[Paul_Guraedy]

The first thing that I would like to do is to thank Goody for the opportunity of carving the roughout. This was a marvelous idea and I would like to participate in other experiments of this type. It has been an interesting thread to see the different Santa’s that are all coming from the same roughout.



Now to the caveats Goody requested:



Please bear in mind that these comments are based on my experience with one piece of paulownia. This is not a commonly carved wood and I hope that I can provide some insight into anyone wanting to work with it.



I would like to see all the final carvings posted into this thread by Christmas!

I have posted a couple of photos of my Santa in the Carver Galleries.



If you wouldn't mind tell us what you think of carving from a roughout.
Since I am primarily a bird carver, with a few forays into animals, the human type figures I do carve are mainly from roughouts. I like not having to hack away all of the excess wood to get down to actually doing the carving. The only problem I had with this particular roughout is that there was not as much wood left as I would have preferred to allow making variations to the carving. I would recommend leaving lots more wood in the areas of the face, beard, waist and to allow at least minor adjustments of the arms/hands. However; if the object of this roughout is for it to be used as a beginning carving by someone in the initial stage of their career, then it is totally successful.



Did you like carving paulonia?
NO! I have carved in woods ranging from apple to tupelo (nothing from u to z yet). Until I worked paulownia, the only wood that I made attempts to avoid was pine (the type used in construction work). The grain in pine (white and sugar being exceptions) makes it difficult to carve and the resin difficult to paint. Paulownia is too soft for me. I did not feel that I had the control for the amount of detail that I would prefer. I had hoped to like paulownia. A friend is raising a grove of the trees, is aware of my woodcarving avocation and has offered to supply me with all that I want…..free. Now, I will have to tell him that I really don’t want to carve it!



What method did you use to carve him? Power, Knives, Chisels, Let The Dog Chew on Him for a while?
Before I was through, I was ready to try letting the dog chew on it. No, just kidding. I made a few experimental knife cuts and found the wood to be soft and easy to carve. This indicated that I should stay with hand tools. The softness of the wood requires a lot of stropping. Tools have to be kept super sharp or the wood will start to tear rather than cut cleanly. This, I found especially true of small gouges. I decided to use power to do some of the detailing; but, found it too easy to allow even the finest of bits to go too deep. I would not recommend power at all with paulownia. When I decided to do some burning on the beard and hair, I found that a sharp tip would cut the wood and, like power bits, it was easy to go waaaay too deep.



What Finish? I sometimes only paint the face and beard and let the natural beauty of the paulonia show.

I normally use watercolor paint; but did not like the results on paulownia. It might have been this particular piece; but, the wood was gray and the heavy grain lines would be distracting with watercolor. I decided to use acrylics and found that they worked pretty well.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

I guess my knives are all really sharp, as I didn't have that problem, there is a bit of chipping however, but a poorer grade of basswood will also give you that, I like the paulownia I think for special projects..don't ask me what, haven't figured that out, but would like to have some on hand....tell your friend that has a grove of them, I will take some free wood ha ha.......good post Paul......and I too would like to see all 25 of the sendouts! Maybe WCI can do a calender ha ha......

[Irish]

Did you like carving paulonia?

I am so with Paul on this one! I have spent about three hours on the Santa roughout and barely have his hat and hair area shaped out. I find it much to brittle to work even with very fine shaving. I have tried shaving, misting the wood but hadn't yet considered hiring a dog for chewing ... that might be the answer. In the same amount of time I have worked an eight face cane topper in basswood. I doubt that I would ever try paulonia again ... too fustrating especially when I KNOW my tools are sharp.

The rough out shape is great and the idea behind it very generous but the project itself just makes my stomach hurt to think about having to keep at it especially with the time rate of progress and that I probably have a quazillion hours worth of work yet to do. Now, that 's the point the paulonia is work, not fun.

Perhaps I need to recreate Santa in basswood??? !

Susan

[Kenny_S]

Outstanding Santa and post.
Personally, I like the wood and the color, Hated to paint mine so I didn't. Had a little chipping like Dave but then I have an eagle head cane that I am carving now that is chipping a little textureing the head or may be punky basswood. It is a piece I have had for several years.
All in all, I enjoyed the wood and the chance to carve in it and KUDOs to Goody for allowing us the chance.

[Baldy]

First of all I want to thank Goody for the chance to try a new and different wood and his efforts to produce the roughouts and even cover the cost of mailing them. A couple of the people I carve with were familiar with the wood and seemed to agree that it had possibilities as a carving wood. One person who works for a local wood supplier said that they had had orders come in on occasions and it was used mainly for furniture as it is light and very strong. He said it had the strength of woods as hard as oak. I find this hard to believe but he knows more than I do.
I did not find the carving qualities to be a problem as I do have sharp tools and when the grain wanted to lift I would simply go at it from the opposite direction and that seemed to do it. I would not hesitate to use it again as it carves easily and has lovely grain when finished.
Thanks again Goody it has been fun!!

Dick

[decoycarve]

Sue,
Basswood Blank will be on its way next week.
Look on the bottom of the piece of wood that you have and see if there is an area where the grain lines are real close together. When I get a piece that has close lines in the blank it seems a little harder. I have also run into brttle spots I think this may have been an area where a branch may have been on the tree. When i hit these spots I have to carve from many different directions with a whole lot of finesse. For the most part the wood carves somewhere between white pine and basswood for me.
Goody

[Irish]

Goody!

Please don't on my account. I have become totally determined that this piece of wood is not going to lick me . I AM going to get this carved not matter what ... it just might take me a while. Worst comes to worst I am going to soak the stinker in some glycerine water ... that is always a tried and true trick for getting around nasty wood.

I so appreciate your generousity and the chance to try something new ... two things in fact as I have never worked from someone else's rough out and I have not carved paulonia. And even if it never comes out as nice a Santa as yours I will still have had the chance to explore this wood. I know I have already learned something very very valuable from the experience ... I have allowed myself to get stuck in a rut as a basswood carver!

Basswood is great to teach beginners but in my personal carvings ... well!

So, please, give me some time because otherwise I'll have two Goody Santas to do PLEASE, DON'T GIVE UP ON ME YET!

Susan

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Baldy, I am surprised they would use paulownia for furniture! Wonder how they would use it, it is so soft and dents so easily, would think you would have a real problem with it in furniture? Strength aside, the softness seems a real issue to me.

[Baldy]

As I said, I didn't believe it either. I can not imagine screws and other fasteners holding in it as it seems so soft. The guy that told me that may have been thinking of some other wood. He did seem to have a lot of information on it as he was talking about the fast growth rate and the large size of the trees in a period of just 10 years or so. Who knows?
Dick

[MelNM]

Personally I like it as much as I do Sugar Pine. But generally I use basswood. I was worried about the detail also but I never had a peice breakoff or crumble.

I really did a appreciate the opportunity to carve this wood, it was a great idea thanks again Goody.