[love2carve2]

Great scene Thomp. Great job on the dogs and coon. Love the scene. Can't wait to see it finished.
Mary

[Thomp]

Thanks for the great replies folks,

i posted it unfinished in case anybody found something that didn't look right so it could be fixed before and the paint wouldn't have to be matched,, i'm not good at that,,

this book is a great for a advanced beginner to moderate skilled carver, although will be a hard reach for a raw beginner with only a knife,,,

i carved the scrollsaw rough out with a knife and a v tool.

the size of the man would be hard to do without a bandsaw (thats why i shrank it to 2x2x9" and made add on arms) the step by step of the 2 headed dog pattern (is genius), raccoon and the man.

the patterns in the book was a big thing in size my scrollsaw wouldn't accommodate the cut out of a 3x3x12 with a separate head, like Lynn Droughtys charters,

don't get this book if your wanting a bunch of patterns, there is only 3 in it, but the tutorial in it is great from concept to finish painting complete,. within the covers theres hundreds of photos showing steps and other views of the items being carved but the patterns only have side views, so if you jump from the rough saw cutout right to carving your going to have to think up the frontal views (by not using the tutorials)

the dogs and coon is easy, just make the legs strong by making the grain run the length of the leg not body,,,

but tom wolf 90 patterns for dog carvers is got many good coon hound and hunting dog patterns, as well as several domestic dogs.
there is another book out there i didn't get to look at yet
tom Wolfe goes to the dogs, and what i read its a good one too.

if your looking in used books on eBay, check out amazon.com for a new book price before bidding on eBay, because you can wind up paying more than new prices for dog eared books on eBay..

ive yacked long enough,,

[bbeery]

I've attached ( I hope) an original carving by Tom Wolfe. One he carved for me in Black Walnut. Looks similar to yours, Thomp.

[Thomp]

bberry, it sure looks the same, maybe a little detailing difference.

definately a keeper.

from what i seen of tom wolfe carvings even he verys the pattern a little from each carving,

i found the hardest part was carving the hocks on the back of the legs, the grain is suppose to run up the leg and if the chip splits out too big' its too hard to find in the chip pile,, so you get a deformed leg if that happends

i would say if your carving 2 of them carve them out of the same wood,

tom wolfe's pattern for this one has two heads one sniffing the ground and the other one up like its howling, you simply bend up the head you dont need and its still attached so that you can reuse the pattern for the other dog..

[hobo]

hey thomp,good carving, show us more when you geter done. gene m your right on the money. i talked to john c about a month and a half ago.looks like he is 125 if hes a day i think he still carves. HOBO

[xsailer]

Thomp,
You say you stabbed yourself after catching your knife. I CANNOT keep from crabbing mine when dropped. I think so much of them I'm crabbing much quicker than thinking I shouldn't. I know I'm going to catch a blade one of these days but can't help it. Hope it's not bad.
The dogs look nice, I look your rib cage carved look.

[Joy]

That cypress knee hound is terrific. I see you haven't quite finished rounding the legs and feet of the basswood dog. But he should be great when you finish.

Since you asked....I'm bothered by the straight stick the coon is on. It is too artificial....too smooth for the rustic scene. I'm sure it won't stand out as much when you paint the rest of the scene, but I think a more "barky" twig that is broken rather than cut at the top would go better with the overall theme. Just my two cents......cause I want you always to be straight with me when I post something for comments.

[Thomp]

hobo: hey thomp,good carving, show us more when you geter done.

hobo,
i am reserve on painting it, too hard to pick the right colors and getting the right smooth finish usually turns up with the final coat being straight paint to hide the mistakes drips and run's

:xsalor
Thomp,
You say you stabbed yourself after catching your knife. I CANNOT keep from crabbing mine when dropped. I think so much of them I'm crabbing much quicker than thinking I shouldn't. I know I'm going to catch a blade one of these days but can't help it. Hope it's not bad.
The dogs look nice, I look your rib cage carved look.

xsalor,
I'm like a fat old slow cat playing in a cactus bed, usually got a lap full of tools, when i drop one i know im getting stabbed just don't know where,
the tool was one of them re shaped pin files on a 3/8 dowel it had no weight to drive it, but i knew how fragile it was, the leak was stopped with super glue but not after sprinkling the keyboard and the carving,,,

joy:
That cypress knee hound is terrific. I see you haven't quite finished rounding the legs and feet of the basswood dog. But he should be great when you finish.

Since you asked....I'm bothered by the straight stick the coon is on. It is too artificial....too smooth for the rustic scene. I'm sure it won't stand out as much when you paint the rest of the scene, but I think a more "barky" twig that is broken rather than cut at the top would go better with the overall theme. Just my two cents......cause I want you always to be straight with me when I post something for comments.

joy,
i asked for your honest opinion, and thank you for your thoughts, sometimes we need the constructively criticized opinion to get it right. i didn't notice i left the legs un-shaped, im a big boy and i can take it... thanks

• the bark on stick isn't really rough but that coon could had easily climbed it, its one of them things pictures don't show that kind of detail,,

some good ideas..

• if the branch wasn't mounted i would bore it out the end so it came out the side to make it look like it was holler on the top with a forsner bit, but its attached glued and screwed ..

• this one is for give away, to my brother in law, he runs dogs through the swamp at night just to hear them bay a coon...

Although, i might get some twigs and cut a socket, or shoulder on the big end to be put into the stick like a chair leg joint on a straight back chair, if i can get the bark to match the angle the hole is drilled,

tom wolf's tree on the cover of the book looks the same though, i thought it bare myself..

the next segment of the stick is got a hundred little twigs and the very top branches in 6 places (that ones for my carving)

i may regret the choice of wax myrtle with its sage odor and its rock hard so it don't afford much use for carving on it, maybe some power carving but dust mask even outside would be necessary..

the drying leaves in a pillow sack in a room are a country remedy to rid your pets of flea infestation even clear homes of fleas... but it smells loud for a few days...

Q: any suggestions as to bushes? or is that enough?

[hobo]

hey thomp, spray deft on it .

[Eddy Smiles]

Outstanding work Thomp! I'm going to see if I can find a copy of that book.