Production

First, several pencil-and-paper sketches are made. Various different models in putty (Plasticine) with a height of about 20 cm are made. Then the first Plasticine model with a height of 60 cm is developed. Later, a wooden model made of Stone Pine or Limewood is carved. On the basis of the original wood carving, a bronze model is now cast. This bronze model is then inserted into the wood-carving machine and serves as a template for manufacturing rough-milled wooden figures.

What wood is used for the wood carving? In the case of larger figures, chiefly Limewood and Stone Pine are employed. In the case of smaller items, Maplewood, Ash, Acacia, and sometimes Stone Pine or other suitable types of wood (e.g. hardwoods) are used.

Decades ago, the Dolfi Company needed a great deal of carving wood. It was difficult to properly dry this wood. Outdoors, the drying process took much too long (five years, on the average.) Frequently, the wood would get spotty or an undesirable grain. Often, round woods and thick boards were no longer suitable for carving.

Consequently, our factory acquired an excellent indoor drying installation several years ago. It was the newest and most high-performance vacuum drying installation in South Tyrol, and was planned and developed in co-operation with our company.

The new technical drying process is much faster than drying in the open air. The wood's color and texture are of superb quality. The drying process is completely uniform, and the wood is always properly stabilized.

The Dolfi Company needs not only wood carvers, painters, and gold finishers. It sometimes needs designers and graphic artists capable in particular of elaborating designs for new carvings.