Sunday, June 5, 2011

LITTLE GUY - Demolition man

If you haven't been asked to whittle a Little Guy, you will be. These Little Guys are just so neat that folks cannot resist asking. They're not that difficult, when you have a good cut out and a sharp knife. A friend who is in the "REHAB" business asked if I could whittle him a Little Guy DEMOLITION man. The best I could come up with is a little guy with a sledge hammer in his hand. Follow along as I give it a try. I used the scroll saw to cut this 1 inch thick cut out. This Little Guy will be 2 1/2 inches tall.
My first cuts are up to the bottom of the cap. Start at each of the four corners of the head.
Continue shaping the head by making additional cuts up the the bottom of the cap. Make cuts to begin shaping the neck and the chin. At this point I shoul point out that all cuts that are made on one side must be made on the other side too.
Make stop cuts to define the arms and hands. Make a stop cut on the sides of the face at the line illustrated.
Begin to shape the arms by removing wood up to the stop cuts. Start this process by using the knife to make plunge cuts at the elbow and at the top of the arm where the arm and jaw meet. Remove the chip from these areas.
Remove a slice of wood on the face sides back to the stop cut. This will narrow the face and leave you with enough wood for the ears and hair. Round off the legs.
Draw the ears on the wood.
Shape the ears.
Carve the nose and the eye areas. Drill a hole through the hand so that a sledge hammer handle will fit. Carve the bill of the cap.
Use the knife to remove the edges/corners of the wood at the arms, to keep them from appearing too flat. Shape the boots and the leg bottoms. Define the bib overalls, with stop cuts and relieve the wood up to the stop cuts. Check back! I'll add a bit more detail, clean up the piece, and paint it......

1 comment:

hwallen48 said...

Nice Job Tom, i like him, i might how to give him a go!
Thanks
hal