Dave is done!

Well, I think I am just about done. I had a good day yesterday and managed to get most of my part seen to. There might be a couple of little things to tweak or clean up, but I think I have hit that point when 'enough is enough'. I ummed and ahhhed all night about whether or not to put a coat of oil on it for protection etc.. At first I didn't want to because it does make touch up sanding a bit trickier, but I think that the protection it will afford against wear as the spoon is shipped around will be a valid trade-off. I have only used one thinned coat, but that has let me see the grain and if there were any rough sections etc.. I hope Laura is ok with me doing that!!! I should have asked but it was pretty late and I made an executive decision (at least I think that is what they are called).
I had a big chip break off the flower which made me alter my plans in mid-stride, but I more-or-less recovered the situation. The front part of the petals look good, and I managed to shape around the breakage on the back to give the flower section a bit of a curvy feel






Its a cute little flower but I am very interested to see how it stacks up against Laura's daff when she is done. Flowers are her specialty, so hopefully she won't have to do too much tweaking to mine!










Here's a detailed shot showing my section of the spoon completed and with one coat of protective oil. I'm very happy with the little stylized dragon. He's not as literal as last year's spoon, but I think he has a lot of charm. I like the way his body is woven around the frame of the spoon and merges into the knotwork. I'm also very pleased with how the wings turned out, given that they are much smaller than the ones on last year's dragon and so were much trickier to detail.
I've also carved the back of this spoon in pretty good detail so that the dragon is recognizable from both sides and the knotwork will cast nicer shadows when it is hung on the wall. The bowls of the spoons are also nicely rounded now and also give a nice shadow when the spoon is viewed against a backing.
I can't wait for the spoon to get to Laura and to see what she comes up with! This spoon has been quite an interesting challenge. The design aspect was a lot of fun as we thrashed our way through all kinds of ideas and now it is equally interesting to see how two carvers with very different styles will complete a single spoon! It will also be interesting to see how many people are inspired enough by what we are doing to make a donation to the Left Coast Eisteddfod!! Remember every dollar donated equals one chance to win the completed spoon!

Profile...

I've had a request for some 'profile' shots of the Left Coast Eisteddfod lovespoon. So for any carvers in the crowd or those who are interested in seeing what one of these things looks like from the side. Here is a detail shot of the bowl end of the spoon. Unfortunately it is hard to get a shot which accurately shows the doming of the front face as well as the 'swan-neck' effect of the bowls joining the handle.
Showing the spoon from the bowl end again, this occasionally in focus shot at least gives an idea of the lateral curve this spoon has. This doming seems to really bring Celtic knotwork to life and should help our little dragon and eagle look a bit more vibrant!



For those with a thing for blurry photos, today is your lucky day! This one shows the extent of the doming from the crown end. Not a terribly exciting photo, but I can tell you that getting a spoon curved like this without blowing it up has its challenges!!



Hopefully, some of you are wondering what the hell the spoon is actually shaping up to look like! Well, wonder no more! I've finished the front face of the dragon and the knotwork...I've also finished the daffodil but the camera is acting up so no pics this week. The birch is coming up beautifully with some nice little colour streaks and a good, consistant grain. It is a pleasure to carve!
With the front face done, I have to carefully redraw all the 'over and under' lines for the knotwork on the back face. Care and caution are required here as it is remarkably easy to mess up the lines and make a right-old ballsup of things if even just one gets out of whack!
Some shallow cutting brings up the knotwork and still leaves me an escape route if I make an error and have to change a knot. Having that little bit of extra material to play with can be a lifesaver if there is a mistake made!
With the spoon starting to show its potential, I would like to once again make a plea for donations! The Left Coast Eisteddfod needs your support and in exchange for every dollar you donate, will give you an opportunity to win this spoon.
-Dave

Something to consider...

I was very excited to see the start Dave has made on the spoon, especially seeing it all cut out. Seeing the blank all cut out is one of my favorite parts of the spoon-making process. It feels like a milestone accomplished. It also means that now is time for carving, which is another favorite part. For me, though, this time I still have to wait! It is making me all twitchy to wait to hold the cut blank in my hand and study how the coloration of the wood is showing up on the design.
While I wait, though, I realize there is something I should consider: my work space.
I know it's a mundane topic, but it's something that needs serious consideration. So, today, I thought I would muse a bit about considerations for a work space.

Dave seems to have a proper workshop, complete with appropriate workspace, and all the right tools and equipment. He has been woodworking for much longer than I have. I, on the other hand, have a very limited workshop, with no proper workbench or carving space. I'm workin' on it, though....

Meanwhile, this is my normal workspace, for the most part:
I am usually, however, working on spoons 12" or less. That is quite manageable in an armchair. This spoon, on the other hand, is 17" long, and I suspect it may be less manageable in an armchair. I'll need to decide on a more proper workspace - I'm considering building the work bench I've been meaning to build for over a year. We'll see.

So, first, the workspace has to "fit" the item being carved, keeping both the item AND you safe. You need to be able to move your elbows and other parts of your body freely around the piece, as necessary. You also need room to keep your tools handy.

Why not use the dining room table?
Second consideration: Things can happen with tools - so I don't let them anywhere near furniture I don't care to get nicks and scrapes, etc.. Well, I really like my dining room table. I think it was built by my Great Grandfather, from a walnut tree that was in their yard. So, dining room table is out.

Third consideration: what happens with all the wood chips? Well, they fall on me or the table, and then probably onto the floor. So wherever I choose, I need to be able to sweep up the chips, or leave them (like when I carve outside). I also need to live with the few rogue chips that will remain between cushions in my chair, or in some other corner of the room until I do the super-thorough sweep.

Fourth consideration: The spoon needs a safe place when I'm not working on it. A workbench (in a room where my dogs are not allowed - like my workshop in the basement) would be a good place for that. So... I think I probably should get building soon! I also tend to hang in-progress spoons on a pegboard in the same room as my armchair. Storage just requires that nothing is set on top of the spoon (or pushes it around), and no dogs can get to it.

These are the main considerations I'm making, at any rate.
- Laura