One of a Kind
One of a Kind
Apr 02
Here’s a great commissioned piece that started out as a really cool idea.
Turns out one of the Nutcracker Collectors’ Club members collects wine corkscrews as well.
They contacted me to see if I could create a crossover piece that would combine their collection of Nutcrackers with their collection of corkscrews.
They provided the following piece as a base for the custom work:
They also provided these pictures for reference and inspiration:
Here’s a clay mock-up I did of all those ideas applied to the piece so I could work out the details with the customer.
Here’s a picture of the original piece being prepped to have the arms, corkscrew, and wine bottle added.
Here’s an “in process” picture as the new wood pieces were added and carved.
Here are a couple pictures of the piece all done and looking like it’s always been carved that way.
This piece came out great and was the subject of its own article in the Spring Nutcracker Collectors’ Club Newsletter (Vol. XXXIX, Issue 2) that was mailed out in March.
Dog Nutcracker
Dog Nutcracker
Apr 06
The Holiday lull is over, it’s Spring and restoration work is starting to roll into the shop again.
Here’s a really nice dog nutcracker that came in with a chipped ear.
Seems to be a common break on these.
Here’s a picture of it in process with new wood joined and ready to be carved:
Here’s the dog all fixed up and ready to be shipped home:
This is a really nice piece and the customer was very happy with how well the repair came out.
More Props
More Props
Dec 15
Another prop project!
This one was a request for cones/ spikes for a movie project at Kent State University.
These were turned from a solid pine 4×4.
Here’s one of cones/ spikes fresh off the lathe:
Here are the rest before they were picked up:
As the holidays approach, the shop projects drop off a little so you know what that means…
It’s time to get ready for Christmas!!!!
Arab Figural Nutcracker
Arab Figural Nutcracker
Nov 09
Here’s a unique nutcracker that came to the shop missing a jaw.
The piece was disassembled, the broken area flat spotted, and new wood added.
Here’s the piece all done with the new wood blended to match up seamlessly with the original.
The finish on the piece was also refreshed to bring out the details and make the piece pop.
The customer suggested I carve the piece with a soul patch.
Honestly that was a great suggestion, it works, and really looks great on this piece!
A not so Simple Groden!
A not so Simple Groden!
Feb 18
I was contacted by a customer who purchased a Groden that had been previously repaired.
The mouth was repaired in such a way that it threw the alignment off and set the chest too far back in. (*click on photos for a larger view)
On a less rare piece where authenticity isn’t an issue, moving the pin would be an option.
On a rare piece like a Groden, the less the original wood on the piece is disturbed, the better.
Getting the chest to line up, required a lot of material to be removed from the previously repaired mouth which then pushed the mouth too far back into the piece and out of alignment.
To fix this, new wood was added to the mouth to build it back out.
The new wood was then carved, blended, and stained to match the original finish and the aged patina on the piece.
This is a lot of work, but it’s worth it to not disturb the original wood and maintain this piece’s authenticity.
—–Brandon
Carving Copier 2.0
Carving Copier 2.0
Jul 15
Well, it’s been a while since my last post.
Been working on some big things in the shop and it’s too early to reveal any details.
To get ready, though, I resurrected the carving copier I built a few years back.
This is version 2.0 which I replaced the drawer slides (X axis) on the original with linear bearings and rails (20 mm X 30 inches) like I used on the Z and Y axis.
