Equipments Used In Wood Carving

If you are obsessed with the final products that come out of wood carving, then it is absolutely wise to also know about the tools that are used for bringing that raw piece of wood to great ornamental masterpieces. This article illustrates various tools that are used in wood carving and also their primary use in this process.

Carving Knives: The first and the most commonly used tool by most of the wood carvers are the carving knives. These are almost always used because most of the figures that come out as the final product involve some curves which can only be brought out by using the carving knifes. It is a very specialized tool that is used to pare and cut smooth wood. It consists of a very small knife with a comparatively big handle which eases the work of curving and cutting smooth wood into curves by the carvers.

The gouge and the chisel: The second and the most useful for the carvers is the gouge tool. Whenever there is a hallow or a round and sweeping curve to be made on the wood, gouge is the correct choice. It is a tool with a curved cutting edge used in a variety of forms and sizes. The size of the cutting edge of a gouge tool can range from 1/8th inch to 3 1/2inches. Within this category there are several other gouges like the spoon gouge, V gouge and the chisel handles.

Whetstones: It is absolutely necessary that your wooden piece which is being worked upon stays perfect without tearing due to the usage of the blunt tools. It is therefore very important that the tool we use is sharp and should remain sharp after continuous usage. It is for this purpose the whetstones are used. You will have to get a whetstone with both a fine and a rough surface. Your gouges and chisels should be carefully honed to keep them sharp. Wood carvers generally spread the machine oil on the whetstone to sharpen the tools.

Wood clamps: There can be some situation where you need to laminate the wooden blocks from your boards. The stacked boards are then glued together and clamped for about 24 hours. You might be also in need of a clamp to hold the block stationary while carving it. The size of your final outcome will determine the size, number and type of the clamps you require.

Wood Carving – An Introduction

Decoration using wood has been the most sought after art in the recent times. It is the mere human tendency to use every article he comes across for decoration. Wood carving is one kind of figure work worth mentioning. It is this human tendency which gave wood carving the fame what it has got today. Though it has suffered its drawbacks compared to the sculpting of marble, it still exists as the best and prestigious form of decoration.

Wood carving is a one form of art where in a highly skilled sculptor uses a hand held tool like a power tool to cut and reform the wood to bring a figure or figurine from the piece of wood. The term wood carving refers to the finished product. The process starts with the wood carver choosing the appropriate chunk of wooden piece. He chooses this piece assuming the size of the sculpture or the finished product in mind. On the left hand side, you may have a look at the image of the cranes which are actually brought out by carving a wooden piece. The size of the wooden piece prior to carving depends on the choice of the size of the carved wooden crane. Another major point apart from the size of the wooden chunk is the type of the wood.

Hard wood may be difficult to shape, but are preferred in terms of longevity and luster. Soft woods though easy to carve are less preferred due to the fact that they are more prone to damage. The wood sculptor after making a choice of the wood begins the process by general shaping the wooden piece using tools called gouges of various sizes.

There are different kinds of tools a wood sculptor uses for bringing the desired ornamentation from the wooden piece. There are various kinds of tools available like gouges as mentioned earlier and also they use tools called chisels and mallets like those used in the stone carving process. Gouge is a tool which is curve shaped and removes large portions of wood smoothly. Small wooden pieces require the use of a knife for cutting and some of the experienced wood carvers might even use the saw to cut larger pieces of wood.

The carver shapes the wood to bring it to the desired shape using all the necessary tools. After arriving at the final outcome, he polishes it. The polishing can be done using sandpaper or a grained paper. This ensures the wooden piece has a soft look by removing the grains that are present on the surface of the figure. He then brings the ornamentation to life by even adding color to the wooden piece.

Wood Carving Knives

If you know anything about wood carving, then you know that you can’t just use any old knife. Wood carving knives are an essential tool in quality wood carving. You need to invest in the right types of wood carving knives in order to have the most ease with cutting and to have the control that you want when creating designs.

Here is a list of wood carving knives that you should have in your wood carving tool set to vary your experience and improve the quality of your wood carvings.

Bench knife- this is the main wood carving tool that will be used most often.
Chip carving knife- used for detail work and small design cuts.
Mini chip knife- is used for very small detail and design work.
Skew knife- used for small vertical cuts.
Detail knife- used for smaller projects with detail work
Roughing knife- needed for removing stock pieces.
Draw knife- This tool has two handles that allows you to shape and shave the wood.

It is a good idea to make sure that you choose the right type of knife for the task. As described above, certain knives are better for certain tasks. Using the same type of knife for everything just won’t do in carving wood.

There are also other types of knives that you can use. There is also a pelican knife, stab knives, and push knives. You may collect more than one of certain types of knives, particularly chip knives and bench knives. They come with different handle shapes and sizes for easy holding and usage. They also come in multiple sizes. You can usually purchase them in packs.

It is also important to keep all of your wood carving knives nice and sharp. The more you use your knives, the more dull the will get. That is why it is so important to make sure that you invest in some quality knife sharpening tools. There is a wide variety of shapes, sizes and types of sharpeners to choose from for a range of prices. It is really important to invest in a quality one that will last a long time, because you will have to use it a lot.

Wood carving knives are by far not all that you will need to have creative carvings with fine detail and finishing. There are different wood carving supplies that you will need, like patterns, chisels, clamps, a sander, wood glue, varnish, and a host of other things to make the experience fun and productive. It all starts with some wood, a wood carving knife, and your imagination.

Chuck

Wood Carving Patterns

One of the most interesting and fun hobbies to have is wood carving. Almost anyone can spend hours creating beautiful figurines, furniture, decorations and all sorts of nice things by carving wood. It takes an extremely skilled craftsman to create a carved work of art free hand, so most wood carvers use patterns. You don’t have to be skilled at drawing. There are thousands of wood carving patterns available for free over the internet and tons of wood carving patterns that you can buy online and offline.

What type of wood carving pattern should you choose? There are so many available, that it is really up to you. What do you want to create? Wood carving patterns for a holiday like Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Independence Day are available. You can find wood carving patterns that are of different geometrical shapes and sizes. You can creating things to hang on the door, on the wall, or design something that stands on its own. It is possible to create 2 dimensional or 3 dimensional wood carvings.

Wood carving patterns of animals are available, too. Real or cartoon like animal wood carving patterns of bears, horses, cats, dogs, and other animals can be used to create beautiful or cute wood carvings. You can use them to carve decoration onto the sides of furniture or other things.

Another type of wood carving pattern you can use is fruit. Designs of fruit can be very pretty and add a touch of grace and elegance to a wood carving. Fruits that have vines make for a very nice design.

Cartoons or caricatures of people can make for interesting wood carving patterns as well. You may be able to find, or draw, a wood carving pattern of your favorite cartoon character, or your favorite person. If you have the drawing skills, you can have someone pose for you while you draw the pattern.

Some good websites for wood carving patterns are:

http://www.woodcarvers.org/articles_patterns.htm
http://www.carvingpatterns.com/gift.htm http://www.profitablehobbies.com/Free_Carving_Patterns.html http://www.littleshavers.com/FreePatternProjects.html

Each of them offer a free variety of wood carving patterns that you can choose from. Some of these free wood carving patterns are printable right from the website.

Be creative. If you can draw, or know how to work with a ruler, you can create wood carving patterns of your own. If abstract design is your taste, you can create a wood carving pattern that is completely unique. The possibilities are endless!

Be creative,

Chuck

Wood Carving Tools for Beginners

If you are just getting into the wood carving hobby, you need the right supplies. You need to select the type of wood that you want to work with, but there is no need to do that first. Why not get all your wood carving tools prepared first? Here are some wood carving tools that will come in handy from the start, and later on in your wood carving experiments.

Every wood carving tool kit needs a bench knife. You should invest in a nice one. It is also important to have a chip knife among your wood carving tools. These knives will be used constantly in the wood carving process.

Another important wood carving tool is a sharpening stone. You will need to keep the edges of your knife sharp, to maintain the ease and quality of your wood carving experience. Even if you have a high quality knife, you will eventually have to sharpen it. This is especially true if you plan to carve a lot. It is important to invest in a course and a fine sharpening stone for different knives and cutting needs.

Some other very useful items to include in your collection of wood carving tools are chisels and gouges. You should have a few of these to help you make a variety of cuts. You should have a deep gouge, a shallow gouge, and a v-shaped gouge. Chisels come straight, bent and skew; it is important to have one of each type of chisel.

As you start to gain experience in carving wood, you might want to invest in a ruler, measuring tape, tracing paper, and a cloth or rag for easy clean up. Goggles might be a good idea as well to protect your eyes from flying wood chips and dust.

As you become more advanced as a wood carver, it might be fun to add some specialty tools. You might want to get an exacto knife, a compass, various tools that work with a mallet, sand paper, wood glue, and scissors. These items are good for pattern cutting and drawing.

Early on, and even down the road, you may find yourself with a collection of wood carving patterns. It is great to start with some practice ideas from a free wood carving pattern website or a store that sells wood carving patterns. It is also fun to mix patterns or create your own.

Your Buddy,

Chuck

Different Types of Carving Wood

Wood carving is a great hobby. It can be very relaxing, and it is a great form of art. There are so many possible designs and objects to make by wood carving, and there are many different types of carving wood available. There is such a variety of carving wood, that space and time do not permit me to list all of them. Anyway, here are several different types of carving wood to choose from.

Quaken Aspen is a nice and light type of carving wood. It is classified as a hardwood, and is not as heavy as other woods (for carrying purposes). This carving wood is normally a light neutral color. Quaken Aspen holds staining well and sands very soft and smooth.

Another good carving wood is Butternut. Butternut wood is also a lighter weight carving wood. The tone gradates from a golden brown tone to a reddish brown near the sapwood. It is great for furniture carving and allows for fine detail.

Walnut wood is another great wood to carve. This carving wood is a bit heavier than Butternut. The color gradates from a dark reddish brown to a cream-like white. Walnut wood is also good for making furniture because it is very durable. Instead of with a knife, this type of wood is carved with a chisel and mallet.

There is a lightly colored and light-weight carving wood called Basswood. With Basswood, you can do a lot of detail work. It is an extremely pale colored wood, practically white near the sapwood. It glues well, and has a straight, fine, and even grain to it.

Mahogany is another popular carving wood. It is a reddish color that actually gets even darker after several years of aging. This is a popular furniture wood, and wood carving with fine detail is easy with Mahogany. This type of wood is easily shaved. It is also light in weight.

Some harder, more difficult carving woods are Oak and Maple. Maple wood is a very hard but fine, cream-colored wood. Oak wood is a light yellowish brown color. It is a very hard and coarse grained carving wood. Both Oak and Maple yield a nice finishing, so the challenge of carving them pays off if done well.

There are many, many other types of wood to carve, like Cherry, Pine, and Ebony. The list goes on.

Experiment with different types of carving wood and you'll learn the many different characteristics both positive and negative that each can offer.

Good Luck,

Chuck

Wood Carving Tips

If you would like to know some wood carving tips, you have come to the right place.

First and foremost, safety should be the number one thing on your mind. If you are going to be using wood carving knives and other tools, you should take the following precautions to ensure your own safety.

-Wear a thumb guard on both your carving hand and the hand that will be holding the wood.
-Don’t rush. Take your time making small chips in the wood. This is not only important from a craftsman’s point of view, but it is also to keep you from chipping away at your hands and wrists, too.
-Make sure that your knife (or other wood carving tool) is nice and sharp. The unnecessary force of trying to work with a dull tool can cause it to slip. You can hurt yourself trying to force the tool into the wood.
-Use your wrists to make the major carving motions. You should not be hacking with the force of your entire arm.
-Just in case, always keep bandages nearby.

Now that you understand safety, let’s move on to the creative process. There are so many different types of wood to choose from. As a beginner, a good type of wood to start with is basswood. You might also want to try butternut wood, since it has a nice grain.

You should always cut downwards. As you press down you can turn the wood to make the shape that you want. Don’t cut sideways. The grain of your wood should be facing downwards if that is the way that you will cut. It is always best to go with the flow of the grain.

Make sure that you keep your knife sharp. Don’t use the knife for scraping or prying the wood. You can make the knife dull or even break it that way. There are other tools for that.

Penciling in your idea before carving it is a good idea. If you draw a line in the center of your wood, it can help you to keep the carving even. The pencil markings will serve as a guide for you to shape the wood, and make it easier for you to stick to the original idea.

Take a break about every half hour or so. Giving your hands a rest can keep them from cramping. Shake them out and wash them in hot water if they feel tired. Remember that good art takes time as wood carving is art as well as a hobby.

Until next time,

Chuck