Friday 18 June 2021

More Progress on the Wooden Shoe Factory


The interior windows are in; I was able to use my circle cutter to make the missing window glass up, although I will admit it took 3 tries to get it right. The homemade window glass is in the hallway window, but it is indistinguishable from the rest!  However, confession time, I pushed it too hard into the frame and, you guessed it, wrecked the frame. But, I (fairly calmly) glued the broken wooden half-circle trim back together, let it dry, and then replaced each of the three glazing bars, one at a time, with lots of drying time in between.

There are a couple of new items; the carving brake (I don't know what to call it, it is the workbench thing the wooden shoes in the making are clamped into) is done except for a long, thin knife that I have to figure out how to create. The knife is looped into an eye that allows it to lift and swivel. I think it is a kind of shaving knife to shape the surface of the shoes.

Yes, I carved those shoes, they are rough because they are in the process of being made. (They're also the first attempt ever by me to carve wooden shoes!) Also in the workshop now is the large chopping block; as the wood was cut this spring (apple, I think), it is quite "juicy" and usually sits on top of several layers of paper towel in the hope of drawing the juice out. It smells nice, though!

Marilyn gave me the dark blue enamel coffee pot, and next to it on the hot plate is a fat little tea kettle. A  bottle of milk stands ready. Still to come are sugar, mugs, and packages of tea and coffee. The gas tank has a label, made from a chain link with a red-painted centre. Next to the table and stove is a wood box.

Now I have to figure out how to make a large two-man saw with a curved toothed edge; my thin printing plate metal won't be strong enough for this, so I may have to cut it from a sheet of thin aluminum. With scissors. Which I use left-handed even though they are right-handed scissors. And I will need to file the teeth.....

A miniaturist's work is never-ending and always challenging!

 

7 comments:

  1. ...but, in the end, it is always so much fun! And I know you are more than up to the challenge. Looking great! - Marilyn D.

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  2. It's looking great! I'm happy to hear that you were able to solve the window glass problem. I was going to suggest that you score the plexiglass with your circle cutter, then draw some straight lines radiating out from the top of the arch, and break off the waste portion in sections. If it was me, I would have just gone for the chicken option and cut the glass from a food packaging container...

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    1. Hi Megan, I scored the thin plexi with the circle cutter, then ran a box-cutter blade along the groove. As I used narrow left-over pieces of plexi, I snapped the half-circle out. But I had to do it three times, as the cutter didn't cut a perfect half-circle. Guess I'm a little curved-line challenged as well! I still had to file the edges a little....

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  3. Hello Marijke, indeed a miniaturist's work never ends. But even if it should end, I have no doubt you would find a new project to occupy yourself with.

    I am happy to see that you have managed to replace the missing windowpane. And the whole scene is coming together.

    Huibrecht

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  4. Bravo on cutting the window glass and for the patience to repair the frame! It's always something, but boy are we learning patience with this hobby! If reincarnation is a real thing I am guessing we are all coming back to become micro neurosurgeons, lol! All is looking great! Can't wait to learn what you came up with for the saw!

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    1. I am attempting to make the saw with a heavy foil oven dish, that some shrimp something came in. I hope to cut it with scissors but have yet to figure out how to cut nice mini teeth....

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