This lovely poem by Gordon Jackson was written from my instruction poem stimulus, after looking as Jaques Prevert’s poem ‘How to Paint a Picture of a Bird’, and my own ‘How To Build a Sandcastle’, and ‘How to Capture a Poem’.
Making a Seahorse
When making a seahorse
the first thing to consider
is the type of woodto use.
Obeche – Triplochiton scleroxylon,
doesn’t splinter or have resin pockets,
is lightweight, soft, carves well
and cuts like a dream on the scroll saw.
Print your chosen seahorse pattern,
spray glue it to a piece of Obeche,
leave for five minutes to bond.
While you are waiting,
select the correct saw blade for the job –
a Rexon 32 teeth per inch would be perfect,
you’ll get a fine, clean cut with this wood,
very little debris to sand off later.
Right, mask and goggles on,
power up the saw,
slowly and without force,
feed the wood to the blade,
don’t push the piece
and the blade won’t bite.
Turn it carefully,
following the curves of the pattern,
no problem of wood grain turning the blade,
Obeche is too soft.
Finished!
Turn off the saw,
sand any marks or debris away,
drill the eye with a 1 mm drill bit
and wipe the dust off with sticky web.
Paint with acrylics.
Mid-brown body coat,
fins marked in pale yellow.
Screw a small eyelet in to the top
ready for hanging.
Well done, pour yourself a drink.
Gordon's handcrafted seahorse
Gordon Jackson. Stainland.
4th Sept. 2010. 2:25 p.m.
For Anji Topping’s web Site, by request.
Angela Topping 