I don't *think* this is going to turn into a carving blog, but I reserve the right to change my mind at the drop of a hat or a chip off a chisel.So, if you aren't yawning yet, I'll share with you how I'm making the scrolls on the frame saw fairly identical.
In the comment's section of the last blog post, Bubba Squirrel posted a link to Roy's episode that featured violin maker Joe Thrift. The last few minutes of the video are golden. Joe explains that he uses tiny scrapers to make the scoopy parts of the volute, and suddenly I realized what those tiny violin maker's planes are for. He also shows his technique for ensuring identical scrolls on both sides of the violin. He punches tiny holes through a template, thus transferring the pattern to the workpiece. Then he connects the dots.
I do wish I'd watched the episode before I carved the opposite side of the first scroll...but it worked brilliantly with the second set.Something else that works when carving symmetrical shapes is to mark a center line on your workpiece. That way you can eyeball both sides as you carve, keeping them evenly matched.
The next post may or may not involve carving. Hard to say when it's a meandering right-brained noodle that's doing the writing.
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