Nautical Research Journal


T e resulting chisel blades, being “tall”, are relatively rigid, and the Xacto-type handle adds to the ease of use. (Figure 10)


In carving the decorative railings that form the fore and sides of the quarterdeck, I also used very fi ne abrasive dental burrs chucked in a pin vise—the cone shapes helped to smooth the insides of the “C” shaped curves and the ball shapes created a slight chamfer on those curves. (Figures 11 and 12) And speaking of burrs, I should add that apart from occasional initial shaping, I prefer not to use power tools for carving; the potential loss of detail is too great.


Another useful tool for small carved pieces is a glue


syringe needle. Available in packages of varying diameters, the needles are made of steel with blunt tips, and can be used to create any round design. I grind part of the tip to get a half or three- quarters circle which I press into a wood surface to aid in creating scroll work.


Blocks


My block making technique is similar to that widely used in larger scales. However because I must use very small drill bits, generally less than 0.010-inch, to avoid breakage I add a couple of steps.


For any but the smallest blocks, rather than a single 351


11. T e quarterdeck fore railing.


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