8
votes
Accepted
Why is wearing a mask recommended when carving antler?
I think @matt's response is exactly correct, but I wanted to add a bit more to it. There are two concerns about inhaling dust--the size of the dust particle and the chemical composition of the ...
- 1,576
6
votes
Why is wearing a mask recommended when carving antler?
I will make a comparison with wood. Ever have a splinter before? They can hurt and bleed and become infected in some cases. Now imagine small microns of bone dust in your lungs. They can cause minute ...
- 11k
6
votes
Accepted
What are good tools for carving in cork?
I would lean toward scalples/X-Acto knives. They a are very sharp, and the blades lend themselves to carving small details well. They are designed for detailed work unlike kitchen knives which are ...
- 1,153
6
votes
How Can I Create the Metal Comb of a Music Box?
In order for the "tines" on your comb to ring brightly, you must begin with spring steel. You may use a flat piece of steel and cut the teeth into it or use a long length of quality steel ...
5
votes
How to polish indentations in soapstone
Personal opinion: it looks good as-is. The hair gouges stand out, providing good contrast. If you try to polish the scratches and are successful, it will become just a textured surface that won't ...
- 11.4k
5
votes
Accepted
How can I make the detail of this map stand out better?
Consider using gold leaf. The force required to apply it and make it adhere to the rough interior of the groove is very small, so there is no danger of damaging the slate. The cost should be ...
- 326
5
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How can I make the detail of this map stand out better?
I would call inlaying metal wires into slate a high-risk project in general.
You already managed to carve the groves - congratulations for that!
Slate has the tendency to chip or break when hammered
...
Elmy♦
- 12.2k
5
votes
How can I get that translucent effect on Jack O' Lanterns?
Obviously you need to remove more material in order to allow light to shine though. You know that much.
However, whenever I try I either can't get the husk thin enough, or I go too thin and bust ...
- 11k
4
votes
Accepted
Is there an easy way to sharpen a wire loop carving tool?
This answer is not based on first-hand knowledge of sharpening wire loops, but is based on extrapolating what works for paint scrapers.
Many years ago while performing one of those early-marriage ...
- 653
3
votes
What are good tools for carving in cork?
Depending on the level of detail you are trying to achieve, linoleum cutting tools may work well for you. I would highly suggest practicing on some spare cork first however - I have used these tools ...
- 376
2
votes
Accepted
How can I get that translucent effect on Jack O' Lanterns?
I once did a pumpkin in this fashion of Archie from the comic books. It was a little bit less sophisticated than the above example, so I was able to get the husk thin enough without breaking through ...
- 1,144
2
votes
How Can I Create the Metal Comb of a Music Box?
You can't make one for a serious music box. It is quenched and tempered to high strength, which means the steel needs to be at least low alloy. I expect the slots are cut in and cut to rough length ...
- 1,233
2
votes
How can I make the detail of this map stand out better?
Some preliminary ideas:
Coloured thread. You can glue it into place easily, and use any colour you like (or even combine colours).
Gold(-coloured) soldering wire, like this, which will stand out ...
- 10.3k
2
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Why is wearing a mask recommended when carving antler?
My husband is in a large hospital, with serious lung damage, and he has been cutting (deceased) cattle bones extensively. Including woods and Red Cedar. These doctors are having a difficult time ...
2
votes
How can I make the detail of this map stand out better?
Epoxy
Similar to the other good answers, you might try using an epoxy with a high contrast pigment mixed in. This would be similar to the "river tables" that are currently really popular.
...
- 473
1
vote
How to carve a side texture of a book on a wooden box?
Depending on the size of your book and the size of the groves you want to add there are different tools you can use:
Wire brush
You can make the natural grain of the wood more defined by running a ...
Elmy♦
- 12.2k
1
vote
How to polish indentations in soapstone
Welcome to lapidary!
You can purchase rubber burs, polishing wheels and rods from the likes of Otto Frei, Cooksongold, HarbourFreight and many other suppliers. Some come pre-charged, with the ...
- 19
1
vote
How Can I Create the Metal Comb of a Music Box?
Most are a tempered piece of thin sheet steel. The teeth are cut by a diamond-encrusted blade in your simple hand coping saw. Then you must cut each to tune.
My first search would be "tempered ...
- 392
1
vote
Accepted
DIY Leather engraving
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Traditionally engraving like this would be done with a swivel knife - these will generally cost a few pounds or dollars, so are much more affordable than a laser engraver. They do take a bit of ...
- 2,325
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DIY Leather engraving
The one in the picture appears to be laser engraved, so I assume that that is infeasible. You could get a similar result more easily if you tried to brand it, but that still requires your design to be ...
- 31
1
vote
How can I get that translucent effect on Jack O' Lanterns?
I have owned and used a pumpkin carving tip on my dremmel before. It only takes away some of the layers of pumpkin peel and creates the effect!
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible