Carved Wooden

Posted in Asian Antique Collectibles on 09/10/2010 08:10 pm by admin

Carved Wooden

Stone Carving Tips: Selecting the Right Stone

I have run my own stone and marble workshop for over twenty five years and became commonplace that visitors looking to buy a piece of stone or marble to try out stone carving. I have a soft spot for all wannabee artists so I never charged by the stone, asking instead that his work brought back so I could see how they took.
In all these years nobody ever came back!

Now I know that most people really decent and would again show his efforts, so I put this lack of response to the fact that most of these novice sculptors simply chose the wrong type of materials to begin, rather than actually managed to finish the work.

Most candidates who saw recent years, wanted to carve the marble and so, despite my advice to try a softer stone, which was controlled happy with a nice piece of white Carrara or Italian Botticino Fiorito never be seen again. (For me anyway!)

The simple fact is that the stone, especially marble carving is hard work. A Unless you choose a soft and relatively easy to work type of stone to start with and select the right tools, you easily get discouraged and drop out long before they are able to develop the practical skills necessary to work harder and marble stones.

To help would be stone carvers choose the type of stone, I tried to create a sort of Mohs hardness scale stone types you might find in your local stone yards.
This is not a scale scientific, is based not only on the hardness, but also about the practical feasibility of the stone. I of course will not work with hand tools tools power.
The scale is numbered 10/01. 1 being the softest stone and 10 being the hardest.

1: Cotswold Stone.
Tools: Hardened steel chisels with wooden handles similar to wood chisels used with a wooden mallet. Steel chisels with steel bulb end, for use with a lead hammer or "fictitious." It can be cut with hand saw just like a wood saw.
Advantages: Very soft to work. all types of chisel going to work. Can be cut to length with a hand saw, excellent for practicing hammer and chisel technique.
Disadvantages: Size will be ill-defined end details, the stone is too coarse to give a strong finish. The risk of exposure of hard shell over the course of the work that this can ruin the look of the finished work. Too weak to easily make thin panel carvings for example house signs or Decorative plaques.
Conclusion: It may be appropriate material for large sculptures.

2: Bath Stone.
Tools: Hardened steel chisels with wooden handles similar to wood chisels. Wood deck. Chisels stainless steel with the end of the bulb, for use with lead mallet or "fictitious."
It can be cut with hand saw just like a wood saw.
Advantages: Soft to work. all types of chisel will work. Can be cut to length with one hand saw, excellent for the practice of hammer and chisel technique.
Disadvantages: Risk of exposure of hard shell over the course of the work that this can ruin the look of the finished work. Too weak to easily make thin panel carvings for example house signs or decorative plaques.
Conclusion: fine grain Cotswold etc. A better definition of size. Good choice for first project.

3: Rock of Portland.
Tools: Hardened steel chisels with bulb end steel, used with a wooden mallet masons. Fine tungsten carvers chisels used with steel hammer a small club.
Advantages:: degree Memorial stone is a very high quality, fine grain good definition of detail. Strong enough to make thin panel carvings for example house signs or number plates.
Disadvantages: The availability of finest quality materials. Some risk of exposing hard shell in the course of this work can ruin the look the finished work.
Conclusion: fine grain or stone Cotswold, Bath etc. Better definition of carving. Good choice for first project but harder to work than bath stone.

4: Portuguese limestone.
Tools: Hardened steel chisels used with steel hammer. Fine carvers chisels used with tungsten steel club small hammer.
Advantages: High quality stone, good definition of fine-grained detail. Strong enough to make thin panel carvings, for example house signs or number plates.
Good availability of manufacturers chimney.
Disadvantages: Not often available in sizes coarser than 30 mm.
Conclusion: A more fine-grained than any of the previous stones. Better definition of carving. Good choice for first project, but harder to work than bath stone.

5: Italian Black Slate.
Tools: Fine steel chisels, tungsten carvers chisels used with small steel club hammer.
Advantages: very fine grained very good definition of detail. Strong enough to make thin panel carvings, for example house signs or number plates.
Disadvantages: Hard work, jumps easily while carving. Not for outdoor use.
Conclusion: Good start if want to carve slate.

6: Stone York.
Tools: only tungsten chisels, tungsten carvers chisels used with small steel club hammer.
Advantages: High quality stone, fine-grained good definition of detail. Strong enough to make thin size panel, for example house signs or number plates. Readily available in garden centers.
Disadvantages: Very hard to work. steel tools will blunt very quickly, dust is hazardous so wear a mask!
Conclusion: Not a good choice for novice sculptors.

7: Welsh Slate Gray.
Tools: Fine steel chisels, tungsten carvers chisels used with small steel club hammer.
Advantages: very fine grained excellent definition of detail. Strong enough to make thin panel carvings, for example house signs or number plates. Very strong. Available on it. Ideal for outdoor use.
Disadvantages: Hard work, skips easily while carving.
Conclusion: Super quality slate but not for beginners.

8: Westmoreland or Cumberland Green Slate.
Tools: Tungsten chisels, tungsten carvers chisels used with small steel club hammer.
Advantages: very fine grained excellent definition of detail. Strong enough to make thin panel carvings, for example house signs or number plates. Very strong.
Disadvantages: Very hard to work, tends to chip easily, while the size. Ideal for outdoor use.
Conclusion:: Super quality slate but not for beginners.

9: Marble.
Tools: Tungsten chisels only, tungsten carvers chisels used with small steel club hammer.
Advantages: Very excellent definition of fine-grained detail. Strong enough to make thin panel carvings, for example house signs or number plates.
Disadvantages: : Very hard to work.
Conclusion:: Try softer materials in the first place, if you try to look white marble marble paper Turkey, take the advice of your local builder!

10: Granite.
Tools: nuclear power laser cutters only!
Advantages: Super Hard.
Disadvantages: Ridiculously difficult to work with the hand.
Conclusion:: Try to beat his own knee with a hammer, it will hurt less!

Time "Walking Hardness Scale." I forgot almost certain that some stones and The scale is based on my experiences over the years other people may have different opinions. If you are a builder or dealer and have a different opinion, or if you a stone from the area you think should be included in the list, please contact me and I will consider edit or add to this article accordingly.

About the Author

Steve Walker has been a craftsman in stone and marble for 40 years. Leaving school at fifteen he entered an apprenticeship as an ecclesiastical marble mason with an old London firm, and in his long career have practised as a stone mason, letter cutter, restoration carver, marble mason and carver, fireplace designer and manufacturer.
He has worked in old fashioned traditional stone firms and in modern marble workshops, in almost every type of stone marble and granite.
He is now the sole owner, and craftsman of
StoneEngravings House signs www.stoneengravings.co.uk

Wood Rolling Ball Sculpture 1 - 01