Posts

Showing posts with the label Tips

Carving Arm

Image
I often get questions about my carving arm and where to get one. I do not remember the source of mine, but I have found that The Woodcraft Shop has a  laminated oak carving arm  for sale. If you are interested in making your own, Woodcarving Illustrated has a Building a Carving Arm article on their site. The article includes detailed plans. A secure way to hold your work as you carve is key to personal safety. Are you using a carving arm or something similar?

Kyle Alty Urban Lumberjack

Image
Here is the problem - a lot of trees are cut down in cities to make way for residential and commercial construction. I'm not going into the pros and cons of the new and remodel development market. However, the fact is that a number of well established trees are cut down to make way for it. This is where someone like Kyle Alty comes in. Kyle describes himself as an "Urban Lumberjack." Unlike a traditional lumberjack that may cultivate trees to cut down, Kyle finds those trees that are either already down or coming down to make way for construction. He is saving some beautiful wood for the creation of fine furniture and works of art. If you are looking for some beautiful wood with local heritage, I hope you will connect with an urban lumberjack like Kyle. You can visit his website at www.chasinthegrain.com .  If you know other urban lumberjacks, please let us know. Below are some sample of the wood Kyle has recovered. They are labeled with a hash tag that starts wit

Demystifying Wood Grain by Brandant Robinson

Brandant Robinson of the The Old Stump blog posted a primer on demystifying wood grain . It provides a good overview of a subject that I know a number of carvers struggle with. Have a look and let me know what you think and be sure to thank Brandant  for his efforts.

Testing Tool Sharpness Before Making That Cut

I was just about to make a fine detail cut with a tool I have not used in a while. I had second thoughts. What if this tool is not perfectly sharp? The cut will be cross grain and a dull tool would tear the wood fibers requiring me to re-carve the entire surrounding area. The point is, be sure you have a scrap piece of wood you can test your tools on first. It turns out that the tool was sharp, but I'm still glad I checked first. Do you ever test your tools before making a cut?