A Question for Letter-Carvers.....

[Argus]

I'm getting more involved in carving lettering onto wood these days.......

It seems a basic question, but here goes:

Normally I would do all my layout preparation on paper, produce a working scaled, copy then transfer it onto the wood, cutting through the paper copy to get a carving outline on the wood.

Double sided sticky tape is an obvious answer, but I'm now trying to avoid using adhesives because it's a nuisance to remove when complete without damage to the carving.

Can anyone suggest a carbon type or graphite paper that does not smudge on the wood, yet is erasable?

Thanks to anyone who replies!

 

[gasman]

I do lettering quite often and just use printer labels. The adhesive comes off quite easily after you have cut through with a scalpel I find
Rare to have to use an adhesive remover I find

 

[Adam W.]

We just use regular carbon paper and trace the lines without leaning on the carbon paper too heavily.

 

[geraldmartin]

Carbon paper I prefer black.

 

[Argus]

Thanks to all for the replies - much appreciated.

Just to explain, I do a lot of the designs on A3 or A4 paper - to get a full sized template of the scripts with the intention of using a working copy (or assembled joined up copies for larger pieces) which is then attached to the wood in its final lay-out position with an open side.
Next, I usually slip some carbon paper in and trace through leaving an image on the wood, finally cutting through the letter outlines on the paper template with a modified chip-knife to sever the fibres; this is the final cut and finish lines when the letter are formed. The template is ruined by then and is discarded leaving me an outline in carbon and the knife-cut outline to work to. I plunge the root in the middle and work back to the knife-line either side.
It may be my rubbish carbon paper, but I tend to get smudges, however careful I am.

I have experimented with most carbon papers and had a lot of smudges, but it was suggested to me that some of the newer graphite papers are less prone to smudging, give a precise image and can be erased leaving a clean surface.....
This stuff is aimed at the art market and can be expensive and I was basically seeking any experiences from carvers who may have used it........

Ideally a double sided tape would also do the trick; stuff that has the same qualities as labels that @gasman mentioned, but all the adhesives I have seen are precisely that - not intended to come off! They leave a residue and can be a real swine to peel off.

Anyway, many thanks again.

 

[Mike57]

To add to @gasman 's comment (and without specific knowledge of carving!) I use freezer labels which are specified to leave no residue. This seems a common feature of freezer labels and they are available in full sheet sizes.
So perhaps a query direct to a commercial label company about their adhesive might throw up a solution?

 

[Jacob]

Letter carving on my list of things to do! I was impressed by this vid, must have a go. Carving Letters in Wood - Letter Carving Basics - FineWoodworking

 

[Argus]

Thanks, @Mike57. I didn't realise that freezer labels came in full size sheets. i'll look into that.

@Jacob, I find that lettering in wood is quite therapeutic these days...... ageing hands and wrists being what they are.
I agree, there's very little available of instructional depth on Youtube, and that video is very good as an introduction - it shows the geometry of the cuts. Ultimately, every carver has his own approach to the actual sequence of uniting the chisel with wood - that's what is most attractive about it.

As well as videos, there are two books specifically on lettering that are very instructive; first Chris Pye's letter carving classic,

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lettercarv...sprefix=lettercarving+chris+pye,aps,99&sr=8-1
........and a newer book out this year by Martin Wenham which covers a lot of stuff from his own perspective:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Letter-Car...55&sprefix=lettercarving+wenham,aps,64&sr=8-1
As well as that and not altogether about lettering, but Peter Follansbee has a lot on Y-T on his own reconstruction of American-17th C decorative carving. Very detailed, too. Even if you don't do it, a great watch on quiet evenings.

good luck and thanks to all

 

[Simon89]

What about 3M spray mount, wouldn’t that be just perfect?

 

[Peri]

Or wide low tack cream masking tape.