Carving tutorials

[Mike Henderson]

As many of you know, I teach beginning "Carving for Furniture" courses at Woodcraft. So, in six hours, I have to teach someone about carving tools, sharpening, AND get them to finish a carving project. Sometimes I think of it as "speed carving".

If there's an interest, I'll post some tutorials on the beginning projects. I just wonder if there's an interest in beginning carving projects. Additionally, I want to know if people are just going to just look at the pictures or whether they're going to try the projects.

So post here and let me know if you'd be interested in some tutorials on beginning carving projects and whether you'd commit to doing the carving and posting a picture your work here.

If people are interested, I'll post a picture of a finished project and ask for at least three people to commit to carving it and showing their work. If I get three commitments I'll do the tutorial - if not, I won't.

The projects would all be flat, relief carvings intended for furniture decoration - no "in the round" stuff.

Mike

[I'm always interested in ideas for new carving projects so if you have something that could be a beginning project, please let me know. I need to keep my classes fresh.]

[Julian Barr]

Mike,

I carved the flower from your earlier tutorial. I don't have carving tools yet, so I used a Blue Marples bench chisel. It worked out well. I would like to do more projects and would appreciate your tutorials.

Julian

- Art is long, life is short...

[Ben Davis]

Mike,

Before you get started on a tutorial project, how about a tutorial on a beginner's set of tools / equipment that is needed to successfully complete the beginner's project! I think that would place everyone on the same piece of music. Just a thought.

[Mike Henderson]

Mike,

Before you get started on a tutorial project, how about a tutorial on a beginner's set of tools / equipment that is needed to successfully complete the beginner's project! I think that would place everyone on the same piece of music. Just a thought.

Well, everyone needs a V-tool but beyond that it's very difficult to recommend a beginner's set of tools. The problem is that you only need maybe four tools to complete any simple project but each project may require four different tools (except for the V-tool).

What I'll do is include the tools needed for each project - it'll be a good excuse to purchase some additional carving tools.

Mike

[Often a specific cut can be done with a variety of tools. Especially for straight cuts, a wide variety of tools can be used. For gouges, it's often important to have the correct sweep when making a curved cut. But different gouges may have the same radius - but a different width. So before you purchase a new tool, check to see if you have one that will work.]

[Mike Henderson]

When talking about carving tools, there's a couple of problems.

One is that there's two different systems for describing carving tools - the Sheffield system and the Swiss system. Google them and you can see how they differ.

The second problem is that even companies who use the same system wind up with different sweeps for the same number gouges. So a #5/20 gouge made by one company may be different than a #5/20 made by another company, even if they're both Swiss system tools.

The tool descriptions that I'll use will generally be those of the Pfeil (Swiss Made) tools.

Mike

[Doug Mason]

I'll take you up on your offer--you post the finished project, a tutorial and the tools required and I'll recipricate with my attempt of it. The hard part for me would be taking the digital camera out of its box and actually using it!

Just this weekend I attempted my first relief carving--a flower from the Richard Butz book (I bought the tools that Butz recommended for the flower project). Although my work was rough, I was struck by the beauty that a simple carving pocesses.

So count me on board!

[Charlie Schultz]

I'd be interested in the tutorial, thanks.

[Robert Rozaieski]

Count me in Mike. I've done a few carvings on my own, but I always like the opportunity to learn from someone more experienced.

[Phillip Bogle]

I started carving about 6 months ago and I am hooked. My wife has found me in the shop at 3am still carving and totally oblivious to the time. So I guess that counts at hooked. I must be strange but I love the feel of the sharp tool cutting wood.

My problem with any project is that I am so rural I have to get everything by UPS/FedEx and some times the wood isn't found anywhere. If you will be doing the project on a specific type of wood and size I would have to know where I can get it online. The nearest wood supply is 3 hours drive from me.

Is there a charge for the tutorial?

[Mike Henderson]

I started carving about 6 months ago and I am hooked. My wife has found me in the shop at 3am still carving and totally oblivious to the time. So I guess that counts at hooked. I must be strange but I love the feel of the sharp tool cutting wood.

My problem with any project is that I am so rural I have to get everything by UPS/FedEx and some times the wood isn't found anywhere. If you will be doing the project on a specific type of wood and size I would have to know where I can get it online. The nearest wood supply is 3 hours drive from me.

Is there a charge for the tutorial?

You can carve almost any wood. I would recommend basswood or Honduras mahogany just because they're easy to carve. Some woods can be carved but they have "problems". For example, oak can be carved (lots of carved oak Medieval chests) but the wood is hard and it has a strong figure that detracts from the carving (the figure fights the carved image for your eye) so I don't recommend it. Cherry carves pretty well, IMO.

No, there's no charge. It'd be pretty hard to collect.

Mike

[Phillip Bogle]

Thanks. I just bought some basswood two weeks ago and it is fun to carve. I have been using Oregon Myrtlewood since we have some and that is nice as well. I love the look of carving on Cherry and Pacific Yew but they are hard and require some muscle to get the job done.

I got into the carving for embellishing turned projects and jewelry boxes, I ended up doing a little of everything.

I'm in. How will you let us know when it starts?

[Zahid Naqvi]

Mike, I will definately join you. I will start the project with the group and post progress pictures along the way.

And thanks for doing this, I think it is a great idea.