Cowboy Smilie Problems.

[STAR]

Thanks to Ivan from Bulgaria he was able to draw the Smilie that I generally use after my signature.

Now, for practice, I wanted to see if I could carve the cowboy hat with just a bit more turn up at the sides.

As I normally I do, in new endeavours, I went like a bull into a china shop. No real thought out process, after all it was just going to be a bit of practice. I am trying to remember a Management saying that uses the letter P in every word. The last few were PPP. The words perfect practice is in there somewhere too.

I think it was Slow who just posted about grain direction problems he had with the horse he was carving from Lynn's video. Well, I had the same problem with my hat where the grain direction changes.

I thought I might, I was using jellutong, but am thinking this may not be the right wood for such a weak area that has grain direction issues.

For my information , If you look at my Cowboy Smilie after my signature I wonder if you could suggest a method of attack starting with a bare blank I had thought of using a scroll saw, forstner bit, small saw to get the inside curve open enough for me to use a knife to finish.

What would you guys do?

Pete

[Lynn O. Doughty]

If you go back through my videos, I think maybe the Monte Walsh series covers the hat, you'll see how I orient the grain to allow for very thin curved brims.

[STAR]

Thanks Lynn.

I do not know if I should thank you or cuss you and many others here on this forum. With all the help I have been given you guys are taking away from me all my excuses why my beginner carvings suck.

Thanks for all of your sharing.

Pete