Stylized Bottlenose Dolphin WIP

[Patrick]

I wonder if anyone else runs concurrent projects or is it just rookie types like me that do that?

I couldn’t stand it any longer having the new rotary shaft tool in hand and enough burs to get started. It’s something I had set my sights on ever since I saw a particular stylized dolphin that Claude beautifully carved. Learning of the book Claude mentioned, ‘The Art of Stylized Wood Carving’ by Charles Solomon & David Hamilton, I was in hot pursuit until I had a copy of my own.

Yesterday afternoon I made up the patterns, laid out the wood, Butternut, and proceeded to the bandsaw. There was mention of using a hot melt glue gun in reassembling the blocks in the article, and learning my wife happen to have one in her craft locker, that’s how I chose to put the waste blocks back together after cutting out the profile view first. It worked very well and I will probably use the hot glue method instead of masking tape from now on. Most of you probably know all this but for those that don’t give it a try especially if you have a complicated pattern to work with. You may like it.

Anyway, all suggestions and recommendation will be gratefully received. I’m trying to learn as fast as my old wheels will allow.

[Claude]

Re: Stylized Bottlenose Dolphin WIP

Looking good already, Patrick!

Claude

[Sharon of the Dell]

Re: Stylized Bottlenose Dolphin WIP

"I wonder if anyone else runs concurrent projects or is it just rookie types like me that do that?"
I've been carving for a while and have many!!!! Just wait it will get worse.
The dolphin looks great so far and I didn't know about the hot glue. I learn something new here all the time. thanks Patrick!

[Inadv]

Re: Stylized Bottlenose Dolphin WIP

Patrick,

You have certainly mastered the art of roughing out on a band saw. Excellent job! Looking forward to seeing both of your dolphin projects completed.

L.P.

[Patrick]

Re: Stylized Bottlenose Dolphin WIP

Claude: Thanks for that.

Something I learned today was what a sweet bur a flame shape can be. After trying to use a smooth end cylinder between the flippers as suggested in the article and feeling I was all thumbs I switch to a small flame and was very pleased with its attitude. I remember Frank Russell speaking highly on his DVD about the many uses for a flame shape and I think I get the picture now. Really made clearing wood from between the flippers a piece of cake. (Hope that doesn’t come back to bite me. )

Sharon: I feel better that you mentioned having concurrent projects going too. I’ll not fret over being shunned now. You’re welcome on the hot glue. It was nice not having to worry about using masking tape.

Larry: Thanks. I was surprised and pleased with how well the rough out came off the band saw. Now if I can do it justice. This project has already started to give me more confidence in proceeding on the other dolphin project.

Thank you all very much for your encouragement.

Here’s a couple of photos of today’s start, clearing waste and beginning to shape. I do like using the rotary shaft. Have I mentioned that?

P.S. The red bur in the photos is a Typhoon course smooth end cylinder. The yellow is a Sabuur Tooth fine flame. I do think the Typhoon made the smoother cuts. Made me interested enough to want to order a few more Typhoons as right now I have more Saburr Tooth burs. One must keep a balance..... right?

[Bill V]

Re: Stylized Bottlenose Dolphin WIP

Patrick,
Looks like you are off to a great start,looking forward to seeing the finish piece.

[Patrick]

Re: Stylized Bottlenose Dolphin WIP

Thanks for that Bill. It's another fun project. Didn't get to work in the shop today as a blistering storm went through here at 7:30 AM this morning and we didn't get power back until approx. 6:00 PM this evening.

I'll try to make up for lost time tomorrow.

I've noticed there are a good number of Texas folks in the group. Must be something to woodcarvers and Texans. My birth place was Wichita Falls a long, long time ago.

[Sharon of the Dell]

Re: Stylized Bottlenose Dolphin WIP

Patrick, the dolphin is looking great so far! I like those flame shapes to, no matter what kind of burr they are. Another shape I like is the dove tail shape, I think that's what it is called.

[Patrick]

Re: Stylized Bottlenose Dolphin WIP

Sharon, thanks for that.

One of the other things I find interesting and that’s learning which edge tool or power bit may fit the current cut you wish to make. One thing I think is true is what one of us would pick to use another carver may chose something else. The word versatile comes to mind.

I was looking at a subsection call Bit Shapes in the Frank Russell book ‘Carving Realistic Animals with Power’ I just received but didn’t find ‘dove tail’. Now the book was published in 1994 so bit shapes maybe called something different now or a new bit shape has been added. Mr. Russell does show what he calls an Inverted Cone and I’m wondering if that maybe one in the same with the 'dove tail' you speak of.

Anyway, all fun stuff to me as I enjoy learning at least enough that I can strike off in the wrong direction.

[Eddy-Smiles]

Re: Stylized Bottlenose Dolphin WIP

Looking good Patrick. It always amazes me when a carver can get his carving looking so realistic. I looks like you're well on your way!

[Patrick]

Re: Stylized Bottlenose Dolphin WIP

Thanks for that Eddy. As I progress we'll see how well I end up.

Here are yesterday's session photos. I'm not to happy with the way the top of the wave is shaping up so decided to stop and give it a rest until today or tomorrow.

Interesting how studying the photos help me pickout areas that need more attention like the rear of the dolphin's body into the flukes, starboard and port, needing to be thinned down quite a bit more and of course the thinning of the flukes. I'm finding paying attention to grain where possible to still be important even as with cutting edge tools. (No fooling Jack!) Enjoyable learning by trying but then being able to quiz you all for your suggestions and recommendations is the most important. (A big thank you to WCI for this forum.) I think my #1 thing to remember is don't push on if I begin to feel that I'm starting to struggle.

Enough palaver for now.

[Claude]

Re: Stylized Bottlenose Dolphin WIP

Looking good, Patrick!

Just a FWIW comment: remember as you begin to thin the fins and dorsal, a cross-section is roughly canoe-shaped - thin at the edges of the fins and thicker in the middle. This gives the fin a lot more strength. Same for the flukes, although they are not canoe-shaped, they are fairly thin on the edges and side, but quite a bit thicker in the middle.

Claude

[Sharon of the Dell]

Re: Stylized Bottlenose Dolphin WIP

Sharon, thanks for that.

One of the other things I find interesting and that’s learning which edge tool or power bit may fit the current cut you wish to make. One thing I think is true is what one of us would pick to use another carver may chose something else. The word versatile comes to mind.

I was looking at a subsection call Bit Shapes in the Frank Russell book ‘Carving Realistic Animals with Power’ I just received but didn’t find ‘dove tail’. Now the book was published in 1994 so bit shapes maybe called something different now or a new bit shape has been added. Mr. Russell does show what he calls an Inverted Cone and I’m wondering if that maybe one in the same with the 'dove tail' you speak of.

Anyway, all fun stuff to me as I enjoy learning at least enough that I can strike off in the wrong direction.

Inverted cone! yes I think so! LOL

[Mottles]

Re: Stylized Bottlenose Dolphin WIP

Patrick, looking really nice, know what you mean about deciding which power edge will work. I think you just have to try the ones you think will work.
Kathy

[Patrick]

Re: Stylized Bottlenose Dolphin WIP

Claude: I really appreciate your input. Sure helps me keep things sorted before I make a blunder. My druthers would be a slip with a tool before an error in form and structure. Thanks again.

BTW, I cannot figure out what the acronym FWIW means. When you tell me I will probably feel like a dolt, .......not that that’s unusual.

Sharon: Now I’m LOL. I shall from here forward think of ‘dove tail’ as being interchangeable with ‘inverted cone’. In fact I think I like the term ‘dove tail’ better since it rolls off my tongue with more ease.

Kathy: Thank you and glad you joined in. I do keep a scrape of basswood handy for trying a bur or bit before I proceed. Even do it when it’s the first use of a particular accessory for the day.