Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Ninety-five Dollars for an Extra Large V Tool?

Master Woodworker, Paul Nordlie, was successful in creating a router cut profile along the front edge of two black walnut brackets which will support the key board on the beautiful console he is building for the new pipe organ.  My job was to carve 90 degree notches at approximately 30 millimeter intervals to make a series of perfectly square pyramid shapes along the entire front edge.

An ordinary 1 inch wide Stanley wood chisel worked well cutting at a 45 degree angle into the black walnut grain running length wise.

Then I came to the curved area where cuts had to made in the end grain.  I thought I was being a little crazy, if not extravagant, to let Jeremy Frislie talk me into buying a 95 dollar 28 mm, 75 degree V tool in addition to the smaller 60 degree I had ordered, but, honestly, I don't know how I would have carved those end grain pyramids with out it!

My job now, is to carve the fancy ornamentation on the outside faces of each bracket.   (Not to mention eight more pipe shades...)

  "Extra Sharp" Stanley Wood Chisel, part of a set given to me by my neighbor.  (Said he had no use for them...)

Stubai 28mm, 75 degree, V Parting Tool, made in Austria, purchased from Frislie Toolworks

Irrelevant No. 3 back bent home made tool

Thursday, May 05, 2016

Two done...Only ten more pieces left to carve

Two flat panel upper pipe shades that will appear on either side of the center tower for J. F. Nordlie's new pipe organ being built for the Cathedral in New Ulm, MN, are waiting to be covered in gold leaf.

Not including design and layout work, over 200 hours were spent carving these two pieces.  Two smaller flat panels will hide the pipe bases, and each of the three towers with have curved upper and lower pipe shades.

Now I am carving ornamentation on the black walnut support brackets for the keyboard counsel, which is soon to be delivered.