Carving, sculpting mild steel

[JH Ehlers]

The sideplate I had been working on was just a little close to the edge of the panel after trimming more wood away so I started on a new one. Something different this time. Chisel, scrape, file, 220 grit y-oil stone and maroon scotchbrite, still lots of work to do. Flatsguide, I think when I receive my palm control things will go a lot quicker.

[Jim Kibler]

Looking beautiful!  Nothing easy about this work.

[JH Ehlers]

Thank you Jim, yes, not easy. I seem to go over it many, many times until it looks right and then some more.

[flatsguide]

Very lovely work JH. You will like the palmgraver, Lindsey makes a tungsten piston that may make that heavier sculpting easier. I just got a dozen die sinker chisels from Doug who goes by the name Smylee Grouch on this sight. I plan on trying some metal sculpting. Between you and Jim K. I hope to get motivated and hopefully learn something. JH, have you tried any of the newer ceramic stones? I have tried them and they perform great. I have two shapes that I use. One is 1/16 inch square the end can be shaped on a grinder and they work great for finishing in tight places and they hold their shape very well. Nice to see your work.
Thanks Richard

[JH Ehlers]

Thank you Richard, I have not tried the ceramic stones, but will, I have seen them online. I have a bunch of other stones from congress I have not tried yet. Crisp edges and lines are an absolute must have and I am always thinking how it was achieved.

[Bob Roller]

60+ years ago I did do some simple line engraving and made a banner around my name and a pattern around the external edge of the lock plate.I can't do it now because of joint pain in my right shoulder and wrist.A local man,Norris Sperry became a master engraver and did some superb work.Cancer took him too soon as it did Lynton McKenzie who got me started into making copies of Stanton and Brazier locks for long range target rifles.
Bob Roller

[t.caster]

Dennis Priddy in Nashville, Mi. is an expert in this style metal sculpting! IMHO

[Jim Kibler]

Johann,

Whenever you figure out the magic for creating super clean corners and edges, let me know!  Like that Shaw gun we were looking at.  Still blows my mind.  You can't hardly find a single tool mark on it!

[Pukka Bundook]

Jim,
Do you have a link to the Shaw gun you mention?

[JH Ehlers]

I sure will let you know, I still have some things I have not tried.

[JH Ehlers]

That is the shaw gun.

[kutter]

Die-Sinkers Chisels are nothing special as far as something to do high relief metal carving with.

The name comes from the type of work done and the name of the Trade given it.

Die Sinking is not high relief metal sculpting. It is the opposite if anything. It is the cutting of the master die in reverse image sunken into the surface of the steel.

Don't over look the use of metal shaping the elements with punches.
Forming the soft steel into shape with hammer and punch is a lot easier than trying to carve it away with a graver and working at getting all those plow marks to disappear . Smooth surfaces are not generally what a series of graver passes leaves behind.
Stoning it all down can remove them, but you can see that your work is all in removing material.

Using punches to (re)form the steel to the shape you want and never really removing much at all is a lot easier. Plus it leaves you with more material to undercut (again done with different shape punches) which dramaticly increase the sculpted effect.

The punches will have to be made yourself most likely as that stuff isn't available much any more.
Simple drill rod shaped, polished, hardened and drawn back just a touch works fine.
Make the punches at least 1/4"d and taper the end as needed.
Too small dia a shank makes for frail little punches that vibrate while working and are hard to hold.

For any work that is like the side plate shown with piercings or extentions..Hard Solder the entire part to piece of heavier steel first.
That will keep the part in it's orig base shape once you start working it over. The punches will reshape only the area you are working on and the odd shape of the part will be held securely from wanting to move all around from the punching work. Then it won't fit the wood inlet anymore when you're done.

Most all that heavy relief you see on engraved guns and other objects is done with punches along with some chisel work to do primary shaping.
Final clean-up is done with those stones and other abrasive tricks. Clean sharp edges and corners are usually the result of running the sharp corner of a properly shaped punch through the area.

[flatsguide]

JH, your side plate is coming along very nice. What are you using to remove the bulk of the material?
Kutter. ‘interesting’ write up on die sinker chisels. You sound very knowledgeable, where can I see some of your work?
Thanks Richard

[JH Ehlers]

Thank you Kutter, I don't own die sinkers chisels, I have some graver like chisels I made. I have seen some videos of die sinkers at work, looks like an interesting but died out occupation. I have been using punches but very lightly and only when close to final shape or if I have to move something if I messed up. Richard I will post some pictures of the chisels I remove the bulk with, also use files where possible.

[T*O*F]

Brian Powley made some interesting videos of sculpting metal by moving it around with his Enset machine.  His website is defunct but they may be on Tira Mitchell's site or in Alfano's archives somewhere.

[bluenoser]

Thanks for bring his videos to our attention.  I think this might be what  are referring to.
h ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPPxAKAhslw

[PhDBrewer]

I found this instruction very useful.
William

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwi3gKrO7oyKAxWHETQIHVN_BvoQFnoECBsQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fengraving-videos.com%2Fproduct%2Fdeep_relief_sculpting_master_class%2F&usg=AOvVaw337t4x9ZOWWGSkeN2jvgVz&opi=89978449

[JH Ehlers]

Thanks for the link, but can't seem to find it on YouTube.
I have seen a video of a guy, I think his name is Adam's. A hobo nickel carver with some interesting methods.
Anyway some pictures of what I use, nothing sophisticated at all. Too pointy points chip very easy so more rounded points with not too sharp angles. With a 45 angle sharpened like for turning metal by hand can take shavings with hand pushing. I make them out of 1/8" square lathe bits.

[JH Ehlers]

Thank you William, I might need to get that video. Hope this isn't too boring of a subject for some...but making a sideplate like this has more problems come forth when you start making it. It has a very spesific shape and curves that has to be retained. I haven't been able to cut out the exact shapes out of 1/8" plate and have always needed to trim and correct edges as carving proceeds. As Kutter said it would be good to hard solder to a block of metal, but hard to trim sides then. If you mess up the side nail hole spacing, hard to fix etc.

[flatsguide]

Figuring how to hold the object you want to work on is half the battle. Like kutter said soldering works well getting to the edges is the deal that slows the flow of work. I scored  on some long, 4 inch, HSS 3/16 sq lathe blanks that I’ll play with.

[Pukka Bundook]

Thank you for the pictures of the Shaw gun, JH.

Best,
Pukka.

[whetrock]

I have zero experience with this, so please pardon my ignorance.
The idea of soldering the cut piece to a larger block seemed like a good idea. But I also wondered if it is truly necessary to cut the profile before sculpting. Would it be possible to just cut go around the design with a graver, to create a margin, but leave the work piece on the parent material? Then sculpt, then finish by removing it from the parent material after the sculpting is finished? Would that solve some of the deformation issues caused by pushing the metal? Or perhaps you guys think the sculpted metal would be too thin to saw effectively?

[Jim Kibler]

Way too much work.  Saws and files are your friend.  Saw and file absolutely everything you can.  Only chisel what is absolutely necessary since it is much less efficient and more difficult to produce good results.

[bluenoser]

Thanks for the link, but can't seem to find it on YouTube.

Removing the space in "h ttps" should take you right to it.

[whetrock]

Way too much work.  Saws and files are your friend.  Saw and file absolutely everything you can.  Only chisel what is absolutely necessary since it is much less efficient and more difficult to produce good results.

Thanks, Jim. So if I understand you correctly:
1. Saw the piece from the parent material
2. Do all the shaping that can be done with files, especially contrasts in height, rounding and shaping of tendrils, etc.
3. Solder it to a block (if you like that method) or screw it to a wood block
4. Continue with carving and sculpting for the remainder that couldn't be shaped otherwise
5. Remove from block
6. Clean edges and adjust the profile as necessary if it was deformed