Needing Helpful Advise!!!

[Shin Ryuu]

This my first time carving anything, I'm interested and my almost all wood working, but have decided to start with chip carving. I did a couple of sample cut in some yellow pine (the only wood I had lying around) very hard, but I like the results. Found a cabinet maker in my very, very small town and got some basswood blank cut 10"x 12" (6 blanks for 12 bucks) to try some sample laying out the patterns now, but i would like to try something for my lil brothers B-Day and would like some advice on how you all might carve this.

P.S. - I know this is a little ambitious for my first carve, it's for my brother and that what's big brother do. Any advice would be welcomed.

[Robert Cahill]

I see no one responded and I am not a chip carver but I did try to do an ornament and threw it away. No chip carvers in our carving club but perhaps where you are you could find one for advice. What I have done is gotten Pam Gresham book from interlibrary loan and it has some excellent advice ( I will be purchasing now that I have seen it) perhaps going that route will help
Sorry I could not do better

[Steve Reed]

Shin, the lettering in your piece would be fairly "doable" from a chip-carving perspective. The center logo is a little different story at least for me. I would recommend relief carving the design as the "chip" would be rather large. The tribal design around the edges I would do with a "V-tool". Just my thoughts, hope it helps.

[Sam]

Hi,

I am not a chip carver either, but what I think you want to do is what I would call relief carving. I would do the image as a relief - cutting away the background and keeping the four corner figures high and cut out. The head and crossbones would also be high - the bones lower and under the head.

Otherwise, it would be done as a free form chip carving as opposed to traditional style chip carving. See the book "Chip Carving Nature - An Artistic Approach" by Craig Vandall Stevens and "Aristry in Chip Carving - A Lyrical Style" by Stevens, both Schiffer Books for more information.

[bill1228]

Might also post in the Chip craving forum? Probably more folks doing chip carving there. --bill

[papasar]

The letters are easily chip carved as are the four corner designs. I would outline the center design and crossbones with the chip knife and then paint or stain between the outline. Kinda like paint by numbers.
Bill K.

[Shin Ryuu]

Thanks everyone for the advice I've almost gotten it all drawn out to the wood I changed the border design a little and the corners but the lettering and the center is still the same I am going to try the relief on the logo, pray for me, i'm believe i'm gonna need it, I have been research some books I'll post some pics as when I'm finished. - Shin

[Keoma]

Hello Shin If I may suggest a power carver. A Dremel would be a lot of fun, and for your first carve, it would give you lots of ambitious ideas for the next one! I am a Power Carver and Hand Carver, Power carving takes a lot of stress out of a project and it is really good for relief carving-makes letters a snap. Anyway-just my 2 cents worth! Can't wait to see the finished product!