Carving Your Own House Sign: Stonecarvers Tools
Wood Handled Masons chisels: For working with softish sandstone's, i.e.; Bathstone, Cotswold etc. These look similar to the wood working chisels commonly available. However, the steel is tempered differently and they are heavier duty . They come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. These specialist chisels are used with a lead dummy. A lead dummy is a kind of mallet, basically a lead cylinder about 2 inches in diameter and 3 inches high mounted on a wooden handle.
Bulb End steel chisels: These steel chisels are heavier duty tools than the wood handled type and are used for working harder limestone's such as Portland stone. They come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes.
These chisels are designed for use with a traditional wooden masons mallet. These round shaped mallets made from Italian Yew come in various sizes and weights, from four inches in diameter to nine inches.
Steel End steel and tungsten chisels: These chisels are for use with a steel hammer, either a large masons steel hammer or a steel club hammer. The choice of hammer will depend on the task in hand. These chisels are the most commonly available and are made in a huge range of sizes and shapes. As a carver you will be more concerned with the smaller tools.
Individual chisels are named according to use and size. So for instance carving chisels are called "splitters" (I don't know why just trust me!). So you can have a quarter inch splitter or half inch splitter etc. Here is a list of the various types.
Point or Punch: Pointed chisel usually for roughing out or getting rid of waste material. Bolster: Any flat bladed chisel with a straight edge, from half inch to four inches. Splitter: Small chisels for fine work such as carving or letter cutting.
Claw or Comb: Toothed chisel for taking off waste material in a controlled way, creating a roughly flat finish. Pitcher: Flat bladed chisel with a blunt wedge like edge for taking off large chunks of waste material, needs lots of experience to use, not for the faint hearted! Bullnose: As the name suggests, a flat chisel with a rounded edge for creating curved surfaces. Scallop: Similar too a bullnose chisel but the blade is hollowed like a half section of tube, steel tools only, for use on softer materials.
Carvers and Masons will often shape the tools they need from existing chisels to suit particular jobs. Creating bullnose chisels from bolsters or shaping small splitters to get into awkward corners. Steel tools re-shaped in this way will need re-tempering, tungsten tools can be used without this need and are the best choice for beginners. If this is your first stone carving project I suggest you buy just two chisels, a half inch and a quarter inch tungsten splitter. If you need a shaped chisel just shape one of your chisels as needed on a grindstone. In addition search out the smallest steel club hammer you can find , if its an old one so much the better, cut down the handle to just five or six inches, it will be much easier to use! For your first project why not carve your own house sign? Its a relatively simple project and if you hang it out side your house you will be showing off your work to every visitor to your home!
Related Tags: home improvement, selling your home, house signs, stone carving, stone, sculpting stone, house numbers
Steve Walker has been a craftsman in stone and marble for 40 years. Leaving school at fifteen he entered an apprenticeship as an ecclesiastical marble mason with an old London firm, and in his long career have practised as a stone mason, letter cutter, restoration carver, marble mason and carver, fireplace designer and manufacturer. He has worked in old fashioned traditional stone firms and in modern marble workshops, in almost every type of stone marble and granite. He is now the sole owner, and craftsman of StoneEngravings House signs - http://www.stoneengravings.co.uk
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- Home Wall Art: Get Value For Your Money
If you have a beautiful home, it is only natural that you may want to decorate it so as to make it m - Bejeweled by Mens Ring Tiffany
Tiffany & Co. is one of the largest jewelry companies in the USA that has expanded the market in mos - Inexpensive Ideas in Making Wedding Centerpieces
One practical way to cut down the wedding expenses is to consider do-it-yourself ideas. There are se - Preserve Moments With Picture Frames
Of course we don't want our memories to suffer the brink of oblivion that is why we always try hard - For Home Decor, Try Wall Art Prints
In order to make a smaller room look and feel bigger, many home interior decorators will use large w - How to Choose the Right Gift For Your Bridal Party
Your wedding day will likely be shared with friends and family members who mean the world to you. A - Beautiful Baby Shower Napkins
There are many thoughtful and creative things that you can make for your soon-to-be bride friend. Sh - Learn How To Decorate Your Living Space With Abstract Wall Art
Abstract wall art can offer you different ways to decorate or redecorate and express yourself. A lot - Adding Class to Your Home With Wall Art Painting
Since mankind's dawn the wall art painting has been a desired form of decorations. Early cave dwelli - Use Fine Art Oil Painting To Decorate Your Living Space
There are many good things towards buying fine art oil paintings for your home. For example: If one
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Homemade Baby Gifts and Instructions Ideas
A baby shower is a wonderful event that is filled with joy and happiness. Getting a perfect and un - Enter Photo Competitions
A great morale booster is to win or even place in a highly regarded competition. Many professional p - Why I Love Melt And Pour Soap Making
I love making soap using the melt and pour soap making method. In my experience it's the easiest way - How To Do Metal Detecting In Dry Sand?
In general, larger searchcoils will give better depth with larger targets and better ground coverage - How to Face Paint: 5 Things You Must Know Before Getting Started
Learning how to face paint can be easy and lots of fun once you know how. It's a great way to have f - Tips For Metal Detecting
A pulsing current is applied to the coil, which then induces a magnetic field shown in blue. When th - Christmas Soap Making
Since Christmas is almost here, what could be a better gift than Christmas themed hand made soap to - Why Choose a Wine Gift Basket?
A wine gift basket is probably one of the most beautiful gifts that a person is likely to receive. - Create A Metal Detecting Book
Are you purchasing a detector to use occasionally at a lake or beach? Or do you now find yourself wi - Simple Face Painting Designs: Where Can I Find Them?
If you're looking for simple face painting designs, you're not alone. Trying to find simple face pai