The Second Cup - Part 1

Step 1

 Ok, so this isn't really the first step, I lied to you. First you must choose a suitable piece of wood; one without cracks, knots, or other deformities. Then you draw the rough shape you want for your cup, leaving plenty of room between the outer and inner edge, as it inevitably becomes smaller the more you chisel the middle. Here I've drawn the cup as seen from the top, with a roughly drawn out handle. Keep in mind, this is the second cup I've ever made.

Step 2

 The next step is to use a chisel and rubber mallet on the inner lip of the cup, creating a track of sorts so you don't end up carving where you shouldn't. Then you gently chisel away the inner circle, creating a hole, until you reach the bottom of your track, and have to make a new one. When the middle gets deep enough, you no longer have to create tracks, and can simply carve away.

3 Hours Later

This is how far I got after 3 hours of chiseling. It actually went really quick, much quicker than the first cup I made. I had help to shape the block of wood, to make it easier to work with. A saw and a belt sander were used, taking away the bark, and giving a rough rounding to the corners to get an idea of what the cup will look like head-on. I have some more work to do carving out the middle, but I think I'm about half way there.

I only get 4 hours each Monday at the workshop, so more pictures next week!