BB

Bill

22/01/2011 11:11 PM

Woodcarving


I went to the woodworking show today in Indianapolis. Very crowded! The
only instructional presentation I was able to see very well was on
inlay/marquetry. I picked up a few tips which I'm sure will be very
useful if I ever get around to trying it. One little tip: the instructor
used a downward spiral routing bit to get sharp (and extremely shallow)
cuts. He also discussed using a plane iron to cut square corners
(obviously impossible with only a "round" router bit) and getting
patterned inlay to meet properly in the corners of a piece (geeze, like
I don't have enough to worry about....lol). The short answer is to
start by examining your inlay materials before you cut the other pieces.

On the way home I stopped at Rockler (who was having a sale due to the
ww show in town) and was invited to sit down with a group of wood
carvers who meet there on Saturday. They handed me a small block of
wood and a knife and when I got around to picking it up, they handed me
a kevlar glove and thumb and finger protector. It looked like I
surprised them when I asked for a pencil. I eeked out a fish on
it--especially the swoosh of the tail :), in 3 dimensions. Having never
done it before, I found that part interesting. The carver-in-chief
improved on my drawing a little for me--giving the body a more
interesting profile and marking where the fins on the side would need to
stick out (from the top view). It seems they don't use glue or nails...

I got a very nice lesson, and I bought the person who gave me the piece
of wood a few replacement pieces. My wife says I have this piece of wood
with a fish in it just dying to get out... Yeah, just what I need is
another hobby to help balance out my other pastimes like EMT. I'll have
to decide whether my fish will swim (or not)! :) Basically, I gave the
block of wood a 1"R round over to give his tail a little action.

The Rockler salesperson was so careful to not let me touch the router
bits I requested, behind the locked glass, and held them for me at the
cash register. When I got back to the car I noticed that one of them had
a 1/4" shank rather than the 1/2" shank I asked for. They made the
exchange and on the receipt they printed that I "changed mind". I'm
really glad I didn't change my mind after I made the 30+ mile drive
home!!! On their side, they were very busy, but a small apology would
have been okay if it had been offered.

To carve or not to carve. Anyone of you folks carved anything besides a
deer or a turkey? : ) There's probably a more suitable forum on
carving but you folks are among my bestest friends, and it IS still WOOD.

Bill


This topic has 12 replies

LJ

Larry Jaques

in reply to Bill on 22/01/2011 11:11 PM

23/01/2011 8:31 AM

On Sun, 23 Jan 2011 02:01:35 -0800, "Lobby Dosser"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>"Bill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>>
>> I went to the woodworking show today in Indianapolis. Very crowded! The
>> only instructional presentation I was able to see very well was on
>> inlay/marquetry. I picked up a few tips which I'm sure will be very
>> useful if I ever get around to trying it. One little tip: the instructor
>> used a downward spiral routing bit to get sharp (and extremely shallow)
>> cuts. He also discussed using a plane iron to cut square corners
>> (obviously impossible with only a "round" router bit) and getting
>> patterned inlay to meet properly in the corners of a piece (geeze, like I
>> don't have enough to worry about....lol). The short answer is to start by
>> examining your inlay materials before you cut the other pieces.
>>
>> On the way home I stopped at Rockler (who was having a sale due to the ww
>> show in town) and was invited to sit down with a group of wood carvers who
>> meet there on Saturday. They handed me a small block of wood and a knife
>> and when I got around to picking it up, they handed me a kevlar glove and
>> thumb and finger protector. It looked like I surprised them when I asked
>> for a pencil. I eeked out a fish on it--especially the swoosh of the tail
>> :), in 3 dimensions. Having never done it before, I found that part
>> interesting. The carver-in-chief improved on my drawing a little for
>> me--giving the body a more interesting profile and marking where the fins
>> on the side would need to stick out (from the top view). It seems they
>> don't use glue or nails...
>>
>> I got a very nice lesson, and I bought the person who gave me the piece of
>> wood a few replacement pieces. My wife says I have this piece of wood with
>> a fish in it just dying to get out... Yeah, just what I need is another
>> hobby to help balance out my other pastimes like EMT. I'll have to decide
>> whether my fish will swim (or not)! :) Basically, I gave the block of
>> wood a 1"R round over to give his tail a little action.
>>
>> The Rockler salesperson was so careful to not let me touch the router bits
>> I requested, behind the locked glass, and held them for me at the cash
>> register. When I got back to the car I noticed that one of them had a 1/4"
>> shank rather than the 1/2" shank I asked for. They made the exchange and
>> on the receipt they printed that I "changed mind". I'm really glad I
>> didn't change my mind after I made the 30+ mile drive home!!! On their
>> side, they were very busy, but a small apology would have been okay if it
>> had been offered.
>>
>> To carve or not to carve. Anyone of you folks carved anything besides a
>> deer or a turkey? : )
>
>Pointed sticks.

Which end?

--
"I probably became a libertarian through exposure to tough-minded
professors" James Buchanan, Armen Alchian, Milton Friedman "who
encouraged me to think with my brain instead of my heart. I
learned that you have to evaluate the effects of public policy
as opposed to intentions."
-- Walter E. Williams

GR

Gerald Ross

in reply to Bill on 22/01/2011 11:11 PM

23/01/2011 6:44 AM

Bill wrote:
>
> I went to the woodworking show today in Indianapolis. Very crowded! The
> only instructional presentation I was able to see very well was on
> inlay/marquetry. I picked up a few tips which I'm sure will be very
> useful if I ever get around to trying it. One little tip: the instructor
> used a downward spiral routing bit to get sharp (and extremely shallow)
> cuts. He also discussed using a plane iron to cut square corners
> (obviously impossible with only a "round" router bit) and getting
> patterned inlay to meet properly in the corners of a piece (geeze, like
> I don't have enough to worry about....lol). The short answer is to
> start by examining your inlay materials before you cut the other pieces.
>
> On the way home I stopped at Rockler (who was having a sale due to the
> ww show in town) and was invited to sit down with a group of wood
> carvers who meet there on Saturday. They handed me a small block of
> wood and a knife and when I got around to picking it up, they handed me
> a kevlar glove and thumb and finger protector. It looked like I
> surprised them when I asked for a pencil. I eeked out a fish on
> it--especially the swoosh of the tail :), in 3 dimensions. Having never
> done it before, I found that part interesting. The carver-in-chief
> improved on my drawing a little for me--giving the body a more
> interesting profile and marking where the fins on the side would need to
> stick out (from the top view). It seems they don't use glue or nails...
>
> I got a very nice lesson, and I bought the person who gave me the piece
> of wood a few replacement pieces. My wife says I have this piece of wood
> with a fish in it just dying to get out... Yeah, just what I need is
> another hobby to help balance out my other pastimes like EMT. I'll have
> to decide whether my fish will swim (or not)! :) Basically, I gave the
> block of wood a 1"R round over to give his tail a little action.
>
> The Rockler salesperson was so careful to not let me touch the router
> bits I requested, behind the locked glass, and held them for me at the
> cash register. When I got back to the car I noticed that one of them had
> a 1/4" shank rather than the 1/2" shank I asked for. They made the
> exchange and on the receipt they printed that I "changed mind". I'm
> really glad I didn't change my mind after I made the 30+ mile drive
> home!!! On their side, they were very busy, but a small apology would
> have been okay if it had been offered.
>
> To carve or not to carve. Anyone of you folks carved anything besides a
> deer or a turkey? : ) There's probably a more suitable forum on
> carving but you folks are among my bestest friends, and it IS still WOOD.
>
> Bill
>
>
I do a little. Sold a couple of small pieces at our last Christmas
show. It is something quiet to do when you get up before daylight and
don't want to wake the neighbors with the dust collector (mine is
outside the shop).

--
Gerald Ross
Cochran, GA

Mu'ad Dib, your sandworm, 124C, is
blocking the driveway.




Mm

Marty

in reply to Bill on 22/01/2011 11:11 PM

24/01/2011 6:14 PM

On Jan 24, 9:35=A0am, Bill <[email protected]> wrote:
> On 1/24/2011 3:12 AM, Lobby Dosser wrote:
>
> >>>> To carve or not to carve. Anyone of you folks carved anything beside=
s a
> >>>> deer or a turkey? : )
>
> >>> Pointed sticks.
>
> >> Which end?
>
> > Propeller.
>
> For a boat? =A0Did it work?
>
> Bill

When the kids were young, (especially the autistic one,) I'd often sit
outside and watch them as they played. And often, I'd pick up a stick
and "doodle" with my pocket knife. Little people, strings of geometric
shapes, one or two link chains, once, a ball in a cage. Usually, the
project got thrown away when the kids decided to go back inside, but a
few times I outdid myself. :) I've still got a few of those things
tucked away...
Marty

Mm

Marty

in reply to Bill on 22/01/2011 11:11 PM

24/01/2011 8:49 PM

On Jan 24, 9:37=A0pm, "Lobby Dosser" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Marty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:bcabd01d-7a4b-4dc4-be88-52a1c1ba3a4e@d23g2000prj.googlegroups.com...
> On Jan 24, 9:35 am, Bill <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > On 1/24/2011 3:12 AM, Lobby Dosser wrote:
>
> > >>>> To carve or not to carve. Anyone of you folks carved anything besi=
des
> > >>>> a
> > >>>> deer or a turkey? : )
>
> > >>> Pointed sticks.
>
> > >> Which end?
>
> > > Propeller.
>
> > For a boat? Did it work?
>
> > Bill
>
> When the kids were young, (especially the autistic one,) I'd often sit
> outside and watch them as they played. =A0And often, I'd pick up a stick
> and "doodle" with my pocket knife. Little people, strings of geometric
> shapes, one or two link chains, once, a ball in a cage. =A0Usually, the
> project got thrown away when the kids decided to go back inside, but a
> few times I outdid myself. =A0:) =A0I've still got a few of those things
> tucked away...
> =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0Marty
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------=
---------
>
> Interesting to think of doodling with wood and a knife!
>
> --
> "He's not the Messiah. He's a very naughty boy! "
> =A0 =A0 =A0Brian's Mum

Yeah, I've never lost any blood doodling with a pencil. :)
Marty

LD

"Lobby Dosser"

in reply to Bill on 22/01/2011 11:11 PM

23/01/2011 2:01 AM

"Bill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> I went to the woodworking show today in Indianapolis. Very crowded! The
> only instructional presentation I was able to see very well was on
> inlay/marquetry. I picked up a few tips which I'm sure will be very
> useful if I ever get around to trying it. One little tip: the instructor
> used a downward spiral routing bit to get sharp (and extremely shallow)
> cuts. He also discussed using a plane iron to cut square corners
> (obviously impossible with only a "round" router bit) and getting
> patterned inlay to meet properly in the corners of a piece (geeze, like I
> don't have enough to worry about....lol). The short answer is to start by
> examining your inlay materials before you cut the other pieces.
>
> On the way home I stopped at Rockler (who was having a sale due to the ww
> show in town) and was invited to sit down with a group of wood carvers who
> meet there on Saturday. They handed me a small block of wood and a knife
> and when I got around to picking it up, they handed me a kevlar glove and
> thumb and finger protector. It looked like I surprised them when I asked
> for a pencil. I eeked out a fish on it--especially the swoosh of the tail
> :), in 3 dimensions. Having never done it before, I found that part
> interesting. The carver-in-chief improved on my drawing a little for
> me--giving the body a more interesting profile and marking where the fins
> on the side would need to stick out (from the top view). It seems they
> don't use glue or nails...
>
> I got a very nice lesson, and I bought the person who gave me the piece of
> wood a few replacement pieces. My wife says I have this piece of wood with
> a fish in it just dying to get out... Yeah, just what I need is another
> hobby to help balance out my other pastimes like EMT. I'll have to decide
> whether my fish will swim (or not)! :) Basically, I gave the block of
> wood a 1"R round over to give his tail a little action.
>
> The Rockler salesperson was so careful to not let me touch the router bits
> I requested, behind the locked glass, and held them for me at the cash
> register. When I got back to the car I noticed that one of them had a 1/4"
> shank rather than the 1/2" shank I asked for. They made the exchange and
> on the receipt they printed that I "changed mind". I'm really glad I
> didn't change my mind after I made the 30+ mile drive home!!! On their
> side, they were very busy, but a small apology would have been okay if it
> had been offered.
>
> To carve or not to carve. Anyone of you folks carved anything besides a
> deer or a turkey? : )

Pointed sticks.

--
"He's not the Messiah. He's a very naughty boy! "
Brian's Mum

BB

Bill

in reply to Bill on 22/01/2011 11:11 PM

23/01/2011 12:42 PM

Casper wrote:
I certainly look at trees a
> whole lot differently than I did when I started woodturning.
>
> `Casper

I look at wood differently. I feel like I'm being responsible for a life
(given). I am surely influenced by something Roy Underhill, and others,
have written.

Bill

LD

"Lobby Dosser"

in reply to Bill on 22/01/2011 11:11 PM

24/01/2011 12:12 AM

"Larry Jaques" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Sun, 23 Jan 2011 02:01:35 -0800, "Lobby Dosser"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>"Bill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>news:[email protected]...
>>>
>>> I went to the woodworking show today in Indianapolis. Very crowded! The
>>> only instructional presentation I was able to see very well was on
>>> inlay/marquetry. I picked up a few tips which I'm sure will be very
>>> useful if I ever get around to trying it. One little tip: the instructor
>>> used a downward spiral routing bit to get sharp (and extremely shallow)
>>> cuts. He also discussed using a plane iron to cut square corners
>>> (obviously impossible with only a "round" router bit) and getting
>>> patterned inlay to meet properly in the corners of a piece (geeze, like
>>> I
>>> don't have enough to worry about....lol). The short answer is to start
>>> by
>>> examining your inlay materials before you cut the other pieces.
>>>
>>> On the way home I stopped at Rockler (who was having a sale due to the
>>> ww
>>> show in town) and was invited to sit down with a group of wood carvers
>>> who
>>> meet there on Saturday. They handed me a small block of wood and a
>>> knife
>>> and when I got around to picking it up, they handed me a kevlar glove
>>> and
>>> thumb and finger protector. It looked like I surprised them when I
>>> asked
>>> for a pencil. I eeked out a fish on it--especially the swoosh of the
>>> tail
>>> :), in 3 dimensions. Having never done it before, I found that part
>>> interesting. The carver-in-chief improved on my drawing a little for
>>> me--giving the body a more interesting profile and marking where the
>>> fins
>>> on the side would need to stick out (from the top view). It seems they
>>> don't use glue or nails...
>>>
>>> I got a very nice lesson, and I bought the person who gave me the piece
>>> of
>>> wood a few replacement pieces. My wife says I have this piece of wood
>>> with
>>> a fish in it just dying to get out... Yeah, just what I need is
>>> another
>>> hobby to help balance out my other pastimes like EMT. I'll have to
>>> decide
>>> whether my fish will swim (or not)! :) Basically, I gave the block of
>>> wood a 1"R round over to give his tail a little action.
>>>
>>> The Rockler salesperson was so careful to not let me touch the router
>>> bits
>>> I requested, behind the locked glass, and held them for me at the cash
>>> register. When I got back to the car I noticed that one of them had a
>>> 1/4"
>>> shank rather than the 1/2" shank I asked for. They made the exchange
>>> and
>>> on the receipt they printed that I "changed mind". I'm really glad I
>>> didn't change my mind after I made the 30+ mile drive home!!! On their
>>> side, they were very busy, but a small apology would have been okay if
>>> it
>>> had been offered.
>>>
>>> To carve or not to carve. Anyone of you folks carved anything besides a
>>> deer or a turkey? : )
>>
>>Pointed sticks.
>
> Which end?
>

Propeller.
--
"He's not the Messiah. He's a very naughty boy! "
Brian's Mum

BB

Bill

in reply to Bill on 22/01/2011 11:11 PM

24/01/2011 10:35 AM

On 1/24/2011 3:12 AM, Lobby Dosser wrote:

>>>> To carve or not to carve. Anyone of you folks carved anything besides a
>>>> deer or a turkey? : )
>>>
>>> Pointed sticks.
>>
>> Which end?
>>
>
> Propeller.

For a boat? Did it work?

Bill

LD

"Lobby Dosser"

in reply to Bill on 22/01/2011 11:11 PM

24/01/2011 7:35 PM

"Bill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On 1/24/2011 3:12 AM, Lobby Dosser wrote:
>
>>>>> To carve or not to carve. Anyone of you folks carved anything besides
>>>>> a
>>>>> deer or a turkey? : )
>>>>
>>>> Pointed sticks.
>>>
>>> Which end?
>>>
>>
>> Propeller.
>
> For a boat? Did it work?
>
> Bill
>

The notch for the atlatl.

--
"He's not the Messiah. He's a very naughty boy! "
Brian's Mum

LD

"Lobby Dosser"

in reply to Bill on 22/01/2011 11:11 PM

24/01/2011 7:37 PM

"Marty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:bcabd01d-7a4b-4dc4-be88-52a1c1ba3a4e@d23g2000prj.googlegroups.com...
On Jan 24, 9:35 am, Bill <[email protected]> wrote:
> On 1/24/2011 3:12 AM, Lobby Dosser wrote:
>
> >>>> To carve or not to carve. Anyone of you folks carved anything besides
> >>>> a
> >>>> deer or a turkey? : )
>
> >>> Pointed sticks.
>
> >> Which end?
>
> > Propeller.
>
> For a boat? Did it work?
>
> Bill

When the kids were young, (especially the autistic one,) I'd often sit
outside and watch them as they played. And often, I'd pick up a stick
and "doodle" with my pocket knife. Little people, strings of geometric
shapes, one or two link chains, once, a ball in a cage. Usually, the
project got thrown away when the kids decided to go back inside, but a
few times I outdid myself. :) I've still got a few of those things
tucked away...
Marty

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Interesting to think of doodling with wood and a knife!

--
"He's not the Messiah. He's a very naughty boy! "
Brian's Mum

Cc

Casper

in reply to Bill on 22/01/2011 11:11 PM

23/01/2011 9:00 AM

>I went to the woodworking show today in Indianapolis. Very crowded! The
>only instructional presentation I was able to see very well was on
>inlay/marquetry. I picked up a few tips which I'm sure will be very
>useful if I ever get around to trying it. One little tip: the instructor
>used a downward spiral routing bit to get sharp (and extremely shallow)
>cuts. He also discussed using a plane iron to cut square corners
>(obviously impossible with only a "round" router bit) and getting
>patterned inlay to meet properly in the corners of a piece (geeze, like
>I don't have enough to worry about....lol). The short answer is to
>start by examining your inlay materials before you cut the other pieces.
>
>On the way home I stopped at Rockler (who was having a sale due to the
>ww show in town) and was invited to sit down with a group of wood
>carvers who meet there on Saturday. They handed me a small block of
>wood and a knife and when I got around to picking it up, they handed me
>a kevlar glove and thumb and finger protector. It looked like I
>surprised them when I asked for a pencil. I eeked out a fish on
>it--especially the swoosh of the tail :), in 3 dimensions. Having never
>done it before, I found that part interesting. The carver-in-chief
>improved on my drawing a little for me--giving the body a more
>interesting profile and marking where the fins on the side would need to
>stick out (from the top view). It seems they don't use glue or nails...
>
>I got a very nice lesson, and I bought the person who gave me the piece
>of wood a few replacement pieces. My wife says I have this piece of wood
>with a fish in it just dying to get out... Yeah, just what I need is
>another hobby to help balance out my other pastimes like EMT. I'll have
>to decide whether my fish will swim (or not)! :) Basically, I gave the
>block of wood a 1"R round over to give his tail a little action.
>
>The Rockler salesperson was so careful to not let me touch the router
>bits I requested, behind the locked glass, and held them for me at the
>cash register. When I got back to the car I noticed that one of them had
>a 1/4" shank rather than the 1/2" shank I asked for. They made the
>exchange and on the receipt they printed that I "changed mind". I'm
>really glad I didn't change my mind after I made the 30+ mile drive
>home!!! On their side, they were very busy, but a small apology would
>have been okay if it had been offered.
>
>To carve or not to carve. Anyone of you folks carved anything besides a
>deer or a turkey? : ) There's probably a more suitable forum on
>carving but you folks are among my bestest friends, and it IS still WOOD.
>
>Bill

I've been carving for about a year and a half now. Joined a local
carving guild after taking a free carving class at a local woodstore.
I'd carved one piece in my life, about 25 years ago, as more of a joke
than a real piece. When I showed it to the instructor, he said that
was pretty damn good for never having help. So, I took the dive and
have been loving it.

I've done geese, pelicans, dolphins, hanging birds and a few other
pieces in the round. This year I plan to try relief carving. Before
the holidays I got instruction on chip carving and have been doing
that the last couple of months. Chip carving is fun and fast once you
get the hang of it.

Right now I still prefer carving animals, preferably sea creatures. We
have quite a few bird carvers locally, so I wanted to do something
different. That works well as I have several sea lovers in my family.

Once I try my hand as relief carving, I'll know where my talen really
lies. I imagine even if I do well, I'll always still carve whatever I
feel like at the time, but lean towards my more talented area. I
recommend trying anything that inspires you.

I started woodturning about 5 years ago and love it. In 2008 I picked
up a scroll saw and love that too. But I can't bring those into the
living room in the evening or just stick a tool in my pocket for where
ever I go, like with a carving knife. So for what MHO is worth, I
recommend trying carving. There is no simpler woodworking than with a
simple knife you can take almost anywhere. I certainly look at trees a
whole lot differently than I did when I started woodturning.

`Casper

LJ

Larry Jaques

in reply to Bill on 22/01/2011 11:11 PM

24/01/2011 7:19 AM

On Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:12:53 -0800, "Lobby Dosser"
<[email protected]> wrote:
--snip--
>>>> To carve or not to carve. Anyone of you folks carved anything besides a
>>>> deer or a turkey? : )
>>>
>>>Pointed sticks.
>>
>> Which end?
>
>Propeller.

Dare I ask?

--
"I probably became a libertarian through exposure to tough-minded
professors" James Buchanan, Armen Alchian, Milton Friedman "who
encouraged me to think with my brain instead of my heart. I
learned that you have to evaluate the effects of public policy
as opposed to intentions."
-- Walter E. Williams


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