Wood

Introduction

Wood is classified in two categories; Softwoods and Hardwoods. Examples of Softwoods are Spruce, Pine and Yew. Examples of Hardwoods are Ash, Beech and Oak. However, those experienced with Wood will know that these classifications are often misleading as Balsa Wood for example, is actually classified a Hardwood but is extremely soft and brittle. Also available are Wood Chips that are compressed to form different density boards such as Hardboard, Chipboard and MDF. Plywood and Veneer are examples of Wood that is not actually classed as natural wood, but Engineered Wood.

Wood can be cut, bent and drilled with power tools such as jigsaws, mitre saws and cordless drills. It can be sanded and polished for a beautiful finish. Wood is usually available in sheet, block or dowel.

Techniques

Carving and Woodcutting:

Wood Carvers often use wood in its raw form, ie. before it has been cut into timber. Wood Carvers go by the grain of the wood, finding their way over knots to produce beautiful relief's or sculptures. Many that work with wood explain that they can see the finished piece of sculpture inside the log, which is just waiting to be revealed. Carvers of wood used various tools such as chisels, rasps, knives and sanding tools such as planes and scrapers.

Another variation of wood carving is Wood Cutting. The Wood Cutter makes gouges into a block of wood to a certain design, inks it up and then prints it onto a desired surface. The parts that are gouged away form the white parts of the final print.

Wood Turning:

Turning is the term given to the process of spinning wood on a lathe. The object that is worked on is turned by the lathe, while the woodworker keeps the tool used stationary. Tools used are chisels and gouges of different thicknesses and with different points to achieve depths of cuts. Typical products that come out of this are table legs, bowls and a multitude of vessels. Sculptures can also be turned.

Laminating:

Laminating is a fascinating process of adhering many layers of Wood together to bend the wood permanently. The layers of Wood are held together by clamps and straps over a pre-made form and left to dry. Forms can be made from any material but were traditionally made also from Wood.

Model Making

Traditionally the main wood for Model Making is Balsa Wood. Balsa Wood is extremely brittle and therefore very easy to break or saw into desired shapes. It is most suitable for models as it is very lightweight and also will float when put in water. Other Woods are also used to construct models with and held together with wood glue.

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Metal

Introduction

Metals are a natural material and are extracted from the earth. They conduct electricity and heat, react to oxygen and are usually hard and strong. Interestingly, most Metals that are used by Artists and Sculptors are actually Metal Alloys. Metal Alloys are a combination of Metals that give it a special characteristic. Usually it is to make the Metal more workable. Common Metal alloys are Steel, which is a combination of Iron and Carbon and Bronze, which is a combination of Copper and tin. (However, to be simple, I will use the term 'Metal' to describe any kind of Metal or Metal Alloy from now on).
The Metals that Artists use can be cut, bent and drilled with power tools such as Angle grinders, Circular saws and Drills with specific attachments. It is available as foil or in sheet, block, or bar.

Techniques

Spinning:

Spinning Metal occurs in a similar way to that with wood, by turning the Metal on a lathe. Specific Metals that are used are Stainless Steel, Aluminum and Copper. A beautiful smooth effect can be achieved through using a tool called a Spoon, which shapes the Metal as it spins. As with Wood, common spun objects are bowls, vases, table legs and other hollow forms and vessels.

Forging and Welding:

Forging is the process of heating Metal in a furnace and then pounding it to shape and join it. Traditionally, it was the only way to join Metal, but has began to fade out due to new methods of Welding. Saying that, it is still practiced today and I think can never really be replaced completely. There are two main kinds of Welding, Arc and Oxy-acetylene Welding. Arc Welding produces an electric arc, where as Oxy-acetylene produces a gas flame. Joining is achieved by melting together the two sides of the Metal and adding flux and a filler. The filler forms a molten pool of Metal that then cools to form the join. The trick with Oxy-acetylene Welding is to get the molten pool consistent the whole way down the join. This method is usually preferred if aesthetic quality is most important. The most common metal to be welded is Steel.

Casting:

Bronze Casting is the original way of Casting Sculptures and is usually performed in a Foundry. Lost Wax Casting is the most traditionally way of Casting a Bronze Sculpture. It involves first making a Mould from the model and casting a hollow wax shell of it. Another mould is made from the wax mould, in which to pour the Bronze. If the sSulpture is very dense a core is often placed within the mould to lighten the final piece. The wax is 'lost' by melting it in a kiln so that the Bronze can be poured in. Bronzes are often finished by polishing and sometimes a patina is applied.

Another type of Casting is with White metal (tin alloy) which is available in long bars, which are melted to make metal figures, jewellery components or small sculptures. The bars, traditionally called Tinmans Sticks are melted in electric melting pots before pouring into moulds. Moulds are made from Hard Wax, Plastic, Milliput or Supersculpey. They are usually dusted with french chalk or graphite powder prior to pouring. Centricast Centrifugal Machines are available that make masters of your moulds using Rubber and also melt your metal. They are a valuable tool for those interested in Casting with White Metals.

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