Stabbing in carving

[J. Talbert]

The loupes are very awkward at first. It takes a few hours to get used to them. Once I got past that part they were great. I will never use a visor again.

Bill,
Can you tell us the particular model you have and where you got them ?
I sampled some cheap ones years ago that were unacceptable.
The price range I’m seeing now goes from ridiculously cheap to thousands of dollars like Rich stated.
I’m wondering at what price level they are actually usable?

Thanks
Jeff

[Bill Raby]

I got Chinese made loupes for a few hundred dollars. I would pass on the ridiculously cheap ones that you can get on Amazon. My thinking was to get cheap ones from a legitimate surgical tool company. I figured that would weed out the junk ones. I don't remember which company I got them from. I don't buy surgery stuff on a regular. Do a google search for surgical instrument supply. Most companies will sell them. Usually they are $1000+ but with a bit of searching around you can find them under $500. Even the cheap ones are rather expensive. You are not hunched over working on something only inches away. That is a big deal after a few hours of carving or engraving. I got the cheapest ones that I could find that you would actually use for surgery and the optical quality is much better than an optivisor. There is also much more depth of field. The field of view is fairly small. I can almost see the whole palm of my through it when it is in focus. It works for carving and engraving. You get larger field of view with the Ziess or Swarovski loupes but those are $4000+.

[J. Talbert]

Thanks Bill

[Mike Brooks]

I carve by feel alone. No sight required.

[rich pierce]

I carve by feel alone. No sight required.

I thought you played by sense of smell (Pinball Wizard reference).

[Maineshops]

Made a stabbing tool. T handle gives me more control. If it works ok I’ll make a couple more with different radius’s 

[Maineshops]

When you stab in a patch box do you screw it down and use it for a guide??

With macular degeneration magnification helps but doesn’t fix the problem . Part of what I’m looking at just isn’t there. When band sawing I cannot see the blade and the line I am following at the same time. But I have a sweet spot that I can tilt my head and see both . That spot is about half the size of a dime. So magnification pops that up a bit.  Time consuming to work that way but not impossible

. .

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Don't use sense of feel in bandsaw work!

[Ed Wenger]

Dan..., securing the patch box with screws and using it as a guide is a good method.  Be sure to file a very slight bevel to the edges that will be inlet, and I like to use a sharp, slender scribe to outline the piece rather than a pencil.  I find this works better for me, and cuts down on potential gaps.  Best,


          Ed

[Maineshops]

Thanks Ed .... I find my biggest problem is that I don’t know what the heck I’m doing. I built one about 55yrs ago and have forgotten all the techniques. Hands don’t follow brain very good  but I’m having fun with what I can do. I may just do patch boxes and forget the carving. Pretty nice wood and I might be trying to guild the Lilly . Dan

[Ed Wenger]

You’re welcome, Dan.  This is a good place do come for any questions, plenty of talented people to lend a hand.  Have fun!  Best,


        Ed

[Not English]

Dan, one of the advantages of doing it as Ed said is that with a sharp  scribe or even a resharpened x-acto knife is that it leaves a physical line in the wood. I find this an advantage because i can actually hook/start the chisel in the scribed line. This might be helpful with macular degeneration.

Dave

[Maineshops]

That is helpful Dave and I’m learning to use that a lot. One of my biggest issues is taking too big a bite in this hard old maple. Dan

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Inletting and carving, both relief and incised, is like surgery...tiny delicate precise and accurate cuts.  A log cabin - not so much.