Those of you who follow my work know that I’m often inspired to create a frame when I go into Diane’s studio and see a work in progress. Well, recently I saw a dancer that she was painting and immediately thought Flamenco and visualized the fans I’ve seen Flamenco dancers use. Next thing you know I’m searching the net for pictures!! Once I found a picture of the fan to use the next hurdle was figuring out how to make a pattern and transfer that to each corner of the frame. Adding to the challenge is that the frame has a 15° slant to it so using a compass wasn’t an option. The frames size allowed for a circle with a 2″ radius so the first step was to use the Pages program and print off a couple of circles of that size, that’s the gray piece in the right photo. I’m a big fan of using plastic from lettuce containers to make my templates. The paper is attached to it with spray adhesive then cut to shape. For the circular piece in the center I used a 7/14mm gouge to not only cut the template but also the wood. The outside was carefully cut out with scissors and the location of the frame miter was marked on it as well.

Line the template up with the sight edge and the miter to draw the circle (3/4 of one actually). you need a way to divide the circumference into an even number of parts. The only way I know to do this is to use dividers , if you’re not familiar with these they’re the black tool in the right picture. Set up the dividers on paper, not your wood — you’ll be doing a lot of trial and error work to do this so paper is easier to erase! As a furniture maker I use them a lot to divide a given space into equal sized parts and layout dovetails. To use them you “guesstimate” a size you think would work, adjust the dividers to that size and then “step it off” from end to the other end. The goal is for the last step off to end exactly at the end of the piece. Until it does you’ll need to make very small adjustments spreading the legs more or less until you get equal sized fan blades. Keep the dividers at that setting, you’ll need them for each corner. Note: I’ve tried to explain this the best I could but it is confusing, here is a LINK for a short article I found on the net.

Here are the tools used. After using the template to draw the outer circle and the inner circle on the wood I first used a 7/14mm gouge to outline the inner circle. Start at the sight edge and use the dividers to divide the space, I’d suggest using a pencil rather than the point of the divider as it could show in the carving. Now, use a flexible straight edge lined up with the corner of the miter to draw a line to the marks you made using the divider. See the picture, top right. This line is the high point of the fan blade.

Once your corner looks like the left hand picture it’s time to divide the fans — I strongly suggest only doing two blades at a time to save confusion. Measure and make a mark at the center on one blade. Use the dividers to mark the centers of all of them, you may need to eyeball and adjust if it doesn’t look quite right to your eye. The right hand picture shows the arrows drawn to remind me which way the slope goes. Here’s the order that worked for me and the tools I used for this project:

• Use 1F/8mm skew to cut angled line from outside to middle line at the bottom of 2 blades, draw your arrows to indicate slope direction
• Use 3F/6 to cut to desired depth at end of the blade. I also used a 2/10mm and 2/14mm to blend the carving into the rest of the frame
• I used what I call my golf ball skew, it’s an old Marples skew fitted with a golf ball which lets me make curved or straight free hand cuts. Make a straight cut down the middle line from the inner circle to the end of the fan blade
• The goal is to have a tapered cut that slopes to the middle line and down to the end. For me, the best tool was a 3/4″ very sharp bench chisel. Take very light cuts and work from both sides trying to stop your cut before hitting the other side. Definitely practice these, you can’t put the wood back!
• You will probably need to deepen the cut at the end of the fan blade to maintain a sharp edge.
• The grain direction changes on every cut due to the miter and to add to the challenge my profile has a 15° angle too.

I needed a lot of practice before I got what I considered acceptable results. The profile is about 3″ wide and what I call my 15° profile. I plowed a 1/4″ bead on the sight edge for a detail and also to create a definite stopping point for the fan. The tool I started with at first was a 1/16mm double bevel skew since that’s a “carving chisel”. Wasn’t happy with how it worked, difficult to create that smooth slope I was after. Then tried a 3/4″ cabinet chisel and it gave a much smoother cut. Also easier to hold and control than the fishtail skew.

Here’s one corner of the 18″ x 24″frame freshly finished with RMP finishes milk paint in Arabian Night Black. I’ve used their product on quite a few frames and like its appearance. You can mix up a small amount so there’s very little waste. To apply it they sell quality foam brushes which leave a nice finish. I usually apply 2 coats and then smooth them out with a 2500 grit nylon pad. To seal the milk paint my preference is OSMO 3043, satin. A thin coat is applied with a chip brush and then wiped dry with blue shop towels. Don’t rub it down too hard, some of the milk paint will come off and you’ll see it on the towel! After 24 hours or so, apply another light coat and since the first coat sealed the milk paint there won’t be any transfer. I’ll post a picture of the completed frame and painting on my Instagram once they’re both dry and assembled.