Thursday, March 01, 2007

Alphabetool

I got all the legs fitted and moved on to one of the more creative aspects of the table legs today roughing out the twisty shape for the center post. When you start acquiring tools or making them it is easy to think of them as new words in the language you are learning, but it is deaper than that. Each one adds a whole new letter to the fundamental alphabet you work with, so all the words you use from then on can come out differently. The pneumatic chisel I spoke about a couple of months ago is such a new letter for me that it took a while for me to piece it in to the current project. I knew I had a way of doing the carving that was easier but I only remembered the chisel today.
I put on the ear protectors shortly after this, as well as the obligatory gloves. The air coming out of the chisel is very cold on the left hand.
The first part of the shaping was done with an electric planer with a curved sole. Top left here.
Charcoal on cartridge 38x53cm