Stone

Pseudomonas got started with a course run by http://www.letteringartstrust.org.uk/ , and recommends the book The Art of Letter Carving in Stone by Tom Perkins (ISBN 978-1861268792)

Stone that's readily carvable includes slate, limestone, sandstone, and marble. Uncarvable or hard-to-work materials include roofing slates, cement, cast stone, granite, or ceramics.

Equipment is basically a chisel and a dummy mallet, http://www.tiranti.co.uk/ (near Gt Portland Street station) sell them, (plus goggles and steel-toecapped-boots).

The easel was built downstairs in the hackspace from some of the scrap timber plus a hinge and a couple of 10mm carriage bolts. It is living next to the stepladders.

1. Lean easel securely against a wall
2. Lay a crossbar, thicker than your stone, between the square washers and the easel
3. Tighten the wingnuts
4. Lay the stone on the crossbar
5. Either clamp the stone directly to the easel, or clamp a piece of wood above the stone with clamps so that the stone is firmly held in place between that and the crossbar.