Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2012 18:55:29 GMT -5
When I first started carving I came across some Texas limestone that was used for accent on brick houses. It is pretty soft so it was a good stone to start carving on. This barn is solid limestone with either walnut or mahogany on the outside.  These carvings are Chinese stamps. They carve Chinese words or letters into the face of them and use them like a signature. Impossible to forge. I ended up giving them away to friends even though they offered to pay for them.  I gave this piece to the lady that I rented my apartment from. Her husband is Canadian and he put up the money to buy the apartment but it is in her name because foreigners can not own property there. The wood is similar to our cedar and they use that wood for a lot of their carvings.  I wish that I would not have given this one away. Maybe the best piece of artwork that I have ever made.   My American dragon. The Chinese did not know what it was because their dragons are different than ours. The inspiration for this was the dragon in the book Aragon. I brought this one home and gave it to my daughter who loves dragons.   Carve on folks. If I can do it I think that anyone can. I got tired of carving and have moved on to other things as most of you know but I still have a lot of alabaster so when it gets warm I may head outside and give it another go. Jim |
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chromenut
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2009
Posts: 1,971
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Post by chromenut on Mar 11, 2012 18:57:50 GMT -5
Really nice work. I have a lot of stone that I want to carve, soapstone, etc. Yet I just can't figure out how to polish it up like that with my hand tools. Job very well done!
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jason12x12
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2011
Posts: 798
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Post by jason12x12 on Mar 11, 2012 19:41:30 GMT -5
it is always nice to let other people enjoy our art.wonderful pieces
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grayfingers
Cave Dweller 
Member since November 2007
Posts: 4,575 
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Post by grayfingers on Mar 11, 2012 19:44:50 GMT -5
Dang Jim! You really are a talented carver! Would be a shame not to do some more. I love your 'shrooms, and that fairy is a drop dead wow.
Bill
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Post by kk on Mar 11, 2012 19:59:06 GMT -5
Ooooooh yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Love them all but that fairy and the dragon are my favorite work that you have shown thus far, only rivaled by your flame sculpture.
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Mar 11, 2012 20:03:19 GMT -5
Love them! Dragon is my fav  |
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unclestu
Cave Dweller
WINNER OF THE FIRST RTH KILLER CAB CONTEST UNCLESTU'S AGUA NUEVA AGATE
Member since April 2011
Posts: 2,298
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Post by unclestu on Mar 11, 2012 21:01:10 GMT -5
Jim that Fairy was fantastic.
Stu
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Post by helens on Mar 11, 2012 21:56:54 GMT -5
Damned Jim... those are fantastic, but LOVE LOVE LOVE the fairy!!! Why can't you do another one??
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Post by Toad on Mar 12, 2012 7:17:25 GMT -5
Great work on the fairy and dragon
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Post by paulshiroma on Mar 12, 2012 8:38:17 GMT -5
Jim, these are beautiful pieces; thanks for posting the photos. Love the simplicity of the stamps and butterfly/mushrooms. Did you do the wood work on the barn as well?
Thanks
Paul
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2012 11:54:01 GMT -5
Thanks all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
cromenut - sandpaper, sandpaper and more sandpaper. I have glued it to every shape of wood that you can imagine.
Helen - I use no power tools when I carve so I am very slow at it. That carving took me a month not counting the wood work and I do not think I have another one in me. A Chinese carver could turn out one of those in hours and that is a little depressing. hahaha
Paul - Yup, I am a carpenter also. I carried around the thin sheets of wood that my son had given me for a long time just because I knew that someday I would need them. I wanted it to look like barn siding so I used a straight edge and a jeweler's screwdriver to make the grooves in it.
Jim
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,723
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Post by Fossilman on Mar 12, 2012 13:53:37 GMT -5
Awewsome! Great work Jim!
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Post by helens on Mar 14, 2012 1:47:16 GMT -5
Wow... um... dremels cost around $50...  |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Mar 15, 2012 9:06:16 GMT -5
Helen - Anyone can buy a dremel. I have owned one for many years. Do you think that makes them a carver? Same as with your glass tools. The difference between carving by hand and carving with a dremel is like night and day. I spent a lot of time in China watching a man carve with a dremel so I know what it takes and I do not have it. As far as polishing soft stone like soapstone and alabaster with a dremel it is a tricky business. It is extremely easy to gouge or break soft stone and I would not try it at all on something delicate like the fairy wings or the dragon.
On soapstone and alabaster sandpaper works so well you can do some of the carving with it. Just get the carving close with the hand tools then round out or flatten the rest with sandpaper. You would be surprised how easy it is.
Jim
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Post by helens on Mar 15, 2012 18:02:25 GMT -5
Ahhh... I see your point Jim. I actually just ordered a set of sandpaper, going to try to polish some of my fire agates by hand (maybe). The flying grit in oil mess that splatters me everywhere has GOT to go! We'll see if the sandpaper is an improvement!!
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Mar 15, 2012 18:12:53 GMT -5
Helen I have a ?
why do you use oil?
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Post by helens on Mar 16, 2012 22:21:50 GMT -5
I use oil to dilute the raw SC/CeriumOxide grit for the dremel felt burrs. I bought it for opal polishing, which is super soft, so no real reason to get diamond paste. Although I think for fire agates, I should probably get diamond powder.
That was when I was on my opal carving kick. I then went on a fire agate carving kick (which I then tumbled, but now have to go back and fix the deeper angles since they didn't polish well in the tumbler. Now I'm waiting for more dremel bits:).
What do you use to carve??
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Post by FrogAndBearCreations on Mar 16, 2012 22:54:07 GMT -5
diamond burrs to remove bulk and shape and then I switch to the nova burrs which are like the Diamond Pacific soft wheels. They are diamond in a compound and you use them wet so have to carve under a drip of water. these are the burrs I use to refine and finish www.rockpeddler.com/products.asp?cat=Carving+Tools&pg=3I have never used oil for carving, only cabbing |
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Post by helens on Mar 16, 2012 23:09:52 GMT -5
Holy crap! Thanks! I was pretty darn sick of getting spattered from hair to legs with SC crud, not to mention the SPRAY across the walls, floors, table, rocks and lights!!!! I may just try some more small carving now. LOL!
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Post by helens on Mar 16, 2012 23:48:33 GMT -5
Before I run off to order a bunch, any posters here sell these diamond pacific nova points so I can buy them from someone on the forum? If so, send me a pm so I can order from you. I want large set (280,600,1200,3000) plus 14,000 and 50,000.
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