wood that was part of the finished original.

When I use a pattern I always allow extra wood outside the pattern line, especially if it is a finished pattern. Check out the cook on my blog and you'll see what I mean. Never would I saw any detail, such as the exact outline of the nose, ears, hair, etc. This can be done with the knife as you carve.