# Part of a whittled chain project.



## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

As if I needed to prove that I always have too many irons in the fire at any given time, I figured I'd show you guys this chain in progress. This one is carved in staghorn sumac. The blank is approximately 1" square.

There's about another 6-8 inches of as-of-yet uncarved real estate on the other end. All of that will become chain elements as well. The portion shown here is done, except for the sanding stage.

Since this is a special piece slated for a book project, I most likely will NOT be posting any further updates on it here at the forum. But I hate when I make things that I can't share with you guys. So at least I'll allow you this little peek halfway in. Maybe some one will find it interesting enough to try their own hand at trick carving.

























From left to right, the elements I've carved into it so far are:

1) Plunger with ball end. 
2) The plunger shares the cage with a loose ball. 
3) A half link and link.
4) A pair of barred links surrounding a ball in a cage.
5) An 8-barred sliding joint.
6+) Other elements.

The consisting of a ball in a cage surrounded by a pair of barred rings is one of my original elements. The pair of rings will spin all the way around (that is, the bar does clear the cage).


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## calcnerd (Dec 7, 2012)

Very nice as always! What book is it going in?


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

calcnerd said:


> Very nice as always! What book is it going in?


If things work out as planned: my own. I've been learning, however, that publishers operate on geological time scales. Even getting straight answers can be a grueling test of patience.


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

Let us know when and where once you get it worked out...I want one!!

GREAT work as usual...I couldn't keep a knife sharpened correctly for that....IT took me 50 yrs to figure out NOT to let them get DULL before resharpening....kinda like a chainsaw, one more cut THEN I'll do it...LOL.

Isn't Lakeland close to New Smyrna Beach?? The guy that done my airbrushing on my F-650 is from there...Gerson @ 
Daytona-airbrush,com


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## johnnie52 (Feb 16, 2009)

Great work as always Steve. I've had that cube in a cube gizmo on the to do list ever since you showed all of us how it was done. Just haven't actually tried to make one yet. HOWEVER, since I recently bought a carving knife, I'm running out of excuses. :laughing:


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

Thanks for the comments, guys.



Tennessee Tim said:


> Let us know when and where once you get it worked out...I want one!!
> 
> GREAT work as usual...I couldn't keep a knife sharpened correctly for that....IT took me 50 yrs to figure out NOT to let them get DULL before resharpening....kinda like a chainsaw, one more cut THEN I'll do it...LOL.
> 
> ...


Tim, yeah, the more often you hone the less frequently you have to sharpen. But, as you know, once you miss that window of opportunity the edge gets too dull to do much with. Then a more intensive sharpening is required.

New Smyrna Beach is about 100 miles NE of Lakeland, on Florida's Atlantic coast. I'm about 50 miles from the West coast of Florida (closer to the Gulf of Mexico). 



johnnie52 said:


> Great work as always Steve. I've had that cube in a cube gizmo on the to do list ever since you showed all of us how it was done. Just haven't actually tried to make one yet. HOWEVER, since I recently bought a carving knife, I'm running out of excuses. :laughing:


That's right! Your acceptable excuses are becoming less numerous. Though you could also cut loose the inner parts of the cube in my avatar with a Dremel-like roto-tool. But it might be harder to get a smooth cut line.


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## Chaincarver (Jan 5, 2014)

Hello Steve,

Thrilled to see your work!

I'm new to this site. You can see a photo of my chains & ball in cages in the introduction home page.

I'm interested in seeing more of your work since we share a specific interest. 

Rick


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## Carvel Loafer (Dec 31, 2011)

:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## Art Rafael (Apr 17, 2013)

Nice job as usual, Steve. Your stuff just keeps getting better. I can't imagine how you carve a sphere in the cage nor, for that matter, much of the rest of it. Thanks for posting. Ralph


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## burkhome (Sep 5, 2010)

As impressive as ever...Sweet!


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