I was experimenting with a scrap piece of the foam that I was given at the show. I took a small section of the grapevine border (upper center) and made this sample. I carved it with an XActo Knife (No. 11) and have not sanded it yet. You can see the detail that the foam is capable of holding.
I ordered a piece of 2 x 4 foot x 1 1/2 inch thick piece of foam (they only sell it in 4 bd. ft. sections) along with a gallon of filler/primer and a quart of PB bond (glue). The filler/primer will be important when I get to the duplication stage as it will strengthen the surface for the duplicarver so it doesn't mark or indent. The PB bond is used to join pieces of foam together. I don't plan on accidently breaking anything but I want to be ready! I blew the drawing up to scale so you can get a better idea of the scale involved. Suddenly the project looks a lot bigger than it did in the computer! This interesting looking device is called a DupliCarver and is basically a router linked to a stylus which follows the object on the right hand turntable to reproduce it on the left hand turntable. I hope to trace the foam model to make the clear pine carving.
I used the old carbon paper trick to put the design on the foam. I am sorry it is so dark but I wanted to be sure you could see the drawing. | |
It is a little clearer in this photo. You can see several
Xacto knives laying at the bottom for scale. I used a coping saw to rough the shape out a
little. Finally I get to start carving!!! Check back in a week or so and see what happens next! |