Nautical Research Journal


Tips for tiny carvings By Tony Devroude


Part I: Tools for achieving good carvings


Carvings for our model ships can be categorized into two types:


A. Applied ornament B. Standing ornament


Whichever it is you are about to carve, it all starts out with a block of wood that “theoretically” has the object inside of it, ready to be “exposed”. Your job is to remove all the excess wood and sawdust that is covering it up. Although removing wood and sawdust sounds easy enough, you are going to need a good line drawing locating the object within the block, and some good tools to do the job of getting to it.


Herewith, we will see what I have learned is the best way to realize your object through the use of a rotary tool and easily-made custom hand tools to obtain fi ne results. As you read along, I will inject pertinent tips that, from experience, make the job easier.


I fi nd that, in most cases, a carving goes through four phases in achieving the object. T ey are:


A. Roughing it out of the wood. B. Shaping the form. C. Detailing that form. D. Finalizing with acute detail.


A fi ſt h step might be required: fi nishing it! Some objects might need to be colored according to historical records or gilded with gold or another luster. T ese fi nishes should be in line with the type of model you are producing, not distracting from the model, but complimenting it. T is is of course, a subject that needs to be covered in its own essay separately, and at some length.


247


1. My faithful friend for about thirty years: my NSK Electer GX. All images by the author.


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