[Don by the lake]

I just got this one started. I am using Rick Jensen's new procedure as was written in Chip Chats. I met Rick at Chipping Away in Kitchener in Ontario and he had told me then about what he was doing with the little free standing bark houses he was making. Did not get a chance to try his method until recently when I bought a jointer. A jointer is almost a necessity to do this style of carving because the two peices of bark have to be very flat on the surfaces you are gluing together. Also I included a picture of a Dunkle curved knife in action. I have two of these knives which are right and left handed and had never used them on bark houses before. They are dynamite for getting into tight little spaces like I have shown. Almost tried selling these knifes a while ago but I am glad I kept them now. Real handy!

[Ashbys]

Don,

Looking good. Can you tell us more, why do they have to be so flat ?

I got something like those knife to go with the travel knife, they do a great job following the round edge of a hat as well .

Ash

[Don by the lake]

Actually Garry, the house is made from two peices of bark. I take a peice of bark and plane the back side nice and flat then I cut it into two peices about the same length. Then you use Elmers school glue (which is water soluble) with a sheet out of a magazine that has a shiny finish and glue the whole thing together. The paper is in the middle so that you can seperate the two halves of the carving after the outside work is done to hollow out the inside. The reason the backside of the bark has to be very flat is so the seam doesn't show when you put the two halves back together. If you got the last Chip Chats it explains the whole process in better detail. It makes for a real nice looking carving!

[Ashbys]

I see in now Don .

Where it is split. Interesting way to do it . Keep posting progress pics please.

Garry

[Clifford_Parker]

Nice start Don. I can't wait to see the finished house. Have you thought about adding an LED light inside? I have done this with several of my houses and they look very neat with a yellow lighting coming through the windows. LEDs do not heat up as bad as other lights so won't get above the kindling point of the bark.

[Don by the lake]

Cliff
Yes I had thought about led lights. I have played with some of my previous houses with little xmas lights but they are too hot. Where have you found led lights to buy? Have you got any pictures of the houses you have done?

[Clifford_Parker]

Don,

Sorry it took me so long to get back to this thread. I got my LEDs by ripping the old light ropes out of my conversion van before junking it. (I never waste stuff like that.) You could search online for single LEDs.
Single Ready-To-Use 12vdc LEDs. Pre-resistorized LED Bullets, Panel Mounts, Pin LEDs for any purpose.

I have connected them to small battery boxes and to AC/DC converters (saved a box of those over the years too. LOL) for different projects. Sorry, no pics, my Kodak bit the big one and I'm saving up for a digital SLR now.

[tucker1931]

Don, your house is lookin real good. I go to Chipping Away ocasionally as well, great store with lots of great carvings to see as well. Tell me about the Dunkle knives, are they still available and if so where to get them?
Cliff

[Don by the lake]

Cliff,
I did a quick search of those Dunkle knives and found a source. Mine have metal handles and the ones I found have wood. I bought mine in Charlotte at a show a few years back.
STADTLANDER WOODCARVING SUPPLIES
Here are the latest shots of the house. Still needs quite a bit of work done.

[Iowa Carver]

That is really cool Don. Nice job!

Corey