Hours and hours of carving lie ahead of me right now for this Lumbini (Buddha) print. To help my back stay pain free I've rigged up a little carving easel to hold the block more vertically, so I'm not bending over the block. My rig is not nearly as elegant as Graham Scholes' carving bench, but I don't have the woodworking skills to make a bench like his.
My setup is based on this adjustable tabletop easel from Dick Blick Art Supplies. I had to add a thin piece of plywood to the back of the easel to help it withstand the pressure of carving. Then I just drape a bench hook from McClain's Printmaking Supplies over the top of the easel and rest the block on the bench hook. I can't do heavy clearing this way -- for that I put the block down on the table -- but for detail carving like I'm doing, this is a back saver.
4 comments:
what a lovely workingplace...like your selfmade thing....and it´s worth it to take care and safe pains in your back....and carving can be hard work.....this place looks so nice....
Hey Annie: when I have a lot of clearing to do, especially on a large block, I simply stand at the kitchen counter. It's the perfect height to save my back and I can butt the block right up to the splash guard. I have some rubber flooring squares I bought at home depot, I put one or two down to cushion--a real back and foot saver!
Hi Patti - You're right, a kitchen counter is a great height for clearing. Just have to watch out for wood chips getting into people's salad bowls!
I like that your setup is so vertical. I found something at a garage sale that was like Graham Scholes device but not adjustible in angle and just drilled holes for the pegs and glued on strips of non slip pad. I like that it works at all angles.
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