essentÊrving±05

C A R V 1 N c, IN T H F. R O L' N D

Fig 9.19 Using a rijfler to shape the stew of the tap.

Fig 9.18 Carwng around the body of the tap with a deep gouge.

Fig 9.20 A V tool marking out the elewom in the waterflow.

Before lamination the pieces were arranged to givc the besr grain pattern and marked undcrncath. When joining timber it is casiest to glue one piane at a time so I squarcd the front and back ends of the pieces and glued them so that I extcnded the base in front of and behind the water column and had iwo matching side pieces. When the adhesivc was set I planed the sides to fir rightly and assembled the whole bottom (Fig 9.25). Glue lines are disrracting so should be as fine as possible. If a hard glue likc Cascamirc is used thick glue lines will also rapidly blunt the tools. I used PVA (the common whitc liquid wood adhesive). The bubblcs were then roughed out with a I2mm

FlG 9.21 Usiug a chip caroing techniÄ…ue to deepen g)-ooves a-ad define shapes.

(^Å‚/2in) No. 11 gouge carving across the grain (Fig 9.26). The tap handlcs were short-grained, so to reduce the chance of accidental breakage in the futurÄ™ they were broken and reinforced with bamboo dowel (Figs 9.27, 9.28).

The Shape of the Base

When the carving was finished I could have madÄ™ the base circular or ovah as this tends to lead the eye around che sculpture and prevents it from having any obvious front, back and sides. As a tap conventionallv has thesc views anyway, it seemed sensible to leavc the base square.

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