The Framers Forum

having been a bit quite for the last few weeks I have been exploring the dutch ripple machine and also a few others

and finished this hand carved Sansavino replica

and also this early 20th Century modern British frame with oak inside on sight edge , a birds eye maple banding and 23 1/2 carat water gilded section

Very impressive indeed!

What chisels do you use? I don't do carving anywhere near the level you do, but use a lot for joinery i do. I have Ashley illes chisels, and a largish collection of two cherries and Pfeil gouges.

Cheers

Nick

Hi Nick

I have a good size set with some of the names you list below and also some old ones I bought online
as long as they are razor sharp you can get some good results

I will keep posting the dutch frames as I make more but they are time consuming

Superb carving and magnificent ripple effect. Thinking that the originals were done on ebony wood, have you tried that? I know the cost would be too expensive for the whole frame but could the ripple be cut on small strips of ebony and then applied. I'd imagine ebony would be pretty hard to cut into though. I once used ebony veneer and some ebony strips on a frame and the colour and grain turned out quite beautiful.

Love them all. Excellent workmanship!

Thanks for the feedback

Dermot,I did look at ebony which is quite expensive so have opted for the other timber that was traditionally used which is Swiss Pear
it cuts well
the sections are done in strips and then applied after
the ebony polish is a great grain filler but needs about 20 coats and wire wool between each coat
the finish in the picture is mid finish and I have just put on coat 20 which now looks like glass.

a closer look at the moulding and profile on the ripple

Hi Timh
I'm not sure why you need 20 coats of ebony polish. Can I ask what you're using for this?

I found the more you put on the better the finish to the point it has a surface like a piano
I could stop about 10 or 12 coats but having little to do here wanted to see what would happen with more coats
just experimenting I guess
it's a black polish like french polish but diluted a little with alcohol

appreciate any other ideas you have

I totally get what you're trying to achieve. Building up layers of polish will certainly give you a glass like finish on the wood. I asked what you were using because my own experience now is make up my own black polish and this gives a much better result. The commercial black polishes I've used don't seem to have the same covering effect.
Best is buy some DRY black spirit powder and mix this into diluted transparent shellac polish. This way you're in control of the concentration and you can then make a value judgement on depth of polish needed. Filling the grain is also a consideration. If the wood is of prime quality, then the grain is an attraction in itself but with a cheaper wood, I've found a couple of brush coats of gesso does the job.
With my own polish I now never need more than 3 coats.

interesting
I will give that a try

I apply the polish with a rubber though and do dilute the mix especially towards the final coats
I'm using pear and the finish needs little sanding or filling
it's a great timber to work with except when you hit a bullet in the timber with the rip saw!

two of them

Ah! you do things old school. Full respect for using a rubber. The last time I did an ebonised finish, if I remember right, I used the full concentrate polish for coverage and build, and then finished with a coat of the fully transparent polish. All this with a brush of course.
I've also found that using 00 wire wool between coats is more effective than the 0000.

Just love that ripple frame! You've done such a great job I'm really envious of your skills!

Matt

Thanks Matt
appreciate all the feedback

I used the offcuts from the larger frameand made a bit more to do a smaller frame

I love these ripple frames, the way that they catch the light is incredible. What's not to like about them? Add to that the amazinging workmanship and WOW. Simply beautiful in every way1

You are a real craftman.

still making new sections between the very small amount of work we have in
these will be gessoed and probably finished black over a red/brown base

Looking really good so far. I think that you might have quite a few customers for those. The are already looking very classy.



Can I be checky and ask if the spandrels were cut using a mount cutter? I'm guessing that the spandrels are probably cut from MDF.