Santa from a Spool
Transcription
Santa from a Spool
Carving a Wooden Spool Santa Claus By Anne Stockdale Ever since I can remember, my grandfather— Nelson Hendrickson– has been a woodworker. When I was younger, I assumed all grandfathers had a woodworking shops in their basement and all spent their days in retirement carving any piece of wood they could find. I thought it was an inherent skill all grandpas inevitably acquired in their old age. However, after speaking with him over coffee I learned he found his passion for carving during his childhood. In the early 1930s, money was tight for the Hendrickson family. Nelson’s father was a depot agent for a train company in the Midwest. The family moved a lot and not much time was spent in the same place. As a result, my grandfather spent a lot of time with his father in the depot, helping with simple tasks such as fetching the mail off the mail train or learning Morse code to help translate simple messages. Between trains he began carving to pass the time. He started out small, making animals and figurines for his younger sisters; however, as he kept practicing his carvings became more elaborate and ornamental. Today his woodshop is filled to the rafters with hundreds of carvings—ranging from animals to dolls to ornate jewelry boxes. In the afternoons you will find him in his chair watching woodworking shows or reading carving magazines for more ideas. This booklet explains how to carve a Santa Claus in a wooden spool—one of his favorite carvings. “I taught myself how to carve just to pass the time. I never thought it would turn into a hobby.” Nelson Hendrickson Getting Started: To carve a Santa Claus in a wooden spool, the following supplies are needed: • • • • • • Large wooden spool – found at many antique shops Small, inexpensive carving tool kit – found at most hobby stores 80 to 120 grit Sandpaper—found at most hobby stores Acrylic paints—found at any craft or hobby store Safety glasses or regular glasses—found at any hobby store Imagination and patience – it takes months of practice to hone the skills of carving efficiently. Carving Tools: Carving: 1 to 3 hours 1. Angled, small chisel Sanding: 10 minutes 2. Flat, small chisel Painting: 20 minutes (24 hours to dry) 3(a, b, c, d). Variations of the v-tool Total Time to Completion: 1.5 to 3.5 hours Before you begin... • Carving incorrectly can result in injury to hands, fingers, and/or arms. Be sure to follow all tips and instructions carefully to avoid injury. • Although safety glasses are not required, they are strongly recommended. However, if you normally wear glasses, these will be sufficient for protection. • Patience is the key to a good carving session. Patience will minimize injury risk as well as improve the end result. Outlining the Figure 1. Find the thread notch on the spool. This will be the bottom of the carving. 2. Using a pencil, draw an oval on the spool being sure to include the thread within the oval. 3. Using the small chisel and starting at the thread notch, carve into the thread notch along the rim on the bottom of the oval drawn on the spool. Carve until it is flush with the surface. 4. Next, take the small chisel and cut a small crevasse along the oval. This will act as a guide for the v-tool. Using the v-tool, continue deepening the crevasse until it is between 1/8” to 3/8” deep. Tip: Hold the carving tools close to the carving end. This allows more control over the tool. Face – The eyes 1. Again, using a pencil, draw a crude face (eyes, nose, mustache, and mouth) within the oval. This will be used to map the cuts in the face. 2. The v-tool should be used to start cutting the eyes. Start at the oval gouge and work in towards the nose while being sure to stop at the bridge of the nose. Carve to the depth of the initial oval gouge. Carving the eyes is one of the hardest and most time consuming—be patient! Tip: Work close to your body. This allows you to have better control over the tools – less occurrence for slippage and possible injury. Face – The nose 1. To start the nose, use the small, angled chisel to cut a line where the nose will be formed. 2. Using the v-tool, carve the edges of the nose. The depth should be 1/8” to 1/4”. Face – The mustache 1. Using the small, angled chisel, outline where the mustache will be carved. 2. Use the v-tool to carve the edges of the mustache. Again, the depth should be 1/8” to 1/4”. Tip: Deeper crevasses during these steps allow for a more pronounced nose and realistic looking carving. Face – The beard 1. The beard will be cut below the mustache using just the corner of the small chisel. 2. Starting from the top of the beard – near the mustache – make long, slow cuts towards the bottom of the spool. These should not be even cuts, nor too deep. Face – The cheeks 1. The cheeks will be shaped using a carving knife and small piece of sandpaper to soften the cheek bone. 2. Start by rounding the edges of the cheek using the carving knife. The more cutting done by the carving knife, the less sanding. 3. After the cheeks have been formed, use sand paper to round and soften the cheek bones. Tip: Sanding can also be done to the eyebrows to help soften the expression of the Santa. Face – The forehead (Optional) 1. Using a pencil, mark the top of the eyebrows. 2. A forehead can be shaped using the small chisel and/or the small, angled chisel. Start by carving a crevasse where the top of the eyebrow is using just the tip of the knife. 3. Continue carving the forehead until it is flush with the initial oval crevasses. Be sure to keep the surface of the forehead somewhat rounded. 4. Use sandpaper to soften the surface of the forehead. Tip: Small mistakes can be corrected with a little sanding; however, bigger mistakes are harder to correct. Take your time. Painting (Optional) Using acrylic paints, paint dots for eyes. Use a reddish-pink paint to give color to the cheeks of the carving. Finish up by painting the mustache and beard using white paint. Allow to dry for 24 hours. Final Product String a ribbon with a knot, bell, or button on one end through the spool. Hang in a place where everyone can admire it.