[Donna_T]

Hi Bob,
I've been gone for a week (took my grandkids to Washington DC) and am just trying to read up on postings.

To add to the info posted already, one thing to keep in mind: if you are going to use the power mostly to rough in the relief carving and especially for working down the background, be sure and get a burr that has a flat cutting surface to reduce the hills and valleys you'd get with a rounded tip burr. I especially like a Kutsall or blue Typhoon to do my power roughing out 'cause they really get with it and move wood. If I'm working on detail, I switch to a diamond burr so that I can have better control and won't be tempted to gig in too deep and ruin the carving. If you're doing contouring, then a rounded tip will work well...I like rounded cylinders or bullet shapes for that.

Donna T

[BobD]

Donna T.
I have a set of small diamond burrs I got from Woodcraft. They seem to get gunked up as soon as I start using them...am I using them wrong?

Bob

[squbrigg]

Hi BobD,

If they are gumming up, it may be that you are trying to use them in the wrong situation. For example, for shaping rather than for texturing or detail? I find that diamond and ruby burrs are more useful for small/fine detail.

The coarser carbide burrs or steel ones, might be better for shaping. But then I don't have extensive experience with burrs, just limited. Good luck with it though, keep experimenting, you'll find what works for you.

Bob

Bob, if you run your bits too fast they will gunk up also. They heat up and if your using pine especially, it will pick up the pitch more readily when the bit is too hot. Moderate speed.

[BobD]

Hugh,
Where were you when I melted throught one of those bits I was carving a piece of marble and thought Oh, its diamond, that's harder than marble, I can press as hard as I want...until the bit heated up and broke...

Bob

Holy smokes : Give the carbides a try. They are a lot more forgiving.

[BobD]

Ah, but do the carbides work on Marble?

I'll have to try them.

Bob

I C said the blind man. I don't know about the marble. As a matter of fact, I never imagined that marble could be carved. Another story, about doing the impossible. Cooking spare ribs so that they taste ok. Cook them in a tomato sauce, hold them down with a brick so that they are covered with the sauce, cook until you can stick a fork in the brick, and then throw away the spare ribs, and eat the brick. Bob, I really know zip about marble. But that is really a good spare rib receipe.

[Nancy_G]

Hugh !! Michaelangelo's David, his Pieta....... all the great statues of the ages...... carved from marble. Hand tools, no power.

Just joking, but I never did think about carving marble. If I had put the old brain in gear maybe.