Dressing Table applied leaf carving

[chobbs66]

All,

Last year when I was living out of town for work, I started a Phil. dressing table to practice all the details that go along with it, particularly the carving.

I started the applied leaf carving then because it didn't require a large shop.  Now a year later I am close to ready to finish up the table

I cut the vines out with a jigsaw, and glued them to a plywood backer board, with a sandwich of brown paper from a grocery bag and liquid hide glue.

My question is:  How can I go about detaching them from the backerboard?  Last night I tried soaking everything with a rag and hot water and got nowhere.  Then I ran hot water over it for while, some of the ends loosened but I am nowhere near getting it loose.  Can these be soaked in a pot or tub, or maybe someone could enlighten me on what should be done, or what I should have done differently.

I would appreciate any help I can get on this, Thanks everyone.

Calvin Hobbs
Springfield, MO

 

[HSteier]

If your wife will let you, place in oven at 160-180 degrees. The glue will soften/melt and the vine will come right off. If you don't use an oven, try a heat gun or heat lamps (or even your wife's hair dryer if she'll let you use that). Be careful not to char the wood. And next time don't use so much glue.

Howard Steier

 

[chobbs66]

Thanks Howard,  I will try it tonight if I get to it.  Any advice on applying them to the drawer front?

Cal

 

[HSteier]

Getting them off is a lot easier than getting them on. What I do is very lightly outline the position of the leafage and then use small amounts of hid glue in the outline. I then clamp the piece in place taking care that it doesn't move under clamp presure. I do a dry test prior to applying the glue. If there are multiple pieces I only do one at a time. I clean up excess glue when dry with a chisel or small carving gouges. There are other techniques but thats what I use.

Howard Steier

 

[chobbs66]

Howard,

I baked the vines last night, they were still stuck pretty well, but after re-wetting them and working it with a knife, they finally let go.  Thanks again for your input.

CH

 

[chobbs66]

Howard (and all)

Thought you might like to see the final result of the dressing table.

Thanks, Cal

 

[rich]

very nice work !  Rich Dininny

 

[rcortright]

Beautiful. Did you use plans that are readily available?

 

[chobbs66]

Rcortright,

I didn't use any available plans, I drew it up based on proportions I liked.  I used photos on the chipstone website to determine some of the details of the shell, vines, etc.

Thanks for your comment, Cal