[meipo]

Based on the design of the mailbox in Dennis Moor's Chip Carving Workbook, here is what we got.

The whole thing only started from Sunday afternoon. I made my husband build the box so I can just carve. It is going to Michigan with us tomorrow for my inlaw's 80th birthday. So, a little too late for advice on this one, but maybe for future reference.

At a distance, things look ok. Since I have the tendency to closely inspect everyhing, I must admit that the lettering (in particular) is not so great in close up. The later ones are better, because I learnt my lessons with the difficult "W". Why do I have to follow the order anyways? Why didn't I start with a simpler letter to start? All I can say is silly compulsive behavior.

If any of you can show me how to handle the curves against the grain, I'd deeply appreciate it. Thanks.


meipo

[mikeg]

You must need to get VERY close to see the flaws because in the pictures it looks great! Nice job, I'm sure he'll love it.

mikeg

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

to curve, raise the blade up, straight up almost and lessen the depth a bit, try it on a piece of scrap. ( I should clear that up a bit, I say raise the blade straight up, but it still will have the side angle you are useing whatever that is) does that make sense?

[meipo]

Yes, Hi Ho, I did. If you look at the big curvy W shape cuts under "Williams", one particular cut is more difficult than the others mostly because of the grain direction. If I am not mistaken, it is the bottom on on the left side. The others all manage to be with the grain. I stropped my knife ahead of time, and was very careful about it, but my knife still "stuttered" as it went across the grain. What else can I do????

And Mikeg, thanks for your compliments. I hope he likes it. When someone has almost everything, what else can you give him? All I can think of is a customized mailbox to replace his old one.

meipo

[Eddy Smiles]

Meipo... Very nice work! I agree with MikeQ! If there are any imperfections they're not worth mentioning! However, I couldn't have one of those boxes in my neighborhood. It wouldn't stay up five minutes before someone would walk away with it. My current box has a lock and is bolted to the side of the house. So much for al Regulations!

[justanick]

I think that your box looks great! my chip carving should ,look as good!!

[Lindy]

Absolutely wonderful mail box! I've wanted to try carving and/or burning one of those for a while and you did a wonderful job of it.

I agree with what Hi Ho said and I'ld like to add something that was shown to me during a class I took. When cutting cross grain, raise the angle of your blade and cut "down" the grain. This is harder to explain than show, but if you look at the grain as you cut in a chip style cut you may need to stop and come from the other side so that the knife blade is always is the same direction of the grain itself. I really hope that made some kind of sense, but since I learned that one it has certainly helped me deal with cross grain cuts.

Keep up the nice work and it really is a wonderful gift!

Linda

[Joy]

Beautiful job! I'm sure the family will love it.

[meipo]

Thank you all for your kind remarks. Thanks, Lindy for your advice. I am not sure if I understand everything now. Hopefully a knife in my hand will promote thinking and imagination. After all, my only chip carving instructor is the book by Dennis Moor. I wish I had some live person in front of me for me to watch.

Yes, indeed, my inlaws like the mailbox. Actually, my father-in-law likes it so much that he refuses to put it outside the house, worrying that the weather will ruin it. I already assured him that I gave the box many coats of spar urethane and that if it rots away, I will make him a new one. Well, a "No" is a "No" from an 80-year-old man. I surrender.

meipo