Barry Dima

[Content from FWW #14, p. 66] See the PDF for higher-quality photos. Carving incised lettering is a valuable skill in the repertoire of a professional woodworker and also an instructive practice for the beginner. Its decorative effect has many applications, and its visual appeal is universal. Incised letters are the opposite of relief and are cut directly into the wood without using a router; it’s actually a form of chip carving.

[Originally from FWW Issue #13] Bowls can be turned from seasoned wood, green wood, or laminated wood. The results from seasoned or unseasoned stock are similar, but the bowls produced from laminated wood are quite different. I wanted to turn some bowls, but since I don’t have a chainsaw or a drying room, using green wood seemed beyond my capability. And I couldn’t afford to purchase a large slab of seasoned hardwood either. Therefore, I turned to making bowls from glued-up wood.

To make the clamp, cut four L-shaped clamping blocks from 3/4-in. pine and groove the outside edges of the blocks a little wider than the rope diameter. Then round, smooth, and wax the grooves to minimize friction. Cut or drill a circular area at the inside corner of the blocks to allow for slight inaccuracies (which accumulate at that point) and to permit excess glue to escape. When you’re ready to glue, place a piece of waxed paper under each block to prevent it from becoming glued to the frame.