My son wants to do a science fair project on wood carving. He doesn't know what to test. Should he examine the different types of wood and how it relates to the hardness? Would it be better to examine the freshness/dryness and carving? Any suggestions?( He needs to look at one variable and see how it relates to the constant (carving conditions,etc.)

He needs to do this in the next week. Any help would be most appreciated.

Boy, that is short notice for a science fair project. Â*Here's my 2 cents worth.

Trying to do a comprehensive project on that short notice on wood is going to be tough. Â*There are so many variables in diffeent types of wood, and then again in each individual piece of the same type of wood. Â*Just ask any carver and he/she will tell you of the nightmares and joys of carving EVERY type of wood. all of this input, however will be annecdotal, and not scientific, unless you are running an opinion poll, then it could be done scientifically.

If he has access to a rockwell hardness tester at school or from an outside source, he could make comparative measurements of various wood species, and similar comparisons of one wood that has been sawn differently; ie plain sawn vs. quartersawn vs. cut at different angles such as in rounds (pure end grain) and slabs (quartered end grain).

Perhaps he could do a comparative sampling of finishing properties; benefits of using different sealers, varnishes, lacquers, and how each is absorbed into the wood, paintability with and without primers, comparisons of appearance using different types of paint; ie acrylic, oil, latex, etc.

Or maybe an analasys of the different types of steel used in making carving tools. Â*Comparing the finished hardness of comercially produced tools (you'd need access to a Rockwell tester again) using the various steels used in their production.
For instance, several types of stainless steel, different carbon alloys, chromium and carbide steels, and then survey some carvers on their experiences with each.


As this is a science fair project, I'd set the whole project up using as a guidline the basic scientific method.

1. Identify a problem or state a position.

2. Collect all the available data.

3. Evaluate the data.

4. Form an hypothesis. Â*(an idea of why this is or isn't)

5. Test the hypothesis.

6. Re-evaluate and re-test if necessary.

7. Form a theory or final conclusion, and explain the process
Â* Â*used to develop this theory.

If he choses to go with the wood properties, you may be able to find comparative data at one of the wood laboratories at various universities and govenment agancies. Â*Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Mich. has an excellent forestery department that may be able to help. Â*Any one of the nations agricultural colleges may have good information. Â*I've also had very good responses on questions regarding wood use and properties from the US Forest Service Wood Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin. Â*They are extremely prompt and thorough in their response to inquiries.

Good luck, hope this helped!

Al