Big Meets Small
Thomas Skaggs, Foothills of Mount Level
So for many years I have been focused on furniture and lighting. But in the coming months I have decided to switch gears for a while and venture further into sculpting and perhaps more sculptural forms of light. Wood will be my primary medium but I likely will integrate other things like cast glass into the compositions.
Just in time for this venture, I came across a couple of barn finds that should really help me work with the heavy irregular wood forms as I carve.
While in Kentucky I found a guy selling an Emmert K-1 pattern makers vise. It was in great condition but needed a good cleaning and lubrication. Then, while in Indiana I was buying some lumber and found the bench in the guy's pole barn. The wood was dry and filthy but otherwise the bench was solid. He said $100 if ya want it. DEAL!
The bench is a Christiansen bench, about 1920's vintage. Locking drawers, even has the key! All maple with original Christiansen end vise. So I cleaned it up. And maniac that I am, I went about mounting the Emmert to the bench.
Anyone who is familiar with the Emmert K-1 knows that this vise is a monster. It amuses me to have a crazy big vise on a small bench. But for my purposes it will be perfect. The Emmert will be a real help for holding work while I carve. It can rotate, tilt and the jaws can be set at an angle. The bench will hold all my carving tools.
I put the setup on a mobile base so I can roll it outside for working al fresco. I can't wait to get the chisels going!
Happy Humpday.
T.
