[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking. Baren Digest Thursday, 11 February 1999 Volume 06 : Number 444 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jack Reisland Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 14:41:40 -1000 Subject: [Baren 3027] Re: Ideal wood, wood substitute ... A couple of thoughts, although the idea of objectifying the ideal wood is appealing, as any woodworker can tell you, the variations in grain, hardness, etc. from one tree to another, and even within one log, all within a specific specie makes the measurable characteristics a moot point. ...and, if you carve your blocks from a wood substitute, is it still a woodblock print, or do you have to call it a plasti-block print? While you're at it, check out the laser carving systems at www.ulsinc.com. You could go straight from your computer to a carved block without even touching a chisel! It'll carve plastic too. I wonder if there is some way to come up with a power baren? Jack Reisland ------------------------------ From: "Haydee Landing" Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 23:52:54 -0500 Subject: [Baren 3028] Re: Ideal wood Gregory please send me information about the photo polymer plates. Thanks, Haydee ------------------------------ From: Gary Luedtke Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 23:45:59 -0500 Subject: [Baren 3029] Re: Ideal wood, wood substitute ... Things seem a little slow today Jack, so I'll bite on that one. Sounded a little tongue in cheek, right up my alley. >A couple of thoughts, although the idea of objectifying the ideal wood >is appealing, as any woodworker can tell you, the variations in grain, >hardness, etc. from one tree to another, and even within one log, all >within a specific specie makes the measurable characteristics a moot >point. Not really. If woodworkers develop a preference for a particular kind of wood over the years, there's a reason for that. That wood will generally contain certain qualities they are looking for and not found, or not as often found in other woods. Yes, boards vary, but there is still enough of that individual quality normally found in that wood they are seeking. You simply pick thru the available wood pile to find what most suits you. It being the case that experienced craftspeople can tell the difference, it then stands to reason that there _is_ a difference, and that difference ought to be definable. What is being asked is what is that definition? Don't think anyone's really verbalized it yet, and if they did, it may require an equally experienced person to know what they mean. >...and, if you carve your blocks from a wood substitute, is it still a >woodblock print, or do you have to call it a plasti-block print? You just call it a block print. Could be printed from a potato block, who cares? > While you're at it, check out the laser carving systems at >http://www.ulsinc.com. >You could go straight from your computer to a carved block without even >touching a chisel! It'll carve plastic too. Thought of that laser application years ago. I think the problem there is the raised portion of the block is supported by "foothills" that slope down to the gouged out waste part of the block. Laser cuts are vertical, at least the ones I've seen, and don't offer that support. I've done a lot of woodworking with Koa, Jack, now there's a wood with a lot of variation from piece to piece. I've gone thru skids of the stuff just to find enough similar boards to make a small piece of furniture from. Look for Koa picture frames at Pictures Plus and you'll see what I mean. It's tough to find a small frame with all four sides matching. >I wonder if there is some way to come up with a power baren? Yeah, this one's easy. Just tie down your bamboo sheath around the pad of your palm sander, oil it up a little from your whiskers, plug her in and, voila!, your editions will be flying off the table. We had a nice day today in the midwest, a little Hawaiian weather, 75. Thunderstorms tonight, snow tomorrow! Four seasons in two days! Aloha! Gary ------------------------------ From: "Gregory D. Valentine" Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 21:34:07 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Baren 3030] Re: wood substitute While not particularly knowledgeable or particular about what kind of wood I use, what matters to me is that it IS wood. I like carving it, I likethe feel and the smell, and I like the inconsistancies, the fingerprints of the wood in the print. I desire that. I prefer a plank to plywood, but given that what was garbage wood 40 years ago is prime lumber today, I'll accept ply. Still, it's useful to know what that resplendent plank might look like, should I detect its' kin in some knotty pine. Also what qualities are lost or altered and what preserved as we race backwards into the next millenium. GV ------------------------------ From: Jean Eger Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 22:57:38 -0800 Subject: [Baren 3031] Re: Baren Digest V6 #443 Graham, Regarding large prints: Hiroshige made triptychs. Durer made a large portable print for the Emperor Maximillian, which was composed of many individual prints. Still, it would be nice to have a little larger piece of bass. I'll just have to look around a little more, I guess. Jean E ------------------------------ From: Jack Reisland Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 22:05:31 -1000 Subject: [Baren 3032] Re: Ideal wood, wood substitute ... Gary Luedtke wrote: > Things seem a little slow today Jack, so I'll bite on that one. Sounded a > little tongue in cheek, right up my alley. Yes, that is indeed where my tongue was, a little, but then, I had also looked into some of these alternatives. > If woodworkers develop a preference for a particular kind of > wood over the years, there's a reason for that. That wood will generally > contain certain qualities they are looking for and not found, or not as > often found in other woods. Yes, boards vary, but ... I think that the original question was about densities, weights, etc., but if I look up these properties in my World Woods reference book for say, Japanese cherry (weight 630 kg/m3, specific gravity .63, etc.) I don't think that I can use these statistics to pick out another kind of wood with the same numbers and assume it will be a good block wood. The best bet will still be experimentation and experience, and barring that (as in my case) the recommendations of others. > Thought of that laser application years ago. I think the problem there is > the raised portion of the block is supported by "foothills" that slope down > to the gouged out waste part of the block. Laser cuts are vertical, at > least the ones I've seen, and don't offer that support. Actually they've got that licked. I saw one of these things in action at a woodworking tool show in Seattle, and they have an option to slope the sides of the cut built into the computer driver, for burning rubber stamp material. There you go! And they were having an introductory price for the show of only $12,900! > I've done a lot of woodworking with Koa, Jack, now there's a wood with a > lot of variation from piece to piece. Yes, one of the few woods that runs the whole range from amazing, deep figure to complete junk. Jack R. ------------------------------ From: Jean Eger Date: Thu, 11 Feb 1999 00:06:53 -0800 Subject: [Baren 3033] Re: Baren Digest V6 #443 Welcome Shireen, I second Jeanne's motion-that you have a beautiful web site with compelling art works. I love how you wove into your paper pieces of fabric from your past. Also, thanks for the link! Welcome to Baren. Our leader is taking a vacation, so we need some new contributors This site has been especially valuable to me because multicultural printmaking is an inportant interest of mine. This is probably as close to a traditional Japanese print shop as I'll ever get. Jean Eger ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V6 #444 ***************************