Daiza carving

[ABCarve]

So I'm a little bored with pottery right now so I decided to carve a daiza for a friend in my study group. I liked the challenge of this stone because the lip needs to move up and down to accommodate the equator of the stone. I'm not really a stone collector but I have few.

Anyway thought I would post the process. I use a frame filled with plastacine to help determine the footprint of the stones equator as well as the negative space the bottom will occupy. Once the stone is placed in the proper attitude a template is made by tracing and cutting it out.

 

[ABCarve]

More

 

[ABCarve]

I'll post the finished product in a few days.

 

[ShadyStump]

Nice!
What sort of wood are you using there? I want to say it looks like maple.

I've been taking up wood work lately, but have no real tools more than a Dremel and pocket knife.

 

[ABCarve]

Nice!
What sort of wood are you using there? I want to say it looks like maple.

I've been taking up wood work lately, but have no real tools more than a Dremel and pocket knife.

The wood is sapele aka Spanish cedar, very similar to mahogany.
Watch yourself on tool collecting……there are many more carving tools than bonsai tools.

 

[ShadyStump]

The wood is sapele aka Spanish cedar, very similar to mahogany.
Watch yourself on tool collecting……there are many more carving tools than bonsai tools.

Well, I'd have to have money to get myself in trouble there.

 

[Pitoon]

@ABCarve looks fantastic. Too bad you're so far away. If you were closer I would have made one with you.

 

[ABCarve]

@ABCarve looks fantastic. Too bad you're so far away. If you were closer I would have made one with you.

So are you bored with pottery too?

 

[Pitoon]

So are you bored with pottery too?

Not so bored really, but I've already made 50 mame pots and still need another 50 to hit my mark.......it's getting a bit monotonous. Taking a short woodworking break could help recharge the batteries.

 

[ABCarve]

Not so bored really, but I've already made 50 mame pots and still need another 50 to hit my mark.......it's getting a bit monotonous. Taking a short woodworking break could help recharge the batteries.

Exactly what I’m doing.

 

[Carol 83]

You are really multi-talented, turned out very nicely.

 

[ABCarve]

Finished product.

 

[Pitoon]

Finished product.

View attachment 416110

Very nice! What did you finish it with?

 

[ABCarve]

Very nice! What did you finish it with?

Thanks. Mahogany stain with satin polyurethane.

 

[0soyoung]

What is/was the thickness of your sapele?
It looks to be thicker than 3/4" (aka 1" lumber).

 

[ABCarve]

What is/was the thickness of your sapele?
It looks to be thicker than 3/4" (aka 1" lumber).

It’s a full 1” and surfaced. Probably started out as 5/4.

 

[fudo133]

That came out great! I love how rich the colour is in that sapele

 

[Carol 83]

That's beautiful, love it!

 

[ABCarve]

So I'm sitting around watching clay dry.........another winter daiza interlude!

This stone was brought to me to replace its current daiza that the owner had carved for him a number of years ago. It works just fine, however, the owner wanted it set in a totally different direction. This is shown with my finger holding up one end of the stone giving it an interesting overhang. When he queried the carver about the error, he replied it was impossible to set it that way. Well.........I always like a challenge, so here we go.

I started out using my plastacine tray to find the proposed equator of the stone. One problem with the method for this particular daiza is that the stone must be balanced to sit properly and the plastacine is sticky enough to hold the stone from tipping. I made my best guess and moved on to make the template for the equator, this time out of clear acetate. It's rigid and easier to see through for tracing out the line. Push pins can be used to hold it in place and later used as registration marks for any alterations. The setting space was then carved.

When the stone was set in place it fit quite well, however, the balance was off and the stone rocked an unacceptable amount. To correct the rocking, I put plastacine into my current set and found the new, correct equator. A heat gun and heated taping knife work well to accurately place the plastacine. The stone was then set back into the daiza to make a new impression and trace a corrected equator.

The new set was carved into a new piece of wood and checked for stability.......success!!!. The hard part is over and now the fun begins, carving the daiza to reflect the character of the stone. Stay tuned!

 

[ABCarve]

Not a stone that is of my taste but I think it looks better than it did.