[dixie]

I made a trip to a local Woodcraft store yesterday and bought some new toys......they had a discount bin of tools they were trying to get rid of and I bought three Henry Taylor tools that were 20% off......can't stand missing a good sale.....and picked up my first mallet....a 18 oz soft end (got the green rubber stuff on the end of it) mallet.....have never used one before, or the HT tools, but am dying to try it on something......also bought two new carving books, one on caracitures, and one on carving the human head........plus picked up a book on segmented turning.......and a nice 3/4 inch thick piece of basswood.....about 12" x 15".......would like to get into a little relief carving as well.........I've got a fairly well supplied wood shop, but want to pick up a bench vise to hold the carvings I want to work on........have gone through a catalog or two and have seen a few vises that I like, but would like to get a little feedback from you all (thats y'all for you southerners) on the forum.....I'm so new to this that I think half the things I do will just get me into trouble......also, would like an idea or two on simple carvings I can get into in order to use these Henry Taylors' I just bought....you know, learn how to use them on small things before I butcher a larger carving..........

any ideas ?

thanks
dixie

[Kenny_S]

Dixie,

Was the HT tools sharp? You may need to sharpen and then strop them. Have notice from WoodCrafts, there HT tools are lacking in sharpness. Now, I am not against HT tools but have notice how dull they are for carving and need a little help in making them sharp.

[dixie]

ken.....don't know about all three of the HT tools, but one of them is a straight gouge ? or chisel ?......and i did run it across the tormek.....came away with a really sharp tool.......but as yet I haven't done much of anything with it......I'vea been reading two of the carving books I bought.....one on caricatures and the other is on carving the human head......will have to get a few pieces of basswood and some type of a bench vise in order to really get started......need to spend some time just learning how to use these tools.......


dixie

[wade clark]

Dixie,
The Tormek is great, hu? I love mine.
You'll be lucky to find one vise that works for all your ideas. I'd suggest looking at Woodcraft Supply's website or one of the many other suppliers. They'll have an assortment. You want something that can swivel to lots of angles, and will handle the weight of the carvings you'll be doing...thus, more than one before you're done!
You can also take your standard bench vise and gorilla glue leather on the jaws, and get away with a lot.
If you screw a piece of 3/4" plywood to the bottom of your carving block, you can clamp the ply in a standard bench vise, or screw the plywood to your bench in any angle you want, or use a big enough piece of plywood that you don't even need a vise.
Got a glove? Use it!
Have fun!
Wade

[squbrigg]

HT's need to be sharpened first, they come with a bevel, but you might have to change that, depending on what kind of woods you plan on carving. I never had much luck sharpening HT's, until I realized the bevel thing and sent all my HT's to Rick for sharpening. WOW...what a difference.

For relief carving Dixie, make yourself a bench hook and use that. Easiest way and cheapest by far. I made my first one from a piece of plywood and two old 2 X 4's scraps. I also use some of that non-slip matting.

Bob

[dixie]

ok bob.......what's a bench hook ?........where do I find a model ?

dixie

[Just Carving]

Here's a link to info about bench hooks.

http://www.womeninwoodworking.com/ti...ingpoints1.cfm

You can Google on "bench hook" and you'll get a lot more info. and maybe even a place where you can buy one if you don't want to make it.