A Mouse and a Candlestick

[Toffeeliz]

Bet ya'll thought I'd fallen off the face of the Earth lol. I had a lot of schoolwork and then went to China for a month since my last post here. I'm back nopw and have two little projects that my Grandad cooked up for me to do to get used to the tools of the trade.

I can now do a tenon and mortise joint, a halve-in joint and can use a saw properly lol. The mouse was all freehand and all it needs mnow is a lick of varnish (there are some stubborn areas around the legs that are a pain in the bum to sand though =_=) and the candle needs some cleaning up but I;m pretty proud of it. I was given a thin rectangle of wood and a jig to pop it in and told to use the plane to round it off. It was a surprisingly easy excerise. i want to try both again - the legs on the mouse, I want to make a more realistic one I think, and the candle looks wooden - I want to try and get the effect of dripping wax . The wood is cedar, which tends to split around the edges, but I worked well enough with it I think off to a place with grandad on Friday in the quest for a block of Holy Limewood

Home everyone is doing well and no-ones lost a finger yet!

[Keoma]

HEY YOU! i have been wondering about you! I went to that site you told me about...got all my P&P Avatars he he he...yours is still my favorite!
I love what you are doing here! This is a really great idea. Very country. The rustic candle looks funny by your keyboard I think your mouse is very sweet just the way he is. At least he is a soft wood and more sooner than later you'll get those rough spots sanded!
I have to tell you how happy I am for you to be spending time with your Granddad. I would give so much to be able to do that. Enjoy it so much! I am sure he is thrilled to spend it with you as well.
Sounds like you have had quite a few adventures since your last post, glad you had a good time and are back safe!
Good luck on your next excursion! Find lots of great wood and have some great visits with your Grandpa!
Great carvings! Can't wait to see the dripping wax!

Just thought...a bit smaller and these would make an AWESOME set of Christmas orni's...very victorian!

[Toffeeliz]

Had fun with the P&P icons? sound! I like the one about Scotch whiskey and 12 year olds lol.

It's a very likely thing that I'll be doing more of these, so adding them into the Christmas ornament box is a very good idea!

[Keoma]

Can't wait to see them!

he he he he he he he he he hehehehehee.....

[chuckt]

Care to expand on what STFU stands for Keoma? ;-)

ChuckT (troublemaker on the loose - heh heh)

[Keoma]

HA HA HA...back to the incredible mouse and candle stick thank you! trouble maker...

[Ron T]

Hi,

Very nicely done on both carvings. I can't believe you did the candle w/ a plane, nice job.

You might consider 3M rotary bristle sanding wheels.

They come in 80, 120, 220, 400, + The coarse grit will remove wood more aggressively than the fine, but the fine holds detail really well. I ordered mine and the mandrels from Santa Fe Jewelry Supply.

[Toffeeliz]

It was incredibly simple. Just cut a half-diamond into the flat of a rectangle of wood, with a block at one end to push against like a bench-hook. Then place your rectangle of wood into that and plane away the corners and keep planing to a point where all the rest would be sanding

It would have been very useful to have the sander you re on about yes I had to make do with bit of sanding paper stuck to strips of wood

[Sharon of the Dell]

Hi, glad you are back and keep carving cause you're doing great!

[A Willburger]

your doing great - already seeing improvement.
Your avatar picture and the picture that Keoma posted look like the same young lady are they both you? The picture that Keoma posted would be a nice carving without the hands in front of the face. The hat would be challenging.
Andy