Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Primitive Skills => Topic started by: Ruddy Darter on November 14, 2015, 05:24:45 pm
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Hi there,
I saw this section of the forum and thought I'd post some pics of a bowstand I made for a member of my archery club. It's customary to leave your bow behind the shooting line when collecting arrows and I've started making these for some of the traditional archers at our club.
It's carved in white oak planking from a local timber yard, and the eyes are inlays of holly wood with a cross-section of a yew twig for the iris and pupils. It's my version of a medieval Green man commonly found in churches in England and Europe.
https://youtu.be/Xere60BM1IU and a quick vid showing more, the other side is carved with a Norse style deer and Celtic knotwork, but I dont have pics and I don't have the stand anymore.
It's all hand carved with a small flat head chisel and knife and sawing done with a coping saw, I got a few more proper carving chisels recently which should speed things up a little. :D
It all breaks down flat to three pieces for carriage/storage and is fixed together with a couple of dowels.
Ruddy Darter.
(Sympetrum sanguineum)
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Oh wow......
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Woo cool.
I do like the symbolism of the green man :)
Del
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Oh, now you're just showing off. That is awesome. Guys like you just make me want to quit ;D ;D ;D ;D
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::: looking at my own hands::: You two are USELESS! Just look at what REAL hands can do!
Seriously amazing work.
---Ford---
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Very nice, very nice indeed
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Thank you very much chaps :)
I really enjoyed carving this piece and may do some more variants of this, so many ways combining different foliage. There's an exceptional example of a medieval Green Man in a church just two miles from here.
I might have a go at a gargoyle inspired piece when I get a chance >:D.
Ruddy Darter.
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Absolutely amazing craftsmanship. You've captured the spirit of merrie England and the greenwood there! :)
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Thank you sieddy :).
Ruddy Darter.
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Do I detect a bit of British in Timber yard :)
Stunning workmanship.
The Chinese Dragon next?
Zuma
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Thank you Zuma, timber/lumber lol ;D quite possibly,
A Chinese dragon would be cool, but I've just started a bowstand for a lady at my club. It's work in progress and the carvings are of her request. One side happens to be a dragon, albeit a Welsh style heraldic one, and on the other side the white rose of York, carved from holly that I harvested myself from the end of my road, its only roughed out but here are a couple of pics...the side pieces are yet to be started, and I have some nice thick chunks of oak to do a deep dimensional oak leaf design. The carry handle is an oak strip sandwiched between two slices of holly opposite grain and pine dowelling. (The knotwork will be undulating over and under when finished, and the rose of York has yet to be shaped,and detail and shaping on the dragon yet to be done.)
Ruddy Darter.
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Seeing as how my little arrow making business is Greenman Archery, I can't help but love your work. That's some very serious talent you have there. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Guy
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Thank you very much Guy and you are most welcome,
Good fortune and happy ventures with Greenman Archery arrowmaking . 8)
Ruddy Darter.
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Gracious! That's some fine craftsmanship. Thanks for sharing. :)
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Thank you 4est Trekker, you are very welcome :)
Ruddy Darter.
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Wow, I must say, that is a bit of alright! Very nice indeed. Or as we say down south, "Dang Boy, that right there is just one heck of a piece of art work!" I do hope you are being handsomely compensated, for the time, and talent it takes to do those pieces of art. Have you tried Two Cherry's, or Pfiel products? I would like to try some of the Japanese laminated chisels, but my God, they want your first male child for the cheapest one they sell. You are very talented, and quite versatile, in your carving. I have recently gotten my Girlfriend into wood carving, and should have left well enough alone! I had been trying for years, to get to go to some wood carving shows, but she always had one excuse or another, finally last year, I was able to get her to go, and now she is flat out eat up with it! I spent $80.00 at the show on her, and have since spent many times that on knives, chisels, small band saw, scroll saw, flex shaft, bits, etc. I was just getting back into it myself, and had to put it on hold as I moved out here to Montana, now I have go and take my chain saw, and get her Cotton Wood bark to carve. It just never ends. Again, fantastic work, very nice indeed, thanks for sharing, and please share the commissioned piece when finished, before you deliver it.
Wayne
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Hi Stickbender,
Lol, at least it was something enriching like woodcarving you got your girlfriend interested in, that's a real gift to give someone. 8),
The selection of chisels I have recently obtained are by Henry Taylor and Robert Sorby, not the cheapest and not the most expensive, but really are quality that hold a good edge, I don't use a mallet and push with just hands. I recently discovered the art of fine sharpening and stropping and maintain the edge to surgical sharpness, a must when working on white oak as tear out is easy and sharp corners can break...not the ideal carving wood, but I like the end heavy and very durable finished work. I'm beginning to get accustomed to the different shaped gouges and discovering how they are best utilized. I think once you start getting a result carving it does draw you in further and more adventurous and ambitious you become. Many thanks , oh..I have one two cherries micro v-chisel for very fine lines, works a dream. :) Good advice I received was buy as you need, best you can afford and one or two at a time rather than buying an expensive set and find you don't use a lot of them.
(I will post this current project when finished, just taking a little time out to work on a bow and then back on it.)
Ruddy Darter.
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Truly Lion Hearted 8)
Did you apprentice or free wheel?
Zuma
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Thanks Zuma, ;D
I've always been interested in arts and crafts, but carving wood has been a relatively new persuit of the last few years, my Father has always had a keen interest in carpentry and is pretty clued up with what tool does what and is a good source of guidance...and these days with YouTube anything you need to know is there at a touch of the screen. I think you have to find your own way to a degree, and start simple, do simple well and progress from there, trying too much too soon can be disappointing and disheartening. I've found good planning beforehand and good thought about how to tackle the project is key to making the project enjoyable and straight forward.
Ruddy Darter.
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I had forgot to ask about Taylor brand. Yeah, the key to good carving, is definitely to get your tools very sharp, and keep them sharp, by stopping now and then to strop them. Yeah, My Girlfriend was wanting this, and that, and I told her to learn to use the tools, she had, and then, get the ones she actually needed, but like you said, one at a time, and watch others at the club to see what they use, and how they use them, but those tools may not be comfortable to you, so try some one Else's, and see it it works you, so she has, and the people at the club told her that also, not to go hog wild, and start buying all the sets, and latest and greatest. Oh, the latest, expense, I have had, was a "tornado" mini dust collector, and a Harbor Freight, work bench. She is actually doing quite well, and has learned to see things in the wood, to carve. I started by carving wax, when I was a dental lab tech. Then I started power carving bones, and black coral, wood, and just about any material, I could carve. I don't have much, of the stuff I carved, as I gave it all away. I just enjoyed doing it. I was a master model maker, for a couple of jewelers, for awhile, and made custom wax models, to be cast. But it got old after awhile, it wasn't fun any more, as I had a time table, and there was always, something to be changed. So I got out of that. I haven't carved anything, since about the 70's. I think I am going to get back into it again, once, I finally get my shop set up, and the house set up, and I am settled in. I just moved out here in Montana permanently this year. It is nice to see good wood carving, symmetry, and smoothness, and items that are thought out, and finished with care. My Girlfriend says that I am too nit picky, but I think she is now beginning to be a little like that, as she will carve a relief and not be happy with it, and go back and change it around a bit. She carved a nice relief scene, with an old barn, and trees, and mountains, and sky. She got a second at the club show, but she recently went back, and carved out the mountains, and put in trees, instead. Ahhhh, welcome to the sickness. Yes indeed, it does draw you in deeper, and as you said, you start doing the simple stuff well, and then you seek, a challenge, and then you are done for, you are addicted. She has a couple of older ladies at the club, who have taken her in under their guidance, and have got her doing the simple stuff first, and learning the cuts, and tricks, and such, and as I told her, and she is now doing, you start looking at wood, and seeing all kinds of possibilities in it's shape, it's grain pattern, etc., and what it could become. You certainly have the knack, and it is very enjoyable to see your work. Keep the pictures coming. We like pictures here, as most don't have much of an ability to visualize anything here, so descriptions, don't cut it, we need pictures. ;)
Wayne
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It's great some experienced ladies have taken your girlfriend under their wing, great way to get the basics shown properly as well as company to keep the shared interest and creativity alive 8), that would be good for me too, picking it up by myself I probably got some bad habits that slow me down and could do with ironing out.
That's another main reason I like white oak, the vivid grain swirls really add to shape and lots of complimetary shapes and images can be seen within, and a real joy to put the finish oil on and see the grain come out stronger and come to life, quite magical.
And will do, as I progress with this current project I'll post pics with how its going, I started working on the bow I need to sort out and have given myself this week to get that finished and then back on with the carving, I'm a little behind track with things so I need to press on, and with the weather as it is here archery can take a back seat for a while, so more carving time. No worries Wayne, pics will be on the way (it will help me crack on and get it done) :)
Ruddy Darter
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I will get back to you all.
Great thread I scratch a piece of wood or
soapstone once in a while.
Great thread.
Zuma
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Great work, I like the green man - there is an atmospere of a "waldteufel".....
what I have to do to get such a carving???
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Thank you AndrewS,
That's nice to say, I'm happy you like my work. :)
Right now I'm quite busy, I hope to do some more for the Trading Post for staves/etc. at some later date. You are welcome to p.m me any questions.
Ruddy Darter.
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Very nice work! Want to come to Yosemite to teach me how to do it?
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Thanks YosemiteBen, I'm happy you like my carving work,
That's a fair ol' hike from here in the U.K ;D., although I'm sure it would be a fun trip, Yosemite looks a fantastic part of the U.S. 8) ( I bet there's some local carvers that would dwarf my ability :))
Ruddy Darter.
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That piece is absolutely fantastic.
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Thank you Ranasp :)
Ruddy Darter.
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Great craftsmanship on the greenman. I started in wood also, now into stone. Here is a greenman keystone for an entryway I did. John
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Wow, that looks stunning 8) nice work Stoner.
Ruddy Darter.
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That's some beautiful work. :)
Pappy
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Very nice carving Stoner :)
Zuma