Newbie has spoon making ?'s

[kajmom]

Actually, more like . I have never carved, and the thought sprung into my mind about two weeks ago. I want to carve a spoon (actually a bowl but I assume a spoon is easier) but here is the catch. I live on 13 acres, heavily wooded with oak and maple, and I want to use my own wood. I have searched the web and searched this forum and nothing is quite giving me the info I feel I need. Time for some stupid questions. I figure it was better to ask the pros then flounder along and get frustrated.

1) In all my reading oak is never listed as a possible wood. I assume that is because it is so hard. But almost all of my available wood is oak (maple and some beech might be possible). Can I use oak?

2) I (husband actually) has a dremel. I read here that the kutzall 3/4 in. burr (silver) would be good for the bowl and I would be willing to buy that. I have the sanders for the handle shaping. Is there anything else?

3) Making the blank. This is what is really stopping me. I have looked around and we don't have ANY saws for cutting wood (but I found 3 axes and a hatchet). PVC and copper pipe yes, wood no. I watched the great videos on Youtube about cutting blanks (thanks for those BTW), but that uses a band saw. Obviously I need something more cost effective. What should I buy? My husband made some planks for me with the ax about 3/4 in thick by 14 in long and 4 in wide. But they are uneven. Are they useable?

4) Hand carving or using the dremel? I assume the dremel would be easier since I want to use the oak. Any thoughts?

If this is sounding like a recipe for failure please let me know. I love the thought to crafting something useful from wood off the property, but at this point can't/ won't invest tons of $$ into a hobby that I don't know if I will like.

Any advice, even "I don't think this is going to work" would be welcome. I'm feeling a bit discouraged since I laid out all my "tools" this afternoon and decided I couldn't make the blank. On a positive note, I did play with the dremel. It was smaller than I thought it would be.

[kitaye]

Morning, I've never carved oak BUT I recently saw a show on a viking settlement in Birka, Sweden and they found bowls and utensils carved from oak so....if they can do it so can you.

Can't help you with the other questions. Sorry.

[rales]

Kajmom welcome!

If these are utensils you want to actually use - you should probably avoid red oak which is pretty porous. White oak, maple and beech should be ok. The European oaks have a closed grain like white oak.

As far as saws - a coping saw is pretty inexpensive - it will take awhile but will allow you to cut a pretty tight pattern.

[squbrigg]

Quite the contrary, it sounds like a receipt for success.

Maple, Beech or Oak, will make beautiful spoons. Try finding a branch that fits the bill, dimension wise. The Dremel with the Kutzall burr will help shape the bowl of the spoon and shape the rest, handle and all. If you use a branch, you wouldn't need a saw at all, except to cut to length, and a hand saw will do.

Take your time, and have fun doing it. Get use to the Dremel with the Kutzall burr, they are very aggressive and can hop around on you taking large amounts of skin/tissue very quickly. Learn to hold and control the Dremel with that burr and you'll do just fine.

Bob

[CarverFromNoWhere]

As long as it's not red oak you will be fine other the the oaks are hard, maple and beech are both excellent, a coping saw very inexpensive for a decent one you might spend $15 with some extra blades it takes a lot longer but it gets the job done.
Carl

[chuckbolton]

one thing to be careful of when using wood that is not kiln dried-- or air dried for an extended period of time --is that it may crack-- and id hate to have lots of time in something like that and have it split out on me. i purchased a spatula made from osage orange (hedge- local tree) -- have used it for several yrs now and really like it-- have cut and put into barn to dry several other osage orange poles-- to make into other pieces-- even found some crooks in branches for ladles-- will have to see how they come out. my wood has dried in the barn for 3 yrs now-- don't think i have an excuse any longer about needing more drying time.

[Claude]

Welcome to the forum!.

Here's a bit more info about something Chuck mentioned: drying the wood. I'd suggest cutting the wood into pieces about 4 to 6 inches longer than you want the final spoon to be (cut 18 inch wood for a 12 inch spoon) so that any checking (cracks at the ends) can be cut off after the wood is dry). Paint the ends of the piece of wood with oil-based varnish, or latex paint. Coat heavily. I then put a piece of plastic wrap over the end on top of the wet paint/varnish and secure with a rubber band. Let it sit in a dry place, preferably warm, for 1 year for each inch thickness of wood. A two inch think green plank should sit for 2 years...roughly...

As to the Dremel, it will work quite nicely for hollowing out the spoon bowl. A spherical bit works well for this. A cylindrical bit works well for shaping the outside and the handle. One caution: Dremels normally use 1/8 inch shank or 3/32 inch shank bits and burrs. This size is normally a 3/8 inch burr or smaller. Those 3/4 inch ones have a 1/4 inch shank and meant for the bigger power tools. Kutzall is a decent brand, as are the Monster brand. Buy carbide burrs, not the High Speed Steel. HSS will get too hot on the hard wood and be ruined quickly. The carbide can get red hot without hurting them. Lots of places sell the carbide burrs. One is Woodworking Plans & Tools | Fine Woodworking Project & Supplies at Woodcraft, and another is Wood Carvers Supply, Inc. I've bought from both.

Wear leather gloves when using the Dremel, not a cloth or kevlar carving glove. The cloth ones can get caught in the burr and break a finger or worse.

Hope this helps.

[Sharon of the Dell]

I think both woods would be fine.I don't know if you have red oak or not, but it's not listed as toxic. I use a coping saw at times to rough out a spoon. I also use a die grinder(my favorite) with kutzall burrs.The most useful and all round one I use is a ball nose burr. I can shape the bowl and the handle with it.Some use an axe to shape it out with.Everyone has given good advice.Just make sure you get the right size shaft for your dremel.Have fun with it.

[CarverFromNoWhere]

I don't think Red Oak is listed as toxic but it should be listed as bad, I will when sawing large amounts of red Oak and working in the dust get nose bleeds and skin irritation. Nothing really serious but it does become a bother and someone else might have a worse reaction.

Any amount of dust is bad so be sure to wear a respirator.

Carl

[schwert]

Just to add to the confusion...
I almost exclusively carve green (unseasoned wood) for spoons, but do not use Dremel burrs only knives and hooks.

I would only avoid the oak for its more open grain structure. Maple makes great spoons and would be my first choice in the woods you have.

I am not sure about drying the wood for Dremel work, but wet wood carves like butter compared to dry...and if properly dried rarely splits when you have the spoon worked out.

I also don't have a bandsaw, so rough out my blanks with an ax, sometimes followed by a drawknife.

Good luck...it is addicting.