fresh wood?

[Zeebra]

Total newbie here.
I am going to give carving a go and wonder if I can use a fairly fresh cut log to get started on or do I have to let it dry a bit or alot? I have no idea about this and haven't found any clues on the net or in the forum. I want to carve from a log about three feet long and 16 inches in diameter. The piece I am planning will be displayed outside and I guess I will oil or stain it but I'm don't know what wood I should use for this...I can get fir or maple from my tree service friend. Any thoughts?
Thanks

[Donsexton]

I carve mostly green wet logs now days and they will crack. You can manage the cracks by hollowing the base and if your carving design will allow it drill a big hole up through the base. I use a 2” wide spade bit 18” long, the hole allows the wood to shrink. You should carve as deep and remove as much wood as fast as you can that will give the wood relief form stress cracks. If you cant carve that way coat the carving every day after you finish carving with quick drying poly.

[Dan S]

It can alos help to wrap the log in plastic when you are not working on it.
Dan

[Zeebra]

Thanks for your replies.
I guess a slow dry is best so that the inside can keep pace with the outside, eh? (Sorry about that Canadian "eh"!)
If I didn't want to drill out or hollow the piece, how should I dry it to reduce the cracking as much as possible? Does wood just left outside for months dry properly...even if left to be rained on? And if I do carve fresh cut wood, when can I sand and oil it?
Lots of questions.
Thanks!

[Donsexton]

Its best to keep it out of rain and off the ground. If wood is wet to the touch it wont finish well but I do any way. This is my way, not for every one to be sure.

[davidinsarasota]

Zeebra,

Don can get away with carving fresh wet wood because he uses very powerful aggressive tools to remove a lot of mass fast. Turner's do this as well on the lathe.

New to carving should use good clear dry Basswood so that you can focus on fundamentals like getting excellent gouges or knives, learning how to strop and later sharpen them, and depending how you work, how to anchor the wood solidly, which goes a long way toward safety and clean cuts.

[Zeebra]

Thanks David and Don,
I think I will use a chainsaw to do a lot of my sculpting at the start since I want to do a large piece. And then finish with grinder and dremel and sanders. Only small details with "carving" tools.
Maybe I should tell you my whole plan.
I want to make a life size otter to mount on the bow of my boat to cover an anchor winch. I know...it's wierd but the whole boat is wierd. I'll send pics of my progress and the whole boat eventually. I'd like to use a light colored wood so I can darken with stain or burn the darker areas and leave the light areas natural.
Does the type of wood matter so much if I will maintain it oiled as with the other teak parts of the boat?
I can get any of the naturally growing woods...fir, hemlock, maple, cottonwood, cedar.
The lightest of these is cottonwood and maple I think.
Don't know what I should go for.
Thanks.

[Curtis The Carver]

I'm not as experienced as a lot of others on this site but I know cedar ages well outside due to tannin (sp?) inside the wood. I think pine is a good one as well.

[davidinsarasota]

I would select the wood based on carvability, ie. chips come away cleanly, ability to hold fine detail, etc, and leave the preservation to polyurethane.

Get chaps a thick leather apron and a full face sheild for protection. Do not allow the upper 'corner' of the tip to contact anything. use the lower corner. I'm an arborist and I use a chainsaw every day.

[Zeebra]

Thanks for the feed back guys,
Curtis, I was thinking about getting some yellow cedar as this is the wood often used by the west coast native people because it weathers so well. I think it is the naturally occurring oils in the wood that helps preserve it. That's why cedar burns so hot and fast. But it's harder to get for me if I'm relying on my tree service friend. Also, I don't think it will give me the depth in the finish after oiling. I saw some bowls carved from maple at a local art gallery the other day and they looked really nice. I assume they were oiled instead of varnished since they were for food. Thanks for the safety tips David. I used to work with my brother in law and his tree service company for a time and I am well aware of the dangers of "kickback". I have also seen a nasty picture of a friend who learned the hard way...split his face down the middle! Luckily he was stitched back together and healed surprisingly well.
I think I'm going to get some of that maple and get started.
I'll post some pics when I do.
Thanks again all.