[doris]

yes, jim, it is not so nice carving wood like linden... it splits easily when carving across and not super careful. but i am taking my time, make very small cuts in area where difficult, and it works... i only hope the strong grain will not disturb the design of carving...the wood darkens already in places, and show more grain...

[tucker1931]

Hi Doris, I've been quietly following your progress on this piece and I felt I had better jump in here and tell you just how much I like it, I think you are doing a great job on it, and wish you well with the completed work.
Cliff

[pallin]

Hi Doris: Early in this thread you described the difficulty you had with fixing the blade of your coping saw. The frame of a coping saw is too large for my male hands, so I press one side against the work bench while guiding the blade pin into its slot. This may require putting the project piece in a different position than where you intend to saw it.

[builder9]

Originally Posted by doris

hi thank you both for looking and nice words :-) ...

it goes slowly, but here are new progress pics. both show same, but under different lightning situation, the first shows better the lower leaves i have now carved, the second shows better the leaves in the top left of foto i have finished... suggestions for possible improvements are welcome :-) ...

wow. that's very nice.

BTW,
new here!

[Claude]

Originally Posted by pallin

Hi Doris: Early in this thread you described the difficulty you had with fixing the blade of your coping saw. The frame of a coping saw is too large for my male hands, so I press one side against the work bench while guiding the blade pin into its slot. This may require putting the project piece in a different position than where you intend to saw it.

Perhaps I'm missing something here, or my coping saw is different from most. First, my coping saw handle unscrews. As it unscrews, the bottom holder for the blade (by the handle) moves upward and releases tension on the blade. After about 10 turns of the handle, the blade just falls out - no pressure required.

Also, Doris, I noticed that you had your fret saw frame inside one of the cuts in the board so you could saw another part of the wood. Most coping saws and fret saws, once you loosen the handle a few turns, have the ability to turn the blade so it can be positioned 90 degrees from the frame - saw sideways, in other words. If your fret saw has this capability, you don't need to have the frame inside one of the other holes in the wood.

Claude

[doris]

hi cliff, thanks for the well wishes :-)

hi builder, nice to see you here too :-) and welcome to wci , i am sure you will enjoy it :-)

pallin, thanks, yes i tried similar, but i had the wood fastend to table, next time i try exactely like you say, seems better fix the wood later...

claude, my fretsaw does not allow the blade put in another angle as 0 or 180 degree. the blade is flat where it is fixed, and the space where it is fixed is also flat, is kind of slot. i tried to fix it 90 degree but it just does not hold fixed...so, i really need put frame into design to saw certain lines... removing the blade is easy on my saw too, open a screw, either on handle or on top, and the blade looses tension and finaly pops out of that slot...but the fixing was the problem, since the blade needs have a certain tension, so that the saw works efficiently, and to get this tension, i need pressure together the u-legs while i fit the blade in the upper slot and then fix the screw ...... maybe my saw is not a professional one ? i have no idea how good saws should be... anyway, next time if i buy such a saw again, i want one where i can put the blade in differnt angles, like 90 degree too...

[JimSawyer]

Well it's water under the bridge, but, perhaps in the future, should the need arise, you could modify a blde with a couple of pairs of pliers and/or a vice.
Just a thought.
I just looked at my fretsaw, and it has no pivot point either. I bought it more for the novelty anyway, just to hang on the wall behind my scrollsaw. Which leads me to ask, do you own a scrollsaw? If so, you might have been able to make your cuts with a spiral blade. Just thinkin' some more.
You'll have to send us a picture of it once you have put it where it goes, just so that we can see it's effect. Great piece!

[doris]

ah, yes ! good idea to modify the blade :-) i think i can do that next time :-) ... no, i have no scrollsaw :-( ... thanks for idea ...i collect all idea, if not this time, i can use next time , so sharing is never too late. thanks again .-) ...

[Keoma]

OH DORIS!!! Fantastic! You are so inspiring! I'd love to see what you do with Oak Leaves! I love keeping up on what you are doing! Have a beautiful day! I am sure you will see something that will inspire you! I hope so!

[doris]

keoma, thanks :-) i am glad if i inspire you, but i must give credit to mark, he did such panels first, i only took this idea... yes, oak leaves are beautiful too, i have once carved a single one as a relief, but would be nice to do lots, maybe in a new greenwoman... we will see...in moment i am working on a completely different idea i have for a new project... keoma, i was very glad to see your mermaid, meaning you are enjoy carving again :-)

today, i post since i have a technicle question...i worked the leaves, shown in image, and i tried to make these subtle ridges. they are as subtle as i want them, and catch the light, but look at them, they are totally crooky ! ... :-( ... how can i make them nice and graceful ? (the grain is running up and down there, so sometimes i need cut from top, sometimes from bottom, therefore i could not carve them with one "stroke" as i first thought would the way to do it ...) i really would like get them better, but dont see how. i shaved aready so long time to get them at least this way, but it seems not the proper approach ...