small wood carving from France. Short update last page

waouh! l'atelier
t'est d'ou en lorraine moi j viens de longwy!
si t'a un blog j'vais aller le voir
salut a plus.

Luv the shop pictures. Nice place you have. :)

HOSH!

Is that pink ivory wood?!? I have worked with pink/blue/spekled ivory. But not ivory woods. cool mang

LOL your polisher looks exactly the same as my old one! Awsome studio.

Wow! you have a impressive shop.
What a joy that must bring.

Hey Ya !
I'm with Seek, great shop !
I see an almost prepared log, so I hope to see some serious deep cuts really soon :)
Learning all your secrets will take a while :wink:

Benjamin.

jerome, great work space you have. the first 2 photos look good but it's tooo clean. last shot looks great with all the wood flying. hope to see some more of your great work.

bd

What a great workspace...I'm jealous. Looks like you have plenty of space to stretch out and work on all kinds of projects at once. Great first cuts on the Moai Kavakava too - I can't wait to see some more progress on him. I've been wanting to make one for a long time now but I'm not ready yet!

Hi TC'ers

Thank you very much everyone (Tmec/bagauda/bigT/Rainhawk/Seeksurf/Benno/BD/Paipo) for the kind word about my workshop... But this pictures is possible once a year! Today is already an incredible mess, with log just begining, bikes, baby chair, furniture in progress, pieces of machine for repair, and and and.....

Bagauda: MP sous peu, a+
Rainhawk: pink Ivory is the common name for a tree south african , "berchemya zehery" for the botanist. Your terrific video, inspire me. I've find a hunk of bone, also maybe I will try one day...
Paipo: Your comment for kava kava has been very valuable, and for the workshop do not be jealous: he's nice but too far of beach and océan...

This week the Moai KavaKava has progress slowly (no pics, sorry), and the little beast, in fact a free interpretation of manaia is finished:

front

back, tail folded

My wife noticed it made me look like a drawing by Roland Topor

actually, she was right

pictures from the animation movie "la planete sauvage" by René Laloux and Roland Topor, 1973.

Have a nice day!

Jérôme.

Excellent work on the Topor style pink ivory Manaia !

Benjamin.

[ Edited by: benella 2009-05-14 23:42 ]

Thank's a lot for reply and comp Benjamin!

Tomorrow I'll start a new piece for the PNG swap:

Have a good night!

Jérôme.

Very cool looking free manaia. I see him as a young-ling asking
for a feeding from him mom.

Thank you man :)

I can maybe send you some NZ bone if you want, i have some spare/ and i have to go get some more in a week or 2. But I'll have to clean it before i can send it tho :wink: :) Let me know if you want PM

Peace

superbe travail! tout en finesse.

...et vu l atelier que tu as tu dois pas mal t amuser!

bonne continuation

Laojia, First, INCREDIBLE Shop and tools, I'm Jealous being the tool Junkie that I am, Very NICE.
Second, I ReaLLY LOVE THIS GUY, nICE FULL ROUNDED DETAIL, GREAT PHOTO/STORY AND gREAT EXECUTION WITH OERFECT INLAYS
"front

back, tail folded

My wife noticed it made me look like a drawing by Roland Topor

actually, she was right"
"
Just WOW!

WOW dude, this PNG swap piece will be another masterpiece to add on your already done list :)

Benjamin.

Yeah, that came out awesome!

Hello everybody!

SeeK: Thank for reply and lol comment, always with your pole? I'm curious about above the rain man.

Rainhawk: Thank for proposal, but I've full outstanding project. It is an idea that I let grow for the moment.

Anthony: Salut mec! merci pour le support, A+.

Benz: Thank you for reply/comments/comps! Happy to see you here.
You a tool junkie? Who would have thought!!! :lol:

Benella: Hey dude, no update? too busy? Thank for comp Benjamin, I've full of work on this piece and the dead line come soon!

Surf'n'tiki: Thank you!

Well, yesterday a gear yard have accidently shoot a basswood tree near my workshop at work. Gitf from the gods! I managed to keep 2 pieces of 1 meter after three minutes of trading, the bark was removed almost alone, logs have made a lot of water immediately.
I need some advise to a good drying without risk of big crack, and I know that the specialists it here...

Advise or TC's link are welcome, thank in advance the community!

Have a nice day!

Jérome.

Laojia, Beautiful logs and they would make a Nice Lono and Ku But whatever they make you will have 2 sweet soft carves. You are welcome to use any of my pieces for inspiration if you like!

Those logs look like candy!
Just seal the ends to prevent the fastest water loss. I have read
about cutting the back to allow the crack but have never tried this.
Its hard to control the cracking. I have left damp towels in areas,
but like GMAN said look out for the molding over time.

I like Benz idea Lono.

Good luck!

Nice score Jérome!

I carve a decent amount of Basswood here as well as Cedar.

Nice soft wood that cuts like butter with sharp tools!

For sure seal the ends of those if they are so wet.

I've been trying the method that the local woodworker store uses... candle or paraffin wax on the ends.

It can always be sanded off later.

Love the new pieces you've been doing!

THANK a lot for encouragement and advice!!!

Thank you BenZ for proposal, I greatly appreciate!

Thank you Seeksurf, I also thought about cutting a piece to reduce the effort of drying, but that is losing some wood without guarantee of success... For now I leave the log near the ground in the freshness of the workshop.

Thank you Lake for advice and comps, I put already paraffin wax on my little square of exotic wood for conservation, if you think what that OK for log of basswood, I try today...

I already hear chisel and mallet calling to me!
A last question, not the least, how much time of drying before cutting and carving?

again thank you everyone!!

Jérôme.

My friends dad set up an entire room. He taped up the doors and windows and used a dehumidifier (i think) to turn the room into a kiln dryer. He just kept the wood in there all the time. I think the wood cracks because of excess moisture or the moisture enters/ exits the wood at an unstable rate. Cruing in a hot room or extreme temperature will crack it. Funny though my friend can leave huge logs in the rain for years and it stays good lol

Thank's Rainhawk, I try to follow all good advise and come and leave...There is an element of chance. With or without crack I hope what I will carve some good piece.

Cool sunday end of afternoon...

Work in progress for the swap:

Have a nice day!

Jérôme.

"A last question, not the least, how much time of drying before cutting and carving? "

There are going to be allot of variables in this cure time like type of wood
and climate. All my wood has been Alder so i like carving it wet, but not
green wet. For me its been good around 3 months up to a year. The year old
stuff has been outside in a damp climate.

I have been only carving for a couple years, so this has been my limited
experience in Alder. I hope someone else pipes in hear with some better info
for ya.

WOW boy !

Excellent perfect ebony piece for the swap. Nothing else to add !

P.S: I love your shoes too :lol: :wink:

Benjamin.

[ Edited by: benella 2009-05-27 01:37 ]

Looking slick, love that dark wood.

You must really Love to punish yourself. That Ebony wood was made for machining and it balks at the knife, hating to be touched by it. However you are getting Excellent results using whatever tools you are using so don't stop. This swap guy is turning out to be a real show stopper, much like most all your pieces.

Thank's for reply happy TC'ers!!! :D

Seeksurf: Thank's a lot for advise, I'll try not to be pressed. In fact I think the summer will pass quickly with all the projects already undertaken... Go next year for this logs! And you when are we entitled to an update from you ? :)

Benjamin: Thank's for the shoes comp, I've an other pairs with leopard pattern at my work! (to take the shower...) :lol: "Nothing else to add ! " :right: Délit d'initié!

Tikimango: Thank you!

BenZ: Full thank's, much appreciated comps from you, but sorry is NOT ebony! That's Grenadill/mpingo/african blackwood (MORE HERE). Only 1400 kg/m3 :o .
Far from being a punishment carving is a game of patience with this kind of wood, I like it!

Now I present my new toy:

Last week, I renovated a lapidary sander on my old Kity, always useful.

And then I change the bearing, pulley drive and the base into a polishing machine (thank you to my mechanic friends for help and advice!)

Speed 900 rpm

Almost without sanding: correct result...

Have a good night!
Next update the swap piece finished I hope!

Jérôme.

Nice toy! Please be careful while wearing gloves around rotating machinery, that's a huge No-No.

Why did you cross the belt? Looks like it might rub. I agree though, nice toy!

No problem tikimango, I'll be carefull! When I do small piece I prefer to wear gloves instead of sanding fingers..

Tikilizard, for the most secure sense of rotation I've not an other choice what cross the belt. It's the same thing for the circular saw, even if the rub is less.

Nice day everyone!

Jérôme.

Top idea !

I have to try this on my bench grinder :wink:

Benjamin.

Man Laojia, you KNOW what those photos do to me the tool junkie and I think you do it on purpose, just to make me drool. I'm thinking already where i cold put such tools in my shop and I Can't but I'm Still Green with envy instead of more jade dust! I would love to see photos of your whole shop even they will probably send me to the bad places.. Love the simple addition of another pully to an existing machine to make it work with another. The beginnings of a personal ShopSmith.

More pics
http://www.flickr.com/photos/seeksurf/

Just over 10'
Red Alder
I don't know the weight 300?
I have seen allot of new NW poles that are leaving off the paint.
This pole is going to be left outside and the paint just goes
away in time so I'm thinking just paint on rain mans face.
Yes Im thinking of using the tung oil again.
International shipping a butt load! but if your in WA state
you can come look at it anytime.

Thank's for reply Ben & Benz!
And thank's for answers Seek!

For your bench grinder, Ben, I've the recipe, very easy...

These last days I work on a new project to prevail during next holidays. Long time ago I'm not playing with chisels and japanese pull saw! Just one pic to make drool a tool junkie...

And now some views of the yipwan figure:

work in progress...

sanding...

sanding...

polishing...

finishing!

Thank's for looking!
Have a good night!

Jérôme.

P.S.: some stuff available here

Some nice stuff coming out of that little shop!

WAY Excellent piece for the swap. I wish I had entered it this time but too many unknowns. This one really came together Well!

Really nice Yipwan, laojia.
I've not seen many of them here on TC.

great work Jerome
you are a good french wood artist
great CARVING STATION in your garage

bonne soiree
AKUAE

Thank's for reply TC'ers!

Surfin': Thank's for comment! For your question: the meaning of laojia is the name of the an old form of chen style Tai ji quan (LINK) what I practise almost every morning, if rain weather I go on TC! :P ( the boy in the vidéo is more more more better than me!)

BenZ: Thank's for kind words, for the sawp it's not too late!!

Bowana: Thank's for comment master! May be an other Yipwan to come in few weeks.

Akuae: Thank's for stopping here voisin! Congrat for wedding!!!

Have a nice day!

Jérôme.

Jérôme, fantastic Yipwan!

Classic style!

One lucky person will win this one in the swap.

You pulled some great detail out of this piece.

Man, This guy Sure looks Cool, like a Sherlock Holms fresh on the scent. Excellent job and thanks for the Black wood link.
Keep showing those tools and when I have No more room in my shop you can chuckle saying "I Helped with that". :P

On 2009-06-09 22:59, laojia wrote:
(LINK) what I practise almost every morning

With this link, customers will pay you right in time :lol:

Crazy stuff with the Yip boy.

Benjamin.

Outstanding job on the yipwan figure! You have the gift.
What is the wood?

Full thank's for comment and kind words!! :D :D :D

Lake: I try to stay also classic than you. Thank's for the comp'

BenZ: You I thank's for all: inspiration, advise, joke, and... I have yet some interesting tool for fill your shop. Pix next time! If I can help... :roll:

Ben2: It may also be why I did not customer! :lol: :lol:

Seek: Thank for comment! The wood is Grenadill aka african blackwood (wiki link pg 9).

Some little pieces work in progress between furniture making:

Have a good night!

Jérôme.

WOW dude, those koru seem fantastic.
The matau looks so spectacular, it gives me the lust to try some.... even if I will just be a try and not a masterpiecy beginning like you've done.
Hat's off,

B.

The black one is in grenadill or ebony ?

Laojia, More tools??? Gimmee gimmee gimmee, Gotta see!
Of course your 3 new pieces are just Sick, You are becoming a Master of these type pieces. You going to have those finished today? :lol: :) :D