I Am Not Sure What to Call It - Here Is A New Project

For the moment I am going with Prayer Token.  I would rate this one as easy.

I carved it from Aspen but Mahogany or Walnut would also be good.  The next generation of these will probably be smaller.  Most likely 2.5 to 3 " in diamter.  This on is four inches.  I have included several sizes on the pattern below.

These are a multi step finish.  First a stain with a metalic gold paint.  Then buff with synthetic wool abrasive, then a latex antiquing (dark oak) then another buff.  Then Hut Carvers Finsh and a quick buff on a power buffer.  The finish is smooth and pleasnt to hold and rub.  The carving (knife) marks are left purposely for that reason.  There is a feel to the finished carving like the meditation stones.

Here is the PDF of the angel.

Click on the image above and you should see a larger printable image.  Permission is given to print for personal use not to redistribute.  You may post a link to this page.

Have fun carving and go make some wood chips

Bruce

Hand Made Carving Knife

I have wanted to do this for a while but was having a bit of trouble deciding where to get the steel for the knife.  I did not want to spend a lot of time and money tempering steel and I wanted stainless.  On a whim while in a local dollar store.  I had gone there to buy glass stones for some potted plants.  They are seriously cheaper there.  We use them to put in the plants to keep the cats from playing in the dirt.  But, back to the point.  I found they stocked stainless steak knives  4 for just a dollar.  I figured that for a dollar I could not go wrong.  So with my prize in hand I went home and took off the plastic handle and lo and behold I had the perfect blank for what I wanted.  Some shaping with a slow speed grinder and my knife sharpener and I had the profile that I wanted.  I then super glued the blade between two scrap pieces of mesquite.  Once it was dry a few minutes with the sander then the buffer and I had my knife. 

One of the unused knifes is going to be converted to a letter opener  I will post at a later date that project.

The top knife is a German Made Carving knife retailing for about 35 dollars.  The bottom is my knife less the hour or so I spent making it costing 75 cents in materials.

I have a couple of other profiles I want to try and will post the results when I am done.

Go make some wood chips.

Bruce

2/2011

Thoughts On Using Found Wood

We are surrounded each day by an amazing amount of material that is sent to the landfill without second thought.  If you are a wood carver or wood turner you need to keep your eyes open for found wood.  Found wood may be green and come from a tree that is being cut up in your area.  There are a surprising range of woods in our front yards that when it is time to remove it we don't think twice about cutting it up and sending it to a land fill.  A landscaper I know was telling me he cut down a black walnut tree a while back and could not find any one who wanted the wood so he burned it for fire wood.  Black walnut is now like gold a  small block for a bowl will run you over a hundred dollars and forget making furniture out of it as it is just too prohibitive.

What are some other good found woods.  Some of the pallets that come from overseas are actually hardwoods.  I have found doors with mahogany shipping crates.old broken chairs, and tables many times have solid wood legs that can be carved or turned.  Old fences can yield some interesting wood as well not suitable for turning but in many cases it can be carved or it can be turned into bird houses etc.  Drift wood can make interesting carvings and some can be turned. 

If you are going to indulge in found wood as I do you will need to invest in a metal detector.  Not the type that you see on the beach but one similar to those used at the airports.  It will tell you if there is anything hiding in your new treasure that could be come a projectile on the lathe or ruin one of your good carving knives. 

Below are two of my recent found wood projects.  One is a weed pot turned on the lathe the other a spoon carved from a branch.  The weed pot is from a shumard oak that died in my front yard.  The spoon from a bald cypress that was trimmed up.  Both have the addition satisfaction attached of taking something that was going to be trash an making a treasure from it.

Good Hunting.

Bruce

The Story of a Broken Bat

A few days ago I heard a chainsaw down the street.  You are probably wondering where I am going with this.  One of the reasons I started this blog is that I love wood.  Have all my life.  Like working with my hands and I am happiest when I am designing something new.  So a chainsaw to me means someone is cutting up a tree and a tree is wood.  Get it.  Some of my favorite wood to work in is found wood.  There is something about making something beautiful out of something that would have been discarded that appeals to me.  So even though it was cold I pulled on my jacket and headed off down the street.

Turns out I did not have far to go.  It was a neighbor just two doors down and he was indeed cutting down a sizable tree that was causing problems.  Then I realized it was a weeping willow tree.  One of the few trees that is really not worth anything not even firewood.  But as we stood and talked he came out of left center field (you will get the pun in a minute) with a question about could I carve anything from a broken baseball bat.  Most bats are made from ash, some from hickory and a few from maple.  Turns out what he had was ash.  I have never tried carving ash but told him I would give it a try.  He was interested in being able to salvage some small trinkets from the bats specifically if possible a cross.

So I ambled home with my new find and began to give it some thought.  How was I going to safely turn a round object into 1/2 inch slabs.  After a few shots it occurred to me to use my miter saw.  I only needed pieces about 5 inches long and the miter saw made quick work of getting me what I needed.  I laid out my first cross and the result is shown below.  The wood carved about like oak or mahogany and is not bad to work with. This particular cross I wanted to leave knife marks showing so that worked well as well.  All in all a pleasing project that took about two hours start to finish.  Knowing how I would carve this the next time it would probably take a little less.  But I am not good about repeating.  I like to keep trying new designs.

Here is the section of the bat I still have left.  A slab, the finished cross and an outer slab with a curve.  This particular bat was a Toronto Blue Jays version.

Here is a closeup of the cross.  I will be posting the pattern in the next few days as soon as I figure out how to set up a pattern section.  Patterns will be JPEGS.  Look for an article soon on how to re size using JPEGS.

I have a few more designs for these that will also begin showing up in the next few days.

For now though, go make some wood chips!

Bruce

Welcome

Welcome to my new blog. 

I established this blog to share woodworking tips and designs, Wood Turning information, Wood Carving projects and designs as well as Scroll Saw patterns and designs.

I am a lifelong woodworker having acquired the addiction in Junior High Wood Shop.  I love the smell of sawdust and seem to be the happiest when I am covered in it.  My wife of 35 years has learned to cope.  To my credit I am pretty scrupulous about keeping my shop(the garage clean and neat).  She also like to be able to give my projects for gifts and always has a list of things I can make for her.

I turned my first project in that wood shop class.  A subject that has pretty much disappeared from today's schools.  I fact that I bemoan loudly and being a retired school administrator, teacher and educational consultant one that I think I am entitled to comment on.  On retirement I dropped the Dr from my name.  But, let me get back to the narrative.  While that was the first experience with a lathe I did not own my own until late 1980's.  My current lathe is a Jet Mini capable of turning up to 10" bowls.   A good fit for me as most of what I turn is small and I like to turn from green wood or found wood (downed trees).  I will be sharing what I have learned from that on this blog.

Carving was something that I had not seriously tried until the early 90"s.  I carved off and on for a number of years but, left it until a few months ago.  I mostly carve angels, Santas, spoons, crosses and walking sticks.  I will be including pictures of my projects as well as plans and instruction on this site to make many of them.  My favorite woods to carve are Aspen, Poplar, Butternut, Basswood and Mahogany.  I have been known to carve anything at hand including mesquite, pear, oak, magnolia and sycamore. I don't like letting tree limbs go to waste.

I got really into scroll saw work in the late 90's but also left it until recently.  I am not a big fan of the overly ornate and often sue my scroll saw in conjunction with my carving especially of spoons.  Most of the patterns I will be posting for use with the scroll saw will be combined with carving.

I will also be posting some general craft patterns that will usually involve wood working, turning, carving or scroll saw work.

Finally I will post information on the tools that I use and what I like about them and what I don't like.  This is strictly subjective and it should be noted that I am not above modifying a tool to work the way that I want it to.

So come and join me and hopefully you will take away information or patterns that you can use.  Till next time be sure to make some sawdust.

Bruce