Topic: Albert lea craftsman
started by: Clayjo707
Posted by Clayjo707 on May 14 2013,7:34 am
I moved to Albert Lea in 2010. In that time I finished a 7.5 year project to build the Swedish warship Vasa (the only intact 17th century warship in the world) in miniature and from scratch. Here are some pics of my work:<
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>Through this project, I also discovered that I can carve sculpture in wood...
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>I also like to build historic firearms.
My Baker rifle:
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>And a matchlock musket that I built after one from Vasa (I carved the stock for this one):
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>In 2011 I made some 1:10 scale Vasa artillery that went to the Vasa museum in Stockholm Sweden to be displayed on their 1:10 scale model.
A pic of the masters that I made for making molds:
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>And some of the installation in Sweden:
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>You can see more of my work here:
< https://sites.google.com/site/clayton707/home >
Enjoy!!
Posted by Pretzel Logic on May 14 2013,9:10 am
Absolutley amazing. ! 
Posted by Expatriate on May 14 2013,10:23 am
true artisan
Posted by Grinning_Dragon on May 14 2013,11:38 am
Well done. A fine job.
Posted by This is my real name on May 14 2013,11:58 am
That is some amazing work!
Posted by Clayjo707 on May 14 2013,12:40 pm
Thank you! I am happy to share my work with others.
Posted by grassman on May 14 2013,9:57 pm
Well done! Patience is a virtue.
Posted by hairhertz on May 15 2013,5:31 am
terrific accomplishment.....
Posted by Botto 82 on May 15 2013,8:59 am
Thank you for posting those pictures of your amazing work!
Posted by Clayjo707 on May 15 2013,9:12 am
Thank you!I just wrote a short biography on myself as well on my website that explains how I got to live in Albert Lea:
< https://sites.google.com/site/clayton707/a-short-biography >
My wife and I like it here. It is quiet and we like the slow pace, but yet there is a big enough population to support businesses that provide most things that you need.
Cheers!
Clayton
Posted by Counterfeit Fake on May 15 2013,9:18 am
Beautiful and amazing work!
Posted by Clayjo707 on May 23 2013,8:53 am
Thank you!Since I am feeling a bit better (have been having some back issues) I have gotten into the shop a bit more, and am carving my wife a necklace pendant out of holly and bloodwood.
I will post a pic of that soon also.
Cheers!
Clayton
Posted by Clayjo707 on May 23 2013,9:35 pm
I carved another necklace pendant for my wife. The light colored part that says Magnus is carved in holly, and the red colored heart is made of bloodwood. This is a very dense South American species and the same wood type that I used for the red planking on my Vasa.<
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Posted by Marneman on May 25 2013,1:53 am
Beautiful work, very nicely done
Posted by Clayjo707 on Jun. 05 2013,8:50 am
Another of my progress...<
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Posted by Grinning_Dragon on Jun. 05 2013,1:04 pm
^ WOW
Posted by Crescent Wrench on Jun. 10 2013,8:31 am
Nice work! I, too, am a local craftsman... I make my living doing so within an international market.I can see where your work would be a nice fit if you're interested in giving it a try, let me know....
Posted by Crescent Wrench on Jun. 10 2013,8:32 am
Nice work! I, too, am a local craftsman... I make my living doing so within an international market.I can see where your work would be a nice fit if you're interested in giving it a try, let me know....
Posted by Santorini on Jun. 10 2013,11:26 am
Beautiful work...incredible attention to detail...Thank you for sharing
Posted by Santorini on Jun. 10 2013,11:28 am
Posted by Clayjo707 on Jun. 10 2013,4:12 pm
Thank you! Another progress photo...<
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Posted by Clayjo707 on Jun. 10 2013,4:13 pm
Thank you! Another progress photo...< [IMG]http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums...MG] >
Posted by Clayjo707 on Jun. 10 2013,4:14 pm
Thank you! Another progress photo...< [IMG]http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums...MG] >
Posted by Clayjo707 on Jun. 11 2013,8:16 pm
And another of the finished tail of the right triton..<
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Posted by Clayjo707 on Jun. 17 2013,11:31 am
Another of my recent progress. Getting there! Just have to carve a few more things and do the sanding/finishing.<
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Posted by Clayjo707 on Jun. 19 2013,12:12 pm
And another. Almost done. Just have to sand/smooth and add finish.<
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Posted by Clayjo707 on Jun. 22 2013,11:42 am
And now I am finished with this! Very happy with the result.<
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Posted by Santorini on Jun. 22 2013,1:46 pm
Stunning!!! The detail is amazing! Wow what patience you must have! Do you create your own designs or primarily replicas?
Posted by Clayjo707 on Jun. 22 2013,4:52 pm
Thanks! I do both. I have designed many of my own carved wooden necklace pendants. I also designed three wooden spoons and carved them in holly.I got into wood carving by carving a lot of miniature sculpture for my 1:50 scale Vasa. I found I could do well with it, so started carving larger scale stuff both from my own designs and as near copies of original sculpture.
Clayton
Posted by Clayjo707 on Jul. 07 2013,6:53 pm
I am carving again!This time I am working on an Urnes style (late Viking age) Norse carving in basswood that is 68.5" long, 8" wide, and 1.5" thick.
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>In the center I will add the initials of the three in my family to the crest. Here are those. They are carved in bloodwood:
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Posted by Santorini on Jul. 07 2013,8:25 pm
It'll be great to see this one in the completed form! Your work is amazing!
Posted by Clayjo707 on Jul. 07 2013,9:16 pm
Thanks!
Posted by Clayjo707 on Jul. 13 2013,5:13 pm
I just finished cutting out the carving blank. Now it is time to carve!<
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Posted by Clayjo707 on Jul. 15 2013,8:06 pm
I have started roughing out the left side.<
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Posted by Clayjo707 on Aug. 07 2013,11:07 am
And another of my progress. Getting back into it after a weekend away in Duluth looking at tall ships. The inset on the crest in the center is a piece of Yew wood. Last night i also finished rounding off the left side, and added some accents in ebony to the dragon's eye and tail.
Will do a similar thing with the right side. Should be finished in a week or two.
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Posted by Santorini on Aug. 07 2013,3:50 pm
That started as a solid piece of wood?You carved it so it looks like individual links connected?
Posted by Clayjo707 on Aug. 07 2013,10:17 pm
Yes it started out as a solid piece of wood. Actually two 0.75" thick basswood boards glued together.Here is another close up pic of the center with the initials attached. The black eyes are small pieces of inlaid ebony. The carving part is done. Now just have to sand/smooth and finish it.
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Posted by Clayjo707 on Aug. 11 2013,9:20 pm
And it is finished! Enjoy! <
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Posted by Clayjo707 on Aug. 12 2013,9:46 pm
And now it is hanging in out front entryway.<
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Posted by Santorini on Aug. 13 2013,8:41 am
It's beautiful you are talented no doubt!!
Posted by Clayjo707 on Aug. 13 2013,5:02 pm
Thank you!
Posted by Blaze on Aug. 20 2013,6:21 pm
Thank you for sharing this! It is beautiful work you do! I can't imagine the patience you have!
Posted by Clayjo707 on Aug. 20 2013,9:19 pm
Thanks!Another project that I am working on. It is a Norse Ringerike style horse-like creature. This style was popular before Urnes (my last carving) and was generally used between the years 1000 and 1050AD.
Enjoy!
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Posted by Clayjo707 on Aug. 27 2013,7:32 pm
And finished...<
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Posted by Clayjo707 on Sep. 03 2013,8:47 pm
Here is a picture of my finished Mammen style piece. (This style was used approximately 950-1000AD) This should be the only style that I copy from an original Viking age example in this series of carvings (from an axe head found near Mammen, Denmark). Many of the sources that I have read say that the Mammen axe pattern was meant to represent a bird, probably a mythical Norse rooster called Gullinkambi or Phoenix. Whatever it is, it is asymmetrical, has dots, and has a much thicker body than previous or subsequent styles, which are common aspects of Mammen art.It is 11" long, 8" tall, and 0.75" thick.
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Posted by Clayjo707 on Sep. 30 2013,8:41 pm
And another that I finished. It is Jellinge style (about 900-975AD).<
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Posted by alcitizens on Oct. 02 2013,8:59 pm
How much for a signed Norse Ringerike style horse-like creature with signed documentation? Very nice work..
Posted by Clayjo707 on Oct. 04 2013,1:45 pm
Thank you for your interest in purchasing some of my work! Honestly, I have never sold any of my work, and have not thought much about prices. You could email me and we can discuss it. clayton707@yahoo.com
Thanks!
Clayton
Posted by Clayjo707 on Oct. 06 2013,11:14 am
Another Norse carving that I am working on. This time it is Borre style, which was used from about 875-950AD. It is characterized by gripping paws, pretzel-shaped bodies, triangular shaped heads, mickey mouse type ears and limbs that seem to be out of order. <
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Posted by Clayjo707 on Jan. 21 2014,9:09 am
I have been a bit absent from here but here is some more stuff that I have done recently...My finished Borre style carving..
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>My finished Oseberg style carving (the oldest of the 6 Norse styles, and the last that I had to do to complete the series):
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>A toy that I made for my son. The woodpecker smacks its beak down on the log in front of it every 1/2 turn of the rear wheels.
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>And a video to illustrate:
< https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgeuxcl5fIY >
A coho salmon that I carved for someone that I met at the Vasa museum in Stockholm Sweden. It is in memory of her uncle who was a fisheries biologist for a Native American tribe in Washington State.
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>A necklace pendant that I made for someone that I went to high school with, who gave it to his girlfriend..
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>A doorbell ringer ornament that I carved basically as a test for my next carving (to see if basswood would be strong enough to make such an intricate carving)...
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>And the start of the carving that I did this test for:
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Posted by Clayjo707 on Jan. 23 2014,6:06 am
And another progress picture. Around half way carved now.<
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Posted by Clayjo707 on Jan. 28 2014,6:30 am
And finished... <
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Posted by Santorini on Jan. 28 2014,3:24 pm
Wow!!! Impressive.... the detail & uniformity is amazing!!You certainly are an artist!
Posted by Clayjo707 on Jan. 29 2014,5:10 pm
Thank you!
Posted by grassman on Jan. 29 2014,6:30 pm
Very impressive. What kind of wood is that and how long did it take you?
Posted by Clayjo707 on Jan. 30 2014,7:54 am
Thank you! It is in basswood, and was carved in three edge glued 8" wide boards. (0.75" thick) Overall, it is 23" in diameter.
Posted by Clayjo707 on Feb. 01 2014,2:05 pm
I have been included on a California based craftsmanship museum website for mostly elite level craftsmen. They have a physical museum too. < http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/JohnsonC.htm >
Also, it looks like I will be doing a community education class on carving. Will probably include a section on my work and Vasa as well. I will provide details as I know them.
Clayton
Posted by Clayjo707 on Feb. 20 2014,12:34 pm
A wooden wine bottle that I made for my wine making northern Minnesota inlaws. It is 13.5" tall, and all parts are in wood. The main part is basswood and the labels are holly.<
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Posted by Clayjo707 on Mar. 05 2014,8:52 pm
Here is a mechanical toy that I made for my son. It is reminiscent of old European maps that show sea monsters attacking ships. I pretty much just built it by the seat of my pants with no plans or drawings. A video of it in motion:
< http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ntj3Z0_mn7w&feature=youtu.be >
And some pictures:
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Posted by Clayjo707 on Apr. 15 2014,3:18 pm
If anyone is interested in learning how to carve, here is a link to a carving class that I am going to be putting on through Albert Lea community education (under the hobbies/special interests link):< https://albertlea.revtrak.net/tek9.as...ad10a48 >