Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2008 08:43:22 -0500
To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org>
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Sculpting Pine Wood or other woods?


Perhaps a Dremel (like) tool with various bits would help you and a very
nice wood to carve is Basswood or Linden in North America (same wood),
or Lime-UK it is lightweight, the wood grain is not at all a problem.
It is a wood carvers favorite.  White Pine is another easy to carve
wood, the grain doesn't seem to be a problem.
  Les

-----Original Message-----
From: puptcrit-bounces-AT-puptcrit.org
[mailto:puptcrit-bounces-AT-puptcrit.org] On Behalf Of Brad Shur
Sent: Sunday, December 21, 2008 11:55 PM
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Sculpting Pine Wood?


Mat,
I'm not an expert woodworker, but a method I've used with simple shapes
in pine, that has very low risk of splitting.

1 )Make your major cuts with a band saw if available, at any rate, take
off the largest chunks with a saw instead of a chisel.

3) Round corners with a belt sander, maybe with an 80 grit belt, with
soft wood like pine, you can actually do a fair amount of shaping this
way.

4) Now use your chisels or knives to do the detail work. Hand sand to
finish.

It might be hard to leave chisel marks this way, but it's quick and very
low risk of splitting.

As for the grain, have it going in the direction of the longest
dimension in your piece. 

Hope any of that helps,

B. Shur




> From: creaturiste-AT-primus.ca
> To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
> Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2008 17:55:11 -0500
> Subject: [Puptcrit] Sculpting Pine Wood?
> 
> Hi all.
> I wonder if any on Puptcrit have sculpted regular construction wood
for 
> making puppets?
> 
> I'm thinking of using some leftover 2 x 3 pine wood pieces to make the

> torso-body of my next self-appointed puppet design.   My main concern
is 
> splitting.
> Although I've worked with this cheaply prepared wood before (no
humidity 
> control during drying process), and never had problems, I've never had
to 
> build something so dear to me, and the wood remaining exposed (might
be 
> slightly oil-stained, no varnish). Any advice to help prevent major 
> splitting? I don't mind a little bit of it, it gives character.
> 
> Another concern is the wood grain.
> In which direction should it be, to allow for durability?
> Specifically, is the 3 " section the right face to draw my disk on?
> Those disks will be made drafty on all sides, have either a wooden
bead in 
> the middle, or a bump integrated. The bump or bead will have a thread
or 
> elastic through it. Two extra holes, close to the bump or bead, will
also 
> host elastics.
> 
> Thanks for any advice!
> 
> This might become one of my dreams: a puppet number fitting entirely
in a 
> small suitcase!
> 
> Background:
> The puppet shall be small, about a foot high. It will be built very
much 
> like a marionette, but will be a tabletop rod puppet. My goal is to
make all 
> the parts visible, and beautiful. No more hiding with clothing or fur.
I 
> might even include some of the tool marks as part of the intended
texture. 
> The head and hands will probably be paper mache, unless I live a
sudden 
> burst of technical growth, allowing me to sculpt the face directly in
wood 
> as well. This puppet needs very delicate feminine facial features and
very 
> delicate fingers. I already have a head prototype in paper mache,
which I 
> can fall back on.
> 
> I want multiple sections in the torso, to provide graceful bending.
They 
> will be modified disks, with or without balls in between, with two
elastics 
> on both sides of the spine.
> Since there will be no legs, I am putting all my effort on the torso
for the 
> best movements.
> 
> This puppet was intended for my first self-made puppet short film.
It's 
> still scheduled for it, but now, this film has turned into a stage
puppet 
> short number (solo). I had to accept this development, as the more I
focused 
> the movie in my head, the more the decisions made it into a stage
tabletop 
> number.
> The rods will be visible, and so will I.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
> Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit
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