Starting quantity of wood

[Patrick]

As some of you may know I’m just beginning in wood carving and now want to order a minimum starting supply of good Basswood as I prepare to learn carving.

I’ve decided that I’ll make my first order with Heineken Wood in Cumberland, WI. I’ve been reading good things about Heineken in the forums and it turns out they're located only 130 miles north of me.

The question I have is what size block or blocks and quantity I should order to have a reasonable amount on hand as I start out. I do have a 12” band saw in the shop and a very good resaw blade. So, do I order bigger cross section block(s) and resaw as needed or buy a selection of sizes? I would appreciate any thoughts you all may like to offer.

Thanks very much for your time.

[Dan S]

I'd suggest ordering no more than you will use in about three months. At least where I live woods dry out. As for sizes, it depends entirely on what you want to carve.

Good luck!

Dan

[Patrick]

Hi Dan,

That makes sense. After posting last night I thought ’What a difficult question to ask. To many variables in that.’ Sure sign of a ‘I don’t know what I’m doing bloke.’ So, it sounds like I should have a project or two in mind and then make the order. Does one need to store the smaller pieces in something like a plastic box in a cool, dry place to slow the drying out?

I did find that Michaels in Onalaska, WI carries small quantities of Kiln Dried Basswood .5 x .5 up to 4”x 4” in 10” lengths from a place called Walnut Hollow in Dodgeville, WI. I have no idea where they get their wood from. There was a 1.5” x 3.5” x 10” block that looked good to my unschooled eye that I did buy. A bit spendy I thought at 8.99 but I had a 50% off coupon with me that helped push me over the top. I’ll leave it at that for now.

My plan is to band saw a 1/2” strip from that for doing Gene Messer’s axe project as my first carving project. That strip should give me enough for at least two attempts I think. I need to go back and check Gene’s video to see the dimensions to be sure.

Thanks Dan. Good stuff. I imagine that those of you that have been at this a while may get a little tired of beginners asking the same old questions. I think wood carvers must have a bit of patience.

Pat

After thought: Then again I may need to rip a larger piece than ½” to make sure I have the best grain orientation for the axe. That’s something I need to remember to keep in mind and learn as I pick a project. I’ll surf the forum and see what I can locate that will help me understand grain direction more.

[Lynn O. Doughty]

Most of the caricature books gear their patterns to 2" thick stock. but that limits you to a figure thats standing straight. I'd order 3" thick wood out of which you can get your 2" when you need it and on the occasion you need something thicker you have that too. As for storing wood I'll disagree with my good friend Dan a bit. I have wood on hand that I bought 15 years ago and it's just as soft now as it was when I bought it....maybe softer! I carve quite a bit so I keep large stocks of it on hand from 1/2" up to 6". As for length I'd suggest 24" which will cover any figure from 1" to 15" with plenty left over for heads, arms, legs, or anything else you might want to carve. As for quality, Heineke is the best source hands down. Soft and clear and most important consistent.

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by Lynn O. Doughty

Most of the caricature books gear their patterns to 2" thick stock. but that limits you to a figure thats standing straight. I'd order 3" thick wood out of which you can get your 2" when you need it and on the occasion you need something thicker you have that too. As for storing wood I'll disagree with my good friend Dan a bit. I have wood on hand that I bought 15 years ago and it's just as soft now as it was when I bought it....maybe softer! I carve quite a bit so I keep large stocks of it on hand from 1/2" up to 6". As for length I'd suggest 24" which will cover any figure from 1" to 15" with plenty left over for heads, arms, legs, or anything else you might want to carve. As for quality, Heineke is the best source hands down. Soft and clear and most important consistent.

Thanks for that Lynn. I’ll get an e-mail off to Heineke and order up a 3 x 3 x 24 as you suggest. That should get me underway for sure.

BTW, ran across your Gabby postings in the last few days. Wonderful, wonderful work. Just Grand! I find myself looking more and more at caricature carvings which is were I’m headed I believe. Have been thinking the next book I buy will be one that will give me a foundation in caricature work. I would love to be able to do an acceptable WW I aviator one of these days. I’m beginning to wonder why I’ve waited so long to get into carving. One of the barbers where I get my hair cut does great carvings, mostly caricatures, and recently after talking to her during my last hair cut we started talking about how I always thought I’d take a class one day. She then mentioned she would be teaching an up and coming evening beginners class at a local technical college. Well that’s what started the fire. Enough, I go on to much. Just getting more excited every day. Cape Forge should be getting my order for my first carving knife today. I can hardly wait.

[Lynn O. Doughty]

I'd suggest starting with the books most of us started with.....Harold Enlow's Carving Figures in the Ozark Style.

[Gulf Coast Handyman]

Originally Posted by Patrick

Thanks for that Lynn. I’ll get an e-mail off to Heineke and order up a 3 x 3 x 24 as you suggest. That should get me underway for sure.

BTW, ran across your Gabby postings in the last few days. Wonderful, wonderful work. Just Grand! I find myself looking more and more at caricature carvings which is were I’m headed I believe. Have been thinking the next book I buy will be one that will give me a foundation in caricature work. I would love to be able to do an acceptable WW I aviator one of these days. I’m beginning to wonder why I’ve waited so long to get into carving. One of the barbers where I get my hair cut does great carvings, mostly caricatures, and recently after talking to her during my last hair cut we started talking about how I always thought I’d take a class one day. She then mentioned she would be teaching an up and coming evening beginners class at a local technical college. Well that’s what started the fire. Enough, I go on to much. Just getting more excited every day. Cape Forge should be getting my order for my first carving knife today. I can hardly wait.

You have gotten some very good advice above. I just got my first Cape Forge knife for fathers day and I love, it is a top quality knife. Three more things you may need to start carving is a carving glove and thumb guard, also a strop with compound. Have fun !

Dave

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by Gulf Coast Handyman

You have gotten some very good advice above. I just got my first Cape Forge knife for fathers day and I love, it is a top quality knife. Three more things you may need to start carving is a carving glove and thumb guard, also a strop with compound. Have fun !

Hi Dave,

Thanks for that. I believe I read one of your posts the other day when I was surfing the forum look for testimonials about knives and ran across your enthusiasm about your new Cape Forge. The more I looked the more I decided I wanted one of theirs to start off. And since you mentioned the important supporting items I’ll list what I have coming from Cape Forge.

Standard Carving Knife #1 blade 1 ¼” long with standard handle
Leather knife sheath
Strop & Compound
Joy of Sharpening booklet
Kevlar Glove
Roll of Finger Tape (for wrapping the carving hand thumb. I’ll probably order a leather thumb guard too the next time I make an order with someone who stocks them.)

I appreciate you mentioning those important items especially the safety related. As one author stated ‘Don’t put anything in front of the blade that bleeds.’

Again, thanks very much Dave.

[Whittled Thumb]

I got my first order from there and I love the wood that comes from there. I found a sell on some basswood at an art store going out of business and that wood was crap! The Henike stuff tended not to dry up. I keep my wood in my garage thats environmentally controlled, but the art store wood just crackles apart.....My advise for practice, get the PRACTICE STICKS, they are about 2 x 2 x 12, and watch Genes tutorials on making hillbillies.....you will learn this way!

Good luck

[Claude]

I normally buy 3" x 6" by 12" blocks from Heinecke, 8 of them. Makes a cubic foot of wood that Dale has a perfect box for... I also have a bandsaw so I can re-saw the blocks into whatever size I need - most of my carvings are on 1" x 1" up to 2" by 2", but I have the option of doing something larger if I want.

Claude