The way the carving has been made I think I will leave the red area in place and not saw it away for it looks like the carving might be too weak in a few places.. I marked them in red so I can study this for a while. I did take off the backer board and saw the red areas away from the rest of the carving but I think I will leave that area attached to the backer board for strength>

 

Its about 10 inches long. I attached a backer board in the outside 4 corners. Then applied the pattern. The 4 screws in the corners are there to hold the backer board on to the carving board. I start cutting out the pattern and as I saw along the edge of the pattern I stop and drill some pilot holes real close to the edge. Saw more along the edge and drill more pilot holes. and when I get it all cut out the screws will already be along the edges like in the second picture. After all the waste has been sawed away I then take off the backer board and then cut the picture in to a few pieces so it will be easier to carve. Looks like I cut out nine pieces to carve.

  This is Ash wood. Great to work with but not real good for a carver for it is hard to make the small areas smooth and flat like the maple I like to use.. I think real wood carvers prefer bass or some very light wood to carve with their knives...

  The sheet metal screws I use are a #6 and 3/4" long. Some areas I grind away where 3'4" will stick through the top so I remember those areas and grind some off the screws... 

  If you use a #6 sheet metal screw then a #34 drill bit is what I use for the pilot hole. If I use  # 4 sheet metal screw I use a # 48 drill bit for the hole.

I like your diddy’s. 

Artie the good thing about how I go about carving is the scroll saw is a very important piece of this puzzle..... I all ready know what this will look like and haven't even turned the dremel or sanders on...

  As much as I would like to see you try this type of carving, living in a town house without an outside area where saw dust won't cause a divorce maybe you should take up painting....... portraits.  A person who can paint a persons face as good as a photograph can produce is the most gifted person on this face of the earth...I have all kinds of books on the subject but it takes more of something I will never have. And the best thing is all it takes is a piece of paper and a pencil. The bad thing is when one wants to retire from being a portrait painter. 

 

 

This is two days work from getting the wood ready for the pattern to this here stage?

 

Now I will try some smoothie on this Ash. This is a magic compound only I know the secret to the formula. Better know as CNC Elbow Grease ,CNCEG being the short route..

Lookin' good, Jesse.