HELP! carbon paper not working!

[greyrider]

OK, I'm fairly new to carving, I've done wood working
but not wood carving. I've always used carbon paper
to transfer my patterns and it's worked, but I'm trying
to do caricatures and it's not working so good. It slips
on one side or the front and the pattern gets all out of
wack. There has to be an easier way, but apparently
I'm to stupid to figure it out. I'm getting discouraged
from messing up this pattern transfer process, and I
would really appreciate any and all help before I start
pulling out what little hair I have left.

Thank You

[mudden]

A trick I learned from doing scrollsawing is to make a photocopy of the pattern and use rubber cement to adhere it to the wood. Then you can cut through the photo copy and wood and you still have the original pattern. after you cut out your pattern just peel off the paper and if any rubber cement remains you can lightly sand it off.

[Tom Ellis]

Greyrider, I like saving the cardboard from cereal boxes, and cut out my patterns from that. Then transfer them to my wood for bandsawing out the profile.
Make sure your pattern is a 90 degree front and side pattern. If the image is done from an angle, it throws off how you are transfering to the wood.

Good luck, Tom

[LBlake]

Is this an in-process transfer that you're trying to do? (I mean - on a not-flat piece, while you've been carving?) Or just small?
If the problem is just that it's small or something, I tape my patterns in place, then slip the carbon paper under. or, if it's really small, I just tape the carbon paper on right along with the pattern. As long as I leave one area / side open to slip in the carbon paper, i'm fine. I also tend to cut out the pattern pretty close so I can keep track of where it falls on the wood when I'm placing it.

When I want to keep track of a line at a lower depth, I cut to depth on one side of the line, then draw it again with pencil. Not sure if I completely understood, but hope that helps!

[Ripton]

tape or thumbtack on a waste section of the wood works, I would also fold the paper and carbon around the edges. Now if your blank is not squared not sure.

[greyrider]

Originally Posted by greyrider

OK, I'm fairly new to carving, I've done wood working
but not wood carving. I've always used carbon paper
to transfer my patterns and it's worked, but I'm trying
to do caricatures and it's not working so good. It slips
on one side or the front and the pattern gets all out of
wack. There has to be an easier way, but apparently
I'm to stupid to figure it out. I'm getting discouraged
from messing up this pattern transfer process, and I
would really appreciate any and all help before I start
pulling out what little hair I have left.

Thank You

Let me simplify by saying my basic problem has been
just transfering a pattern to a square block to cut
the caricature. I cut the pattern as close as I can,
but then I have a 81/2" x 11" sheet of carbon paper
to try and fight with. Without a doubt, one side will
slip and it throws everything off. I spend more time
trying to trace the pattern than I do cutting.

[cut up]

The last project that I started, I did like LBlake said using the tape. The wood piece I used was smaller than the carbon 8" X 11", so I place the pattern upside down, used 2 small pieces of masking tape. One for a side, and one for the bottom of the pattern. Then I slipped the carbon paper between the wood and the pattern for the tracing.
Hope this helps.
Michael

[mpounders]

I am cheap enough to save and re-use things and you can easily get several uses out of a piece of carbon paper.......but.......as much as it sometimes pains me, I have sometimes found it easier to cut my carbon paper into smaller pieces that fit better with smaller patterns. I have also taped some patterns directly to the wood and used an awl or needle to poke holes along the lines directly into the wood. I have a small pounce wheel that is used for a similar purpose in sewing (and to simulate stitches on carvings) and I believe it mike work with a little extra pressure to transfer some of the main lines directly to the wood.

[Ripton]

Dont cut your pattern, if you can get the pattern on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet also then simply put the pattern and carbon together then fold around your block. if you need to, use thumbtacks on the waste section of your block to hold both sheets together. I will also use cardstock and cut out the pattern to make a stencil

[karlaskarvings]

in the tole painting world they have you make your own carbon...flip the pattern over ,laying your pencil on it's side rub it all over . this works so nice . when you draw on the lines the pencil transfers the line to your project without having to fuss with carbon paper. (hope that made sense.)
Karla