Boards for practicing ball and claw.

[Rob Boursaw]

So, I want to make some practice lumber for cutting the cabriole legs.
I will mess them up I would imagine.
So, I was thinking of gluing up poplar, or construction lumber
and cutting them out of that. Then carve the ball and claw.

Would the glue lines mess me up much I wonder???
Thanks for any insight.

Rob Boursaw.

[Don Stephan]

I was able to buy some 16/4 poplar, the remainder of which has been very useful for other experiments and practices. Changing grain direction was enough of an issue without a lamination. For cleanup #49 and #50 wood rasps were helpful given my limited carving experience.

[Rob Boursaw]

Thanks Don.

[James Owen]

4" x 4" basswood in the necessary length also works very well... basswood is easy to carve and is relatively inexpensive (although usually not quite as inexpensive as poplar)

the glue lines will be hard on your carving tool's edges.....

[mike holden]

Plus one for the basswood. Neither poplar nor construction lumber are good carving woods, that is they will not react like mahogany or walnut. It may not seem like it, but it makes a big difference what wood you try to carve.
You could get away with a practice leg, where all you are doing is rasping to shape.
Mike

[Chris Fournier]

+2 for the basswood. I use it to mock up all carving in my shop. Personally I wouldn't worry about a glue line, I'd likely use polyurethane but PVA is fine too. Basswood is both easy to carve by hand and it will hold detail nicely, you can have your cake and eat it too sorta thing.

[Rob Boursaw]

Thanks .
Mike, Is the finished leg you have there basswood also? Very nice by the way.
I will look around for some basswood. I did find today at work 4.5in by 4.5in by 3.5 ft long
looks like red oak pallet wood...... May be good just for practice. But will look into the
basswood.
Thanks again.

[mike holden]

Rob,
The finished leg was done by Phil Lowe, the pic was taken at a class many moons ago, so I am not sure of the wood, but I suspect it is mahogany.
Mike