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SamM

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
My wife's birthday is coming up in a couple weeks, and I decided to make her a carving bench for it. She's been really into carving spoons and such for the last little while.



I've seen a few different styles online. Some are sitting benches with a foot operated clamp to grip material, and some are more of a standing height table with a flat top drilled for bench dogs.



I don't know which she'd prefer, and I want to keep it a surprise, so I'm trying to figure out how to make a combination unit. A bench with a lower and upper carving area.



I can see how to make either part, but I'm drawing a blank on how to combine the two in a useful way.



I've attached photos of the two style I found online.



Any suggestions on how to make an ultimate carving bench?
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
Currently spoons. She's also trying knitting and crocheting needles. I expect as she improves she'll try for harder things.

She doesn't use any power tools for it either. Uses a hatchet to rough it out a lot of times.
 
#5 ·
I've never done any carving.
With that said, the one model you showed looked like what I would consider a shaving horse, and have thought about building myself.
If I was doing chip carving/sculpture type things, the table looks like what I would want.
If carving spoons and longer items, the shaving horse style would be more to my liking.

If you need to combine the two, have the shaving horse hold down components removable and a peg-type board able to be secured in it's place.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Image

During a slow period accepted a restaurant order for over a hundred of these chairs. Might of been 150. Same flower design on front. Made one extra. I always clamped to my work bench that has a massive top with no flex. The tilting feature on the first table would be sweet to have. Shaving horse makes the work piece to far away to see.
We made stencils and router jigs so had the carving time down to about 15 minutes per side. Sugar pine for the carved back piece.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#7 ·
I think you'd be surprised. Traditional carving of a ladle, for instance, starts with green woid. A lot of material is removed with a small, very sharp hatchet. It isn't clamped for that part. Clamping may be done to make a thin handle with a draw shave. Peg style is generally better for doing final carving on a bowl.

I think maybe the easiest thing to do here is start with a plank shaving house, and extend the plank back for the carving bench, and build that similar to a trestle tabke with the plank providing support somewhere below mid height.
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
The shaving horse is something she's talked about for sure. That's how I knew to look for the design.

I've watched her work quite a few times and I think she "wants" a shaving horse style, but something that lets her stand sometimes would be more what she needs.

A removable section would probably be an easier way to work it. Or possibly just make two separate units for her.
 
#11 ·
A little something to think about. If you're carving with straight blades knives and curve blades (similar to those used for hoof trimming), you actually want the piece close in to your body and you do the carving 2 handed with a levering action for a combination of force and control.

What you need depends in the tools you are using and how you're using them.
 
#12 ·
SamM said:
The shaving horse is something she's talked about for sure. That's how I knew to look for the design.

I've watched her work quite a few times and I think she "wants" a shaving horse style, but something that lets her stand sometimes would be more what she needs.

A removable section would probably be an easier way to work it. Or possibly just make two separate units for her.
Click to expand...
I say 2 units, then. Much easier to adapt separately to any change in working methods.
 
Discussion starter · #13 ·
That's probably best. I can make the shaving horse a little rougher, possibly out of pressure treated since she likes to use it outside a lot.

Then a nicer looking interior one for finer details.
 
#14 ·
Robie said:
The Woodwright's Shop.

man, he was a talented guy. I just couldn't take a steady diet of him as he talked so fast.
Click to expand...
That's who I was trying to think of. Skinny guy with a huge mustache.
 
#18 ·
Great, my sanding rates are in 15 minute chunks....
 
#20 ·
Depends how high on the thigh...
 
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Ed Corrigan
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