I'm going really slowly with this one, for three main reasons: Quite apart from the fact that the oak is jolly hard anyway, the awkward shapes require careful consideration and the piece being continuously shifted to get tools in, not only at the right angle, but according to the direction of grain for a good, clean cut. I am also constantly aware that if I am tempted to become impatient and take off too much at a time I could end up encouraging yet another hidden "shake" to break a chunk free!
I started by marking up and drilling out the cores from the top and bottom while the valve profile was still a flat, square cut-out that could be firmly held in the drill press. Next, I sawed away as much excess material as possible...
before getting busy with the chisel and files...
It seemed to make sense to initially start the marginally easier (?!) outside shapes first:
So far, an awful lot of effort, and still quite a bit of fine tuning/finishing to do, but all in all, quite satisfying at the end of a day:
Then the really serious bit of proper carving commenced...
The two valve columns are of a slightly smaller diameter than the base, and there is a distinctive, angled "vee" section at the transition... and just to make life difficult, (as usual) I am very keen to replicate it!
For added "amusement", there is also a shallow web included across the centreline - with a hole for retaining lower end of the tension spring!
I want to fit a proper, working spring in there - not just because it is in my nature, (!) but of a fear that once the long, slender balance arm is fixed atop, the entire assembly might be rather vulnerable without a degree of flexibility being built in?
The first side was quite a trial, and a bit rough at the edges... and then had to be repeated on the other side!
I have cut it a wee bit thicker than the prototype, to provide a tad more meat to hold a spring that might come under an occasional high loading!
When the whole thing is installed and painted in "Japan" style black, I trust the discrepancy will be barely noticeable?!
Pete.