Beginners Carving Projects and more?

[richardkirkman]

Summer holidays are coming round,

Looking to try some carving

What would people suggest for small(ish) projects to start with? Ideally nothing too complex.

Also what types of wood should I be using, I have quite a bit of ash and a little bit of beech drying?

Finally, any important considerations for a newcomer?

Thanks

 

[ED65]

Relief and low-relief carving can be a good gentle introduction as you aren't carving in the round where you have to go around corners. Walking stick heads make nice small, achievable projects if you want to work fully 3D.

Also what types of wood should I be using, I have quite a bit of ash and a little bit of beech drying?

Pear is a traditional wood much favoured for fine carving but you can carve practically anything. Of those two I'd prefer to use beech for its fine grain, but there's a long tradition of oak carving in Europe so it shows you can successfully carve woods with coarse grain so it wouldn't rule out the ash.

Finally, any important considerations for a newcomer?

Cut away from yourself as much as possible. If you do any shaping using whittling techniques it's sometimes necessary to cut towards yourself so you may want to invest in a Kevlar glove for your other hand and wear an apron to protect your belly.

Keep your carving tools razor sharp! Regular stropping is the preferred method for many carvers.

 

[richardkirkman]

What kind of things would be good to start carving?
What sort of specific things would be good to try and carve with relief carving, like a leaf?
I also have a couple pieces of oak, is it worth starting on the beech? Will one be easier than the other?
Thanks

 

[custard]

what types of wood should I be using, I have quite a bit of ash and a little bit of beech drying?

When it comes to wood for carving think in these terms,

-Hard timbers are difficult to work, softer timbers are kinder on your tools and on your hands!
-Deep pored timbers obscure the detail, fine pored timbers allow crisp detailing.
-Dramatic grain patterns camouflages carving, fine almost invisible grain patterns give your carving clarity.
-Wetter timbers (say 20% plus moisture content) makes carving easier, air dried timbers (say 15% moisture content) are still okay, but kiln dried timbers (say 10% moisture content or less) are the most difficult to work.

Against those four criteria, air dried Lime is generally the carver's favourite. You can easily buy Lime blanks that are sold specifically for carvers.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/European-Lim ... UB_JDksxtQ

Of your timbers Beech is a hard, tough timber, and the distinctive flecks on the quarter sawn face may be an issue. Ash is also pretty tough, but unlike Beech it also has a very coarse grain/pore structure. Oak is similar to Ash, but with added problem of very visible medullary rays on the quarter sawn faces.

My carving experience is limited to letter carving rather than in-the-round work, but if you're just dipping a toe in the water you want to give yourself every chance of success, which probably means spending a few quid on some Lime blanks.

There are some very accomplished carvers on this forum, hopefully one or two will be along to add their opinions and maybe inspire you with photos of their work!

 

[Lons]

What the others said especially regarding very sharp tools.

Personally I wouldn't bother with either beech or ash but of the two beech is easier as ash is too stringy. That said, theres's nothing like using what you have on hand.

Lime is a revelation if you try the otherwoods first, American basswood is like lime but softer and boxwood, my favourite is a joy to carve. Walnut is also very nice. I do suggest you don't use softwood though as it's a pain to get really crisp detail.

My first carving was a caricature golfer figure inspired by a Peter Berry article in The Woodworker and I used what I had which was some very stringy mahogany, horrible to carve really but because I'm a stubborn sod I persisted and it didn't put me off.

I can't tell you what you should carve, we're all different so look on the internet and local library for inspiration and try something you fancy but above all enjoy it and be your own critic.

cheers
Bob

Richard
I note that you're in Darlington, do you ever get north of Newcastle? I very occasionally travel down to Barnard Castle to visit relatives. I'm sure I could spare some small bits of lime.

 

[richardkirkman]

Do you have any pictures of the golfer? I'd love to see.

I have some Sapele that would be softer than the beech. I do have some walnut, but it's one of my favourite woods so I'll save it for once I've had some practice
What do you mean by stringy?

And unfortunately no, I don't tend to go north of Newcastle, unless I'm going to pick up tools or something.
Once my exams are over I plan to do some cycling, so I could probably make it to Barnard Castle at some point.

Thanks,
Richard

 

[Lons]

Hi Richard
Couldn't find the golfer pics but still have the carving after 35 years though my missus snapped the club handle and I never got around to making another. Anyway here are pics taken on my phone a few mins ago - excuse the dust. :lol:

The carving is deliberately rough-ish as I wanted a tooled finish but if you want to know what I mean by "stringy" try planing some against the grain! because of the open pores it isn't easy to get very fine detail though not impossible. I cringe these days when I look at the carving but reminds me of the enjoyment of making something from a chunk of reclaimed wood even if it's square and poorly proportioned.

I'll stick up some of my other stuff, warts and all but point out that I'm just a hobbyist carver.

Bob

 

[Lons]

Some more early carvings, appologies for poor photos.

Toadstools is from a chunk of elm firewood, Polar bear in basswood, others are lime.

 

[Lons]

A few part finished carvings, one day!

African head is a large lump of walnut.

 

[richardkirkman]

Well they all look great to me.

Thanks for the inspiration, I think I shall start with relief carving as suggested as i'd like something i could potentially hang on my Uni room wall.

Thanks again, I'll post whatever I eventually get up to.

 

[MikeG.]

I've 4 spandrels in oak that need carving fairly soon, if you want to practise.