Whittled Whimsey #3
Signed and dated PR Drumm, 2004
Maple (Table leg)
33 1/2" x3 3/4" max.Dia.

Exhibited on World Wide Web, http://www.whittledwhimseys.com

Whittled Whimsey #3 is one reason why anyone who invites Drumm for dinner counts all table legs to be sure none have joined the collection. This table leg is carved as usual with trusty pocketknife, from an old, very old and discarded, Maple table leg (which still has metal tip in foot). Maple is a nice hardwood, not nearly as hard as Ash, Hickory, or Rock Maple, but it carves well. Polishes well too, but much of the old furniture finish is retained to show where this whimsey originated from. No lock or hasp on this old-timer.

The theme of WW#3 is object-in-cage with as intricate variations as possible for this whittler with nothing better to do with his time. Each object-in-cage is chain-linked to the next, the whole table-leg remaining in one piece. The degree of difficulty of each piece can be judged by your own attempts to do it yourself. There are seven-piece sections, each connected with chain links, still one-piece table leg, now hardly recognizable, a true whimsey.

The six photos show progression from head to foot.

Photo #1 shows the coiled whimsy.

Photo #2 shows the first cage, only 3 bars, containing a triangular object, but it also is itself a 3-bar cage, with oddly shaped object inside.

Photo #3 shows an irregularly shaped 4-bar cage, with a 4-bar cage fitting neatly inside, which cage has a ball inside that.

Photo #4 shows a double-cage with oblique-geared objects that fit neatly inside each cage.

Photo #5 shows a pear-shaped cage following contour of tapered wood turned table-leg, with similarly shaped object within, which has yet another 4-sided triangular object within.

Photo #6 shows the box-like original table-leg contour whittled carefully so that door opens and smiling face pops out and locks open. If you look on the other side of smiley, whoops! You have been mooned! Whimsicall, of course….

The rings on the original table leg were carefully whittled to freely rotate, and the final section has a 4-sided heart-shaped object inside the final 4-bar cage.