Tricks to roughing out?

[subsi]

Hey all, Im still a very green carver but I have found it very enjoyable. I kinda discovered it for myself here at this site and so far have a few books and beginners projects under my belt. Anyway one thing that I am having alot of trouble with is cutting out a rough out with a ban-saw. I dont have alot of experience with bandsaws, which might be part of the problem, but I cant figure out the best way to cut a 3D shape from a block. I can cut out the profile without to much problem, but when i get to the front of the peice, I dont understand how to. Say for instance Im wanting to carve a figure, and have a profile cut, whats the best way to saw down the the access from the shoulders the the head, or the curve of a leg that meets up to the bottem of a shirt that sticks out further than the legs, and keep it even? Im not good enough yet to just carve it out and keep it pretty well even looking, and i have tried drawing lines on the front of a peice only to have it come out very uneven. I hope I explained my delimma well enough and thanks for any help.

BTW Im am using patterns from harley refsal's Art & Technique of Scandinavian Style Woodcarving

[Mimi]

When you have bandsawed the figure in one dimension, it is sometimes helpful to put part of the waste piece back in place to provide a stable base for cutting in the next dimension. Tape it on if necessary.

[Dicky]

Mimi just revealed the secret.

[kdispoto]

You have to check out Lynn Doughty's blog.
OutWestWoodCarving
especially the archives In a few of them he demonstrates how he does it.

[Mitchell]

Here's a previous discussion along those lines: Much help need with blank and pattern

I believe there have been other posts that also dealt with the subject. I'll try to find them.

One safety note: Always keep the blank flat on the table when sawing.

[SlowMover]

You can also find some videos on UTube about this. One secret is to not remove too much wood. leave some extra around the lines of your pattern so you can carve down to the desired area, not finding yourself with too little wood in a critical spot. Just like carving, this skill also requires a lot of practice...I am still learning this skill myself, would hate to count the number of times I have had to redo a blank to get it right.

[BeaverDon]

Originally Posted by kdispoto

You have to check out Lynn Doughty's blog.
OutWestWoodCarving
especially the archives In a few of them he demonstrates how he does it.

The technique mentioned here works great. One thing, if you are inexperienced with a band saw, it does involve some "backing out" on a cut. If it was a curved cut, you need to be careful not to pull the blade out of the guides. I suggest turning off the saw first. for bottom of shirt/robe/jacket cuts you mention, careful layout is the key. Use a compass or ruler and cut your horizontal line first and back out. Then make the long cut to meet it.

[Claude]

This is all good advice.

Using masking tape, tape the cut-off pieces back in place after you cut the profile. This allows the block to have a flat surface touching the band saw table.

As you are cutting, when you come to the end of cut, TURN OFF THE SAW and let the blade come to a stop before you back it out of the cut. Trust me...you really don't want to have the saw blade come off the wheels because you pulled it out of alignment! The minimum damage is it destroys the blade... Now, while you are backing the blade out, especially on curved cuts, it will tend to pull the blade out of it's guides - just hold a wooden pencil or a dowel against the teeth of the blade to keep it in place while your other hand guides the wood. On a long cut, you may find the wood "closing up" behind the blade. If this happens, stick a toothpick or small wedge shaped piece of scrap into the slot at the start of the cut before trying to back the blade out.

Claude

[subsi]

Thanks for all the tips everyone. This site and fourm has been the biggest help for me and I really do appreciate it

[kdispoto]

I just found this on the WCI home page - hope it helps....
Woodcarving Illustrated - How To Magazine for Carvers - Sawing Carving Blanks