First Time Carving

[rdillon]

I decided to finally give carving a try.  I did alot of reading and talking to a few of you and well here it is.  I have never had the nerve to carve before and now that I did it I realized it's not that bad.  Drawing it on the gun was the hardest part.  This is only my fourth Fowler I built from scratch and I really wanted to dress it up so I just did my best.  Hope I didn't screw it up too bad.  I will try to take better pictures of the finished product next week.  This gun is #29.  The next one is a Bean Rifle for Dixons.  My #2 Fowler won first place last year in the Fowler Class at Dixon's

Picture taking is not my best quality either!

Please give me a few tips on how I can improve this the next time and tell me what I did wrong.

Many Thanks, Rich

[sz]

Nothing wrong here.

Good job!

[lew wetzel]

it looks very good,crisp and clean....

[Leprechaun]

Rich, it's sometimes difficult to sypher photographs as they sometimes make things appear different than they actually are. It appears like you did a fine job on both layout and execution. There are a couple things that may require a bit more attention next time (if the photos are portraying acurately). First, it appears like your relief is a bit on the high side. Relief carving is typically 1/16" at most. The other thing, and this may be just personal preference, and if so, is irrelevent, when dishing out the petals, they appear to be rather U shaped, deep with relatively steep sides. Maybe try (on scrap) making them more ) shaped with thin edges. The teardrop on the lockside could have been canted down a bit to flow with the wrist and the lock panels could be thinner. A good measure of this is if you make the panel line a continuation of the barrel line where the side flat meets the oblique flat. You can see that that would cut the width of your panel in half.

[rdillon]

Didn't take notice to the beavertails.  Will try better with that.  The carving stands about .032"(thirthy-two thousands) above the stock.  I see what you are saying about the center of the pedals, I wasn't quite sure how thin to make the edges.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

RD - you are to be congratulated on several counts.  For your first carving effort, you've done very very well.  I can tell you honestly, that mine was not nearly as well laid out and executed as yours.  It's fun and satisfying isn't it?  Perhaps the panels could have been narrower, and you can still do that if you're inclined, but yours are not "wrong".  There's a marvelous Isaac Haines that comes to mind with panels just like yours.  One thing that may sharpen up your carving, is to take some 280 - 320 grit and a fairly hard rubber backing, and gently sand over the top of the carving.  This will sharpen the edges and further reduce the height, and make the carving a little bolder.

But if you left it as is, it would still look great.  Staining will show you where you might have spent more time.  Thanks for showing us and having the courage to tackle it.  It's going to be a nicely designed rifle.

[erdillonjr]

Looks good to me. Excellent first time effort. You will only get better with time.

[rdillon]

Thanks, POP!  If it wasn't for you getting me started in building Longrifles and teaching me what you know I wouldn't have even gotten this far!

[J. Talbert]

RD,

I'd say there's a lot more right than there is wrong;  a heck of a first effort.  I'd second Taylor's words of wisdom on how you might improve it.

Keep at it,
Jeff

[Brian]

Well Rich, I have yet to do my first carving, but in all honesty if my first attempt at it comes out even close to what you have done I’ll be dancing in the streets and breaking out my best bottle of Irish Whiskey.  I don’t know enough about it myself to offer any constructive advice like Taylor and some of the other pro’s, but I can tell you that I really like what you did.  Very appropriate to the rifle, well laid out, and well executed as far as I'm concerned.  I think you did a heck of a good job.  Well done!

[bama]

For your first time you have done very well and I like others have said wished my first carving job looked as good. As you build more you will pick up on some of the things that add that little extra. You definitely should be proud of your effort on this one.

Just remember this IT IS YOUR RIFLE you make it what you want it to be regardless of what others might say but at the same time you have been given some good pointers here. So keep up the good work and always step back and take a second look the next day. You will be surprised what looks good today may not have that same appeal tommorrow.

When I first started building one of the hardest things I had to deal with was completing a rifle. I would get down to the finishing stage and I would find my mind pondering the next project because there were so many things I would do different on the next one that I could not get the finish on the one in work. I have gotten over that but I still find myself always thinking about the next project.

It's a sickness with no cure.

Again great first carving job.

[Tommy Bruce]

That's your first time???  Man am I green with envy.   Please show us pics of the finished rifle.  Congratulations on a fine looking rifle.

[Tim Crosby]

 Wow! GREAT start, looking forward to seeing the finished piece.

Tim C.

[rdillon]

Well Rich, I have yet to do my first carving, but in all honesty if my first attempt at it comes out even close to what you have done I’ll be dancing in the streets and breaking out my best bottle of Irish Whiskey.  I don’t know enough about it myself to offer any constructive advice like Taylor and some of the other pro’s, but I can tell you that I really like what you did.  Very appropriate to the rifle, well laid out, and well executed as far as I'm concerned.  I think you did a heck of a good job.  Well done!

Thank You so Much!!!!!!!   I bet you can do better!!!

[msblacksmith]

looks good keep up the good work