This week, I've been completing the Appaloosa SS in 25 caliber. I told you I'd be carving the stock. I've snapped some pics along the way. Here's some of them ...



The designs are drawn on by pencil. They are unique "one-off designs" - each different. Drawing scrolls on three dimensional objects takes some practice.



The forestock design.



Starting the removal of background material. You have to keep your concentration to distinguish between what's going to be in relief, and what will be background. Once you get to this stage, sure, you can see it then. However; if you look at the top pic ... you can see the lines blurrrrr quite a bit more.



Removal of background continues. You have to rotate the work endlessly, to get it into a position where the wrist can make flowing arcs.



Next time, I'll show you refining of the designs, and more three dimensional work.

Gonna be a fine rifle. Hope you enjoy seeing it along the way.

Gary



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/19/2009 01:26AM by barnespneumatic.

Gary,

As always, I'm quite impressed. I can't wait to see the final product!
Someone is going to be very happy

Scott

Thank you Scott,

I'm glad you like it.

Thanks for commenting.

Gary

I'll bet they will be!

Wow Gary, it's incredible the precision/skill/patience/art involved....do you ever have an accident, a slip of the hand, and if so do you revise the design a little to compensate?
Cheers
Neil

Neil,

I'm glad you like it. Thanks for saying so.

Accident? Ssshhh. Don't let the wood hear you say anything like that. It will loose confidence in me.

hehe

Gary

So Gary,

Do you just hold it on your lap, or do you have some sort of rotating vise setup?

Hi Sean,

I hand hold it on my lap and knee. There's way too much change of position required to clamp it down. No vise would have the flexibility I need either. I have all sorts of vise set-ups, including all manner of ball joint, ball base, configurations. Just too cumbersome. Works for some engraving operations.

You can also imagine that I have to swing the entire stock around. Therefore, for many cuts, most of the stock is suspended way out in the air, away from the area being carved. Besides that, I have to pay attention to the grain of the wood. I can't cut against the grain much.

Best I've come up with is my ancient leather shop apron on my knee. An instinct takes over. All the variables are somehow taken into account, and I set there and watch myself carve this stuff.

Gary

Gonna be beautiful.
You beat me to the question Neil about accidents and revisions!!
I guess any mistakes early on can be worked around, but once the main pattern is rough carved, you are commited?

Hi Paul,

I'm committed once I start the carving. There's very little, to no room for mistakes. Once the wood is gone, it's gone. And/or ... if a flowing line were broken, everyone's eye would go right to it.

A good engraving flows. The eye moves around over it, like pouring water over a smooth rock. You know what happens if there's a flaw on that smooth rock? Right, the water breaks there, and it becomes a huge focal point.

The time for mistakes was many, many years ago, when I was learning to do this.

Gary