My first letters =)

[Serial]

Thank you susieq, GeorgiaCarver, Joy, squbrigg and arapsang for the nice comments and good advices. When I look at what you guys have done I'm amazed and happy that I found this place.

arapsang.... your letters humbles me, and what a nice coating. I want to see more from what you have done, any website?

I've actually made a second attempt at lettering.. since I only has a straight chisel I will wait with the round parts, but I will get my new tools tomorrow Baby

I've attached my second attempt: (it took 2 1/2 hour):
I'm starting to feel the grains and how they are working (against me =)). I also learned that I shouldn't use an inkpencil... Something that I'm starting to feel that the fewer strokes the cleaner cut, but nothing else then practise will do for that =) Thanks again everybody!

[Eddy-Smiles]

Looks like you're on your way to making your first million, or pound or pence or what ever! Nice job!

[arapsang]

Hello again Serial.
You learn quickly and ask all the right questions. Never go anywhere near carving wood with an ink pencil, the ink bleeds into the exposed end grain and you have a devil of a job to get rid of it.

These days I work out my lettering designs on paper, stick the paper to the workpiece and carve through the paper. I do a lot of work outside where the surface already has a finish on it which will not take a pencil line and usually I have access to it only for a limited time. Where the grain of the wood is as wild as it is on the chess trophy you can easily loose a pencil line in the confusion.

I aim to make as few cuts as possible to form a letter. I try to make the letter 'I' in a Times Roman Font with 9 cuts. A long stabbing cut down the middle of the letter and four short stabbing cuts out to the edges of the serifs. The next two cuts are slicing cuts to remove wood from each side of the long central stab and a couple more to remove the little triangles at the ends. The memorial bench shows better what I mean.

Good Carving!

Peter connor

[Mottles]

Hi Serial, wow those are some great looking letters. I've not tackled letters yet, but hope to one of these days. Welcome to WCI message boards.
Kathy

[Serial]

Thank you very much Peter!

I taped on the paper and made the stopcuts in the middle of the letters. (do you tape or glue the paper to the wood?)

I tried to cut out the letters directly thru the paper but the paper messed up a little so instead I gently etched out the outlines with the corners of my chisel then took the paper away, that worked perfect. I could not only see where to start I could also feel the outlines with the chisel.

I also changed wood from oak to alder, what a huge different, at the first cut I got all happy. When I felt the softness in the material I thought it was a good idea to try on a *relief of a sign.

My new tools works perfect and the feeling that it is only mine helps =)

Peter, the work you've done on that chess trophy is amazing, and your letters are so perfect, thank you very much for your advices.

Kathy, thank you very much for your kind words and I do feel more welcome here then I've ever felt on any other forum on the internet.

[Serial]

I also forgot to tell you that "Skylt" is sign in swedish =)

And Conny is my name, so you guys know what the signs is about With other words, nothing so far =)

[LA.DUSTY]

Looks good for first letters. Well done.
Dusty

[arapsang]

Hello Conny,
I've been over in Ireland for a while, touching base, drinking Guiness, and the usual tourist stuff so I only picked up your posting today. I think the SKYLT sign is great. Good choice of font and well executed, though I would have separated the S and K a fraction more. Kerning between letters is an art in itself which all letter-cutters have to cope with sooner or later.

I use a gluestick to fix the paper to the wood. These are commonly used here in primary schools where they seem to glue a lot of paper together. Choose a water solube brand for preference. I use Uhu but you would have to use the US equivalent. When you have finished a damp cloth removes the paper and any glue traces without much trouble.

What sort of mallet do you use?

Peter Connor