Carpentry and Woodwork. Edwin W. Foster
Fig. 76. A letter rack decorated with the veining tool
To a person who has not tried this work or who has not begun with simple cuts it appears very difficult, but when it is remembered that only one cut can be made at a time and that each chip is a triangle, even if its sides are slightly curved, it actually proves very easy, and within the power of any normal boy to accomplish.
Fig. 77. The pen-holder
Harry was introduced at this time to the use of the veining tool, a fine gouge with a cross section almost V-shaped. This was used to emphasize the outlines of the designs by simply pushing ahead directly on the lines. When veining straight lines, it may be guided by a ruler or other straight edge, but for curves, a free-hand movement is necessary. A very good practice piece is the design shown at Fig. 76. This may be applied to the front of the letter rack design. (Fig. 69.)
The pen-holder shown at Fig. 77 is one of a large number which were made by the boys. The pieces were cut out with a knife to the blank forms shown. On all pieces like these, afterward to be assembled, the edges were made straight and square on the shooting board, and the carving done before assembling. This pen-holder was put together with 3⁄4-inch brads with the exception of the front, which was glued, as it was thought best not to have nails showing on this important side. (Fig. 78.)
Fig. 78. Pieces composing pen-holder
Photograph by Arthur G. Eldredge
Using the Veining Tool.
XIII
CHIP CARVING AND KNIFE WORK (See 31, 109)
"I like this new work better than anything we have ever done," said Harry one day when he and Ralph were up to their ears in carving, whittling, and designing.
Ralph smiled as he remembered Harry's intense interest in making moving toys. "As I told you once before," he replied, "this is not new but old. The people of northern Europe have done it for centuries, and the reason is not hard to find. In Norway during the long winter it gets dark very early, in some places at three o'clock in the afternoon, and does not become light again until nine o'clock in the morning. The result is very, very long evenings, when it is much more comfortable to work indoors.
"At an early era the people developed this beautiful art of carving, and spent their long evenings in working at it. They became very skilful and as most of the household utensils were of wood, it was not at all unusual to see the household furniture, even to their bread boards, beautifully carved."
"By the way," said Harry, "can't I make a paper knife now? You know you said I could after I had learned to use the knife!"
"Yes, I think you might try your skill on something of that character now. It will be quite a change from this flat work we have been doing. It will require a harder wood, however, than you have been using, as a paper knife must be thin and strong at the same time.
"The Swedish carvers use apple wood a great deal for their paper knives, but as this is rare with us, suppose we try rock maple. It is white in colour, close grained, and hard."
As usual, they worked up their design on paper first and sketched in the carving shown in Fig. 79.
A piece of rock or sugar maple was first squared up and laid out in pencil as shown at B. In order to get the outline to conform exactly to the drawing, the form was cut out of paper and traced on the face of the wood. The blank form was then whittled out to the pencil line, and sand-papered smooth as shown at c.
Maple proved to be a hard wood to whittle.
Notches were cut at d d after drawing the edge view on front and back edges. The blade and handle were then whittled down to lines e and f.
Fig. 79. Two designs for paper knives
"Whew!" exclaimed Harry, "don't ever give me any maple to whittle again."
"Well, you wanted to make a paper knife, didn't you? A paper knife that would break when it fell on the floor wouldn't be of much use, and you are not through yet. The blade must be cut down to a fairly sharp edge on both sides now."
This was done by bevelling the edges as shown in h and the bevel gradually cut back to the centre line, as shown at i and j. Harry concluded that this was the hardest work that he had ever done.
Fig. 80. Key rack designs
"Now you understand," said Ralph, "why I couldn't allow you to make a knife at first. All the training I have given you was necessary before you had the requisite skill and control of your hands. The carving will be easy for you because of all this practice. Skill is something which comes that way. Why, if I should give you the problem of making that first key rack over again, you would do it in about one third of the time, and very much better than at your first attempt. You have been gaining skill without knowing it.
"Just to show you how much you have advanced, I will give you one or two key rack designs to be decorated with chip carving. When they are finished, take them into the house and compare them with the first you made. I think you will be amused at the difference. That original piece of which you were so proud will seem a very crude affair now."
"All right," said Harry, "but I should like to make one more paper knife first if you don't mind."
"Very well; make up a new design, because no artist ever duplicates his work," said Ralph with a mischievous smile.
The smile was premature, however. The boy had not been designing woodwork for nothing. The design is shown at No. 2, Fig. 79, and even Ralph, severe critic though he was, had to admit that it was "pretty fair."
"Looks like a table knife," he said seriously. "However, it is your own design, so go ahead and make it. Try a piece of cherry this time. It makes a good wood for carving, and is not quite so hard to whittle as maple."
The different steps in the process of cutting this out were the same as in No. 1, Fig. 79.
Fig. 81. The blotter pad
The key rack shown in Fig.