[Phaeton]

Hi All,

This looks like a great forum and a fantastic place to learn from the experts.

I'm 59 yrs. old with hand limitations due to Rheumatoid Arthritis, so the steady hand required for fine detail painting and burning is not possible, but as long as a little pressure is required, such as carving, sanding and staining I should be able to manage.

I decided on a full size Canvasback Duck to begin with, hopefully in the future I can be more creative and not depend so heavily on visual aids but with these first carvings I thought I would concentrate on the carving and tools needed.

I bought the tupelo kit from Sugarpine, completre with blank, eye's, pattern and full size reference cast. I'm using 8" calipers, ruler and contour gauge to transfer the pattern/cast to the blank and a drill to mark the stop hacking point...hehe.

The finish will be a thin wash of water base Minwax stain for color and a clear satin finish.

I'm almost ready to install the glass eye's and glue the head to the body but I'm just not sure how to go about it.
I had almost decided to drill the hole slightly larger than the 10mm eye and fill the hole with two part epoxy and let it squeeze out around the edges of the eye and then mould the excess into that thin bead around the eye.!?

Would someone help me with this "eye thing" ? I would hate to screw up this early in the carving, there will be plenty of time for that sort of thing before this duck is done...LOL

Trails
Bill

ps; Aurora photography is another hobby and the source of my internet name "Phaeton" (I've been using it for about 6 yrs.)
Phaeton aka Phaethon was the mortal son of the Greek Sun God Helios but he was very inexperienced with the Sun, as was I in 1999.

[squbrigg]

Welcome aboard Bill. Good looking duck, and you have come to the right place for advice. There are some great bird carvers aboard here who I am sure will be able to help you in that department. You may find carving a real challenge with RA, but the "satisfaction" will be worth it! It should also be beneficial as physical therapy, force those swollen joints to move, just take your time and follow your doctors orders. I grew up with a younger sister with juvenile RA so I have some idea of what you are facing. Good luck and keep on carving!

Bob

[Callynne]

Hi Bill, Welcome!! I've only done one bird, a little chickadee. The eye hole was done a tiny bit larger, the eye set into place and then you made a thin ribbon 'snake' out of epoxy ribbon putty. This was placed around the eye and using a dental pick, you pushed it into the crevice around the eye and textured it to look 'right'.

I suggest you post over in the Animal and Bird catagory, we have some fantastic bird carvers who will be able to answer you better than me. Good luck, your duck looks great so far! Deborah

[Phaeton]

Hi Bob, thank you and Deborah for the warm welcome, I've been to both of your sites. Bob, your ship models are incredible and Deborah's carvings are fantastic, I'm definitely out of my league.

Sorry to hear your sister has juvenile RA Bob, it's a terrible challenge for the young, most people think it's just old farts like me that have RA.

I can see you are right about advice from experienced carvers, I've already learned plenty from the forum archives. I started carving the decoy (on the wood stove) with a claw hammer and 1" chisel but that was before I found this forum.

I love this! but it's hard to put the carving down and call it a night, I'm on my third cup of coffee trying to get the gears moving this morning.

Deborah, wow--great tip, did you glue the eye in first or does the thin ribbon hold it in? I'll stop by the Bird board tonight after work.

Warm Regards
Bill

[Irish]

Hi Bill and Welcome.

There are a lot of styles of wood carving and several do not use detailing at all. Creating the form, the shape of the wings - the flow of the goose's neck then making that shape as smooth as possible makes beautiful stylized carvings. Stylized work can be easier on your hands to work yet does offer a great deal of creativity and art. Keeping something flowing, smooth and simple can be a difficult artist challenge where smothering it in detailing sometimes isn't so hard for the artist.

So even if you feel right now that you might be a little physically challenge for carving I think that once you really dive into it you will discover there is lots of room for your artistic side to shine with what you can do with your hands!

Susan

[cut up]

Welcome to the site, Bill.
I also have RA, but have been doing some carving for about 2 years.
Presently I'm working on my 3rd carousel(a cat), and have 2 more ready to start.
Also I've carved several spoons, and 1 caracature. I have'nt done any birds, but do have many books with detail pics and may give it a try one day.
My biggest problem about carving is gripping the knife and then my hands cramping. Sometimes I can rest a spell and go back, sometimes I have to quit for the day.
Anyway, your duck looks great. I know you'll get plenty of great advise from these fabulous folk.
I'll shut up now!

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Cut up, my hands cramp now and then too, sure slows down the work! first, I know of a knife maker that will make any size handle you want!, Second, you can take the waffled rubber material they use for a router pad and/or to keep dishes etc from sliding off the shelves in rv's and wrap that around your handle as many times as you need to get the size and thickness that is comfortable....then maybe the good ol' standby duct tape? lol on the top and bottom.....the rubber doesn't slip, so if you wrap tight I think it might help you! Dave

[cut up]

Thanks for the advise, David.
I'll wait about getting handles made until I figure out what I need.
I have a Whittling Jack, and that handle is too big.
Funny thing is........... I didn't think about cutting it down to size
until now.
The German knives (Woodcraft label) I have are a little too small, and so are the Murphy knives.
Speaking of knives, I got a carvers catalog in the mail with
Lamp brand. I never heard of them before. You know anything about them?

[jamesfa]

Hi- welcome to the board,and your duck is looking mighty fine,as for eye placement,i will wait to answer when youpost to bird &animal thread if you haven't received all the answers you need.


Frank

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

I have heard of lamp brand and some swear by them, but I don't have any and have never used one....so I am not the one to talk on that.......you might look at www.woodysknives.com or talk to Rick at Little Shavers!