My first two projects

[squbrigg]

Lora Susan Irish has one called "The Great Book Of Woodburning" that has a wealth of information and Sue Walters also has one called "Pyrography Workbook" that will teach you the basics. Both are available from Fox Chapel here.

Bob

[Hooked]

I posted this in another thread and thought I would post it here also. It kinda explains what is so special about this project to me.

This will be going into my six month old son's room. Let me share with you what is special about it. I will try my best to keep it short.

Garrett (my son) was born with a heart defect (Hypoplastic Left Heart). Basically his left ventricle never developed. He had open heart surgery at six days old. He will have another open heart surgery in April and then another at 2-3 years old. There will almost definitely be more surgeries down the road. Fifteen years ago they would have told us there was nothing they could do and he would have died within a few days after birth.

While we were in the hospital, some guys that only know me from occassional postings on a traditional bowhunting website, conducted an auction to benefit Garrett. They all donated items and bid for the items. One of the items was a recurve bow. They came up with the idea of each chipping in $20 to buy the bow. They named the bow the "Little Garrett Bow" (LGB for short). They will pass it around and hunt with it until Garrett is old enough to shoot it. They are also taking pics and writing about the hunts they take it on. This bow rack will be the LGB bow rack and will hang in his room waiting for the day the LGB will find its place there. Along with all tales and pics from the hunts it has been on.

Here are some more pics, I think I am pretty much done except for staining it then finding the appropriate wood for the backing. Any ideas about a good wood for the backing would be appreciated.

and here is a close up so you can see the hair

[squbrigg]

Tough start for the little guy! My best wishes that he progresses well and the surgeries are all successful. Kids are the only thing in life that really matters. Who knows what he may come to accomplish in his life time.

Sounds like a great idea of the bow hunting group, they honour him in their plan.

You carving is coming along great, the detail is super. Looking forward to the finished product. A nice polished Walnut shield would be my suggestion for a back board.

Bob

[Hooked]

I am going to go with your suggestion of Walnut as the backer board, but have a few questions.

Questions for anyone:

Should I treat or stain the walnut before gluing the deer to it?

Also, the guy at Woodcraft told me regular titebond would be fine. He said it is just as strong but will clean up with water (not waterproof) which should be fine since this will be hanging on a wall. He also said it is alot cheaper.

Should I use the pretreatment stuff before staining the deer?

Will glueing the deer to the Walnut keep it from warping and cracking? I have already noticed a small crack forming so I want to get this done if it is going to help.

[Thor]

Hi there,
Great carvings already. I will look forward to the finished peek at it. The story about your son is very special, and makes the deer piece even better.

The piece you started of your wife reading to your first daughter looks very nearly done to me. It can be so hard to go back into a piece when so much time has gone by since you saw the original inspiring image in your mind. I hope you can find it again. For an unfinished carving, it sure is cleanly carved.

Good luck with both pieces. I would screw through the back with a counter sunk screw or two along with the glue, to mount the deer onto the walnut backing. If it will eventually support the weight of a bow, and the continuous use of removing and replacement of that bow, then it may need more than glue I think.

Thor

[Hooked]

Thanks for the response Thor. The carving will not actually support the bow. I am going to put the hooks for the bow on the backing. They will just have to be long enough to extend past the wood carving.

[squbrigg]

I would suggest you finish the backboard before you attach the deer. No need to stain the Walnut as the colour of the wood is spectacular with just a finish on it, oil, varnish or whatever.

To attach it, I would suggest either pinning or screwing the piece to the backboard, but the decision is yours of course. Not sure about the cracking/checking , perhaps someone else may have an answer.

Bob

[Hooked]

Here are some updated pics

[Hooked]