holding down small pieces

[stave]

I have a commission that involves carving a number of small pieces from quarter sawn oak. These are pieces to be attached to a hall tree. I am having trouble holding the pieces in place while carving them. They can not be screwed in place or nailed in place. The pieces will have to be held in place, carved, lifted and then glued onto the hall tree. Some of the pieces will be as small as 3/8" wide by 3/8" thick and curved to fit a huge oval frame...very delicate.

Anyone have any ideas? Open to try most anything at this point.

Stave

 

[SGalley]

Vise? Small screws in the back and a clamp to hold the screws? Maybe a wooden clamp to hold it by the edges?

 

[RandyJ]

Double-sided tape?

 

[Gofor]

Spray adhesive may also work. Stick it to some laminate, plastic, melamine, etc. They make it in various strengths: you will probably want low to medium tack, and only spray one surface. Remove after carving with a putty knife sharpened to a chisel edge (beveled on one side only).

Go

 

[nelsone]

Double sided tape!

 

[stave]

I thought about double stick tape and will try it first. Spray adhesive may work, I am afraid it might work to well but it is in my plans as well.
Here is a picture. Below the center carving you can see two thin pieces that are curving out of the picture, those are the pieces that worry me. There are 22 individual pieces to be carved so I need to find a system that works well as this is not a quick or easy job.

View image in gallery​

 

[steviegwood]

try hot gluing them to a board that will fit in the microwave then carve what you have to and put them in the microwave a few seconds at a time and they will peel right off. you can heat them in a conventional oven as well but be careful not to burn small/thin pieces. do an experimental piece or two first to see how well it works. steve

 

[SGalley]

Maybe something like this?

View image in gallery​

 

[smitty62]

Seems to me sgalley has the right idea-wedge between two mounted boards using a soft wood wedge (less likely to slip):eusa_thin JMO
Dick

 

[Ozzie-x]

For small or fragile pieces, I have glued them to a larger piece of plywood or other sacrificial wood so you could safely and securely hold the piece to cut, shape, route or whatever. I suppose the same technique would work for carving. Once you have the piece finished, simply rip it off on the bandsaw.

 

[mikeacg]

Can you carve them all in one board and then cut them out? I've used that method in the past and, now that I have a CNC router I always do it that way.

 

[MT native]

Stave,
I have seen similar work done by Mark Yundt. You may want to PM him and ask how he does it. He and his wife, Doris Fiebig also have a blog http://woodcarvingblog.wordpress.com that may provide you with ideas.

Jane