Is there an easier way for me to do this besides the Dremel?

[Ives]

I'm making these little wooden figures. I cut them out with the scroll saw and then carve the faces, tails, ears, etc with a sander attachment on a Dremel multitool. But I keep thinking there must be a quicker way to carve the faces and things. Like maybe on a belt sander or drum sander? Like this one http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-ax ... rc=froogle

Or something else?

This is the type of thing I'm making:

 

[Lowlife]

Wouldn't carving chisels be quicker, then just finish off with a bit of sandpaper?

 

[Ives]

I don't know anything about carving chisels, are they easy? The only woodworking tools I've ever used are my scroll saw and Dremel! It takes about 10-15 minutes to do the squirrel and maybe 15-20min to do the woman. I saw a Youtube video once where it looked like the guy just laid a figure on the belt sander (I think that's what it was called!) and did what I do in like 3 seconds. I'm looking for something that makes it that easy! I'll try and find the video.


Edited to say I found the video! Could I do my small things on that Axminster one I linked to? I'm not sure about the woman's face though. And the small squirrel, it's 4cm x 3cm, would that be too difficult to hold and do against the sander safely?

Here's the video, it's around 8:45 in the video where he does what I want to do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHox1i6o8xQ

Also, I'm thinking I could easily sand my figures if I use rough cut wood, which is cheaper than finished, but pain to sand the sides of bigger pieces. Right?

 

[Lowlife]

With a little practice carving chisels are easy to use, and more versatile than a belt sander, you could start off with one or two and add different types as you need them, really good new ones are only around £20 each so not expensive to start off, or get a few used ones from eBay and see how you get on.

I have a nice set of Henry Taylors that I've built up over the years, they don't get a huge amount of use but I wouldn't be without them.

Yes I see what you want to do, personally I think a belt sander would be overkill, an ordinary flat chisel would remove the bulk of the wood in seconds, then finish off with a sanding block or your Dremel.

 

[condeesteso]

Another option well worth looking at is rasps - hand-cut ones. There is a thread here about them as there was a pass-round (user test) recently. Basically the cheap rasps are machine-cut and coarse, hard to control, poor work finish etc - the hand cut ones come in a range of 'grains' i.e. coarse to very fine, and numerous profiles. I am certain they would be very good for what you do, and remove stock quickly plus can leave a really good finish. It will likely need a final abrasive but will get you very close to final, and I think hand rasps are really controllable. Also they cut, so virtually no dust =D>

Thread is: Liogier Hand Stiched Rasp - Pass Around

And Liogier are well-priced handmade - the site is worth a look for lots of info on what they are, how they are made, profiles etc etc.

 

[Lowlife]

Yes that's another good suggestion, still a lot cheaper than the sander and more versatile too.

 

[RogerP]

You could try whittling them with a decent knife.

 

[xy mosian]

My carving of an Owl a-little-carving-t58135.html was done with knives. The knives start off as odd twist drills about 3mm glued into a dowel for a handle. If you glue the cutting end into the 'handle' the butt end can be ground to suit. HSS is perhaps not perfect but has, so far, worked well enough for me. Cost = peanuts.
xy

 

[Jonzjob]

That Liogier site is well worth a look at, especially the video! I didn't realise that pleces like that still existed :shock:

I like the look of the rifflers and SWMBO saw them and said if I want THEM!! then get THEM :shock: :shock: :mrgreen:

Forgot to put the link

http://www.liogier-france.fr/what-is-a- ... er?lang=en

Further edit : - If you have a band saw it would make the initial cutting of the figures miles faster than a scroll saw too.

 

[hunggaur]

i agree band saw would be quicker

this is fun if you have not seen it before

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXW55S4X9zo

 

[Jonzjob]

I have seen it before and I was well impressed and after watching it again still am

 

[condeesteso]

bandsaw magic link - ridiculous: he's obviously done one before; and the speed he works he still has all his fingers. Wow!

 

[paulm]

I vaguely recall seeing some magazine articles, and possibly some utube videos, where German (I think) craftsmen turned up animal and other figures by shaping a piece of wood on a lathe, faceplate type turning rather than spindle turning, using scrapers and other tools to quickly and easily create the features/profile of the figures. The shaped ring was then cut into slices off the lathe to give individual figures with the finished profiles relatively quickly and easily.

May have been to create a nativety scene or noah's ark type figures.

Might be worth a search on utube ?

Cheers, Paul

 

[Jacob]

The classic wooden toy production method (still used) is to either run a straight moulding with the profile, or turn a ring (like a confectioner's ring mould). These are then cut like slices of cake to reveal the profile which is then finished by hand or other small tools etc.
You can see them in toyshops, farm animal sets etc, where the head end is pointier than the arse, as they were turned with the head pointing inwards.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reifendrehen

The answer to the OPs question is of course that there are dozens, if not hundreds, of possible ways of doing it!

 

[Jonzjob]

That is a VERY interesting link Jacob! What a fascinatating way of getting that result!

 

[Jacob]

Could be a nice turning project and a change from those boring old "hollow forms"!

 

[Tony Spear]

There are a number of powered carving tools on the market which have a reciprocating action and interchangeable
"knives", ranging from 50 or 60 quid to silly money!

Take a look at Axminster: http://www.axminster.co.uk/power-carvers-dept827649/