drying 'rack'

[Buffalo Bif]

I'd be surprised if this is a new idea, but here it is. Sooner or later whatever I whittle has to sit or hang somewhere to dry, hanging is easy, its the sitting that bugged me. Seems like everything I do is a different size than the last piece, I tried sticking nails in a board so I could varnish all sides at once and keep it from sticking to the table, but I ended up with too many boards.

I found flat glass 'marbles' from the craft store work great, flat side down they don't roll, curved side only touches at a tiny point, varnish does not stick, and I can move three around to any position to support whatever I'm working on.

[Dicky]

Brian, check out Lee Valley's Painter's Pyramids 88K58.70. They do the same as nails but store compactly and easily.

[Robson Valley]

I have a stack of LV painter's pyramids. They work wonderfully well.

[Claude]

Brian:
You were close with the nails... I stick a straight pin in the bottom of a small carving (less than 8 inches tall), tie a piece of thread to it, and the wrap the thread a couple of times around a horizontal dowel stuck under some books on my shelf. After wrapping the thread around the dowel, I hold it in place with a spring clothespin. Allows the carving to hang upside-down over the work bench until dry. I also have some paper clips I've turned into "S" hooks to hang ornaments from on the dowel. (Photos available for a small fee... )

Claude

[Robson Valley]

I meant to add that the LV pyramids are pretty sharp/pointy/pokey. I knochked the points off with a rasp. Why? Because my cedar carvings are quite soft and I don't require dents.

[idigjars]

Lots of good tips. Thanks for sharing. Paul

[kdispoto]

I have a wooden bookshelf over my bench. On it's edge I stuck in a number of office type pushpins the ones with the plastic caps. I then put sewing type pushpins into some of my carvings and then clip on those metal binder clips onto the pins. I can then hang the carving from the binder clip handle from the pushpins.

Basically using what ever is around the house.

[Claude]

...and if anyone ever asks you what the small hole in the bottom of the carving is for, you can just tell them that it's the hole made by the tail stock on your lathe. You put the block in the lathe, turned it on slow, and the moved the gouge in and out to shape the carving...
And it you can tell it with a straight face, they might believe you for a moment or two...

Claude

[Buffalo Bif]

Originally Posted by Claude

...and if anyone ever asks you what the small hole in the bottom of the carving is for, you can just tell them that it's the hole made by the tail stock on your lathe. You put the block in the lathe, turned it on slow, and the moved the gouge in and out to shape the carving...
And it you can tell it with a straight face, they might believe you for a moment or two...

Claude

Too funny Claude. Half the people I would try that on would ask me what a lathe was....