[jesters_tools]

I am painting my golden finch now(my very first carving!) and I was needing some tips on making the legs and feet.The book I have says use nails for the legs but I was wanting to know what other ways are there?
Thanks,
Jesse

[Hugh P.]

Jesse, I'll try and offer you a little help, but I'm a bird carver that struggles with making good feet. I've tried many many methods, and the best method and material for my personal use, brass rods. Very fine wire for song birds.. Most song birds have very fine feet. Using fine wire to shape the leg and tendon, the same fine wire for the toes, then detail them with epoxy putty. I use kulis karvit, it dries slowly and give you ample time to detail.

The wire for the tendon on the rear of the birds leg, is made long enough to make the back toe , the the wire for the front of the leg is made long enough to include the middle front toe. One more piece of wire shaped like a U is the two outside toes. You flatten and make the nails or claws, the whole thing is held together by aligator clamps, I use a device called magic hands. and solder everything at once. Any extra solder is easily ground off after it sets.
Hope this is some small help.