Making blanks without power tools

[erichkopp]

This is my first post here, and I've just recently started carving. I'm mainly interested in carving caricatures, but I don't own a band or scroll saw. I'm a college student, so money is always tight and buying one really isn't an option. I was thinking of picking up a coping saw and was curious if that would be the best route to go?

I've been working on carving some caricatures out of some small wood blocks and have been having a hard time visualizing what everything should look like without a pattern or bandsaw blank. The legs, feet and body aren't too hard for me to carve out, but the face and arms really give me a lot of trouble. Does anyone have any tips on visualizing everything easier?

Thanks for your help.

[Mitchell]

You may want to purchase Pete LeClair's book "Carving Caricatures from Scratch". In it he takes a block of wood (roughly 1 1/4" square x 6" long and demonstrates how to carve a full body caricature.

[slivers&dust]

When I started carving I only had a coping saw and a bench knife. The coping saw worked fine for the first few carvings but I did find someone that had a bandsaw to help me out there. Maybe your college has one or a prof. has one.

Books on caricature carving are a great inexpensive tool and they are full of patterns and photos

btw welcome, you will find a lot of info here too.

[squbrigg]

Welcome aboard Erich. A copeing saw will work fine, just takes a little longer. Before going out and purching a bunch of books and tools, check out your local library on carving books, and ask around to see if there is a carving club handy. Clubs are great, cause you can borrow books from the members and often the members will have power tools that they will be happy to cut out some blanks for you, and will help you along as you learn the basics. Lots of retirement communities down your way, they are also a source of experienced carvers.

Good luck,

Bob

[schemmy]

Welcome and I too started out with a coping saw. Since you are doing smaller carvings this will get you by. I couldnt afford classes so I learned the most by checking out books at the library. But I was lucky because a near by library had tons of carving books and videos thanks to a local carving club. I usually draw little sketches that dont look like much just oval shapes to show what my porportions should be before traceing on the block. The drawing doesnt have to be exact or alot of detail because my carvings rarely finish like my sketches but it gives you a plan. Plus you are mentally thinking ahead what the carving will be by sketching it out.
Steve

[Lynn O. Doughty]

A coping saw will work but after you use it a while it will probably become a pretty frustrating tool. Roughouts is another approach to your problem. I'd suggest trying to hook up with a local carving group whose members will gladly help you on your way.

[Kenny_S]

Welcome to a great site with helpfull people.
A coping saw like mentioned by several is a good tool but, if you have no place to attach the wood to hold it, then starting out like Mitch said about Pete laClair's bopok. Besides, that will teach you a lot about how to make your cuts. Check local libraries for his book or books in that nature.
Frustration is part of carving I think. to overcome those helps you understand more.
Above all, don't give up and if you do get frustrated, fined a local carving club. That will help a lot also.
JMHO

[erichkopp]

Thanks for all the replies. I picked up a coping saw and a small vice today and cut out a pattern with it. It would have taken much less time with a bandsaw, but it seemed to work decently enough. I hunted around a few days ago and found that there is a carving club in south Miami, which is probably about an hour and a half from me, but I may decide to check it out if I'm ever in the mood for Miami traffic.

[Mitchell]

You'll actually find that it's just as easy to use a carving tool (knife or palm gouge) to rough out the blank as a coping saw - especially when working on small (2x2x6) blanks. That's why I recommended the Pete LeClair book.

Tips - wear a glove, keep your tools sharp, and PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE

[slivers&dust]

erichkopp,
What type of caricatures are you interested in?

I just went through my carving books and I have several I'm not using, in fact some I've forgotten I even had.
I will send you a couple at no charge. I'll even pay the postage.
The only stipulation is have fun and when you are done with them pass them along to someone else the same way.

Here are three titles;

"The golfers" by Tom Wolfe,
four great old duffers (you can see the ones I did from this book on my web shots under scanned photos)

"Country Carving" by Tom Wolfe,
Projects include; Coon Hunter, Hound Dogs and Coon

"Cowboy Carving" with Cleve Taylor
Carving and painting the cowboy

I also have some on Santa carving so let me know what you're intersted in.

send me a PM or email and I will get one or two mailed out on Monday.