[Thomp]

Just wondering about carature size,

Since my carving is done when the moode hits me and my wood purchace is on a impulse while the mood is still in me
Im limited by size of materials (basswood blocks at local hobbie shop)
Im forced to carve most caratures less than 4 inches tall, Although for $45.00 i can buy a 4x6 block 12 " tall, limited by budget ret.

All woods have their own charistics and i have tried to carve many different species from local area, while i love one for ease of carving the texture is pithy, or its too hard and sharpening is a frequency i loose intrest in carving soon after,

any suggestions on a alternate medium localy available in the us southern gulf regon ?

thanks for input

[Mitchell]

Thomp,

Your best bet is to order some Northern Basswood. You can get it mailed to you at a better price than you are currently paying. There are MANY sources - if you get any woodcarving magazines (Woodcarving Illustrated is preferred ) they should have plenty of listings. Many have web sites. I'll put a few here, but am not endorsing any - just providing options.

www.heineckewood.com
www.woodcarvers.com Smoky Mountain Woodcarvers
www.carvingwood.us
www.slimswoodshed.com

Another excellent way to get wood AND a pattern is to order some rough outs. Most of these are good quality wood.

I do not throw away much.....and sometimes carve in 1/4" square pieces from 1-4" tall. I really like carving in 3/4" - 1" square from 2-5 in length". I can carve about any type of caricature within those dimensions.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

How about cypress or tupelo?

[Big_Al]

http://www.heineckewood.com/ This is where I purchase my basswood. It is the best you can get. Try a 3 x 8 x 24 for about $15.00 plus about $5.00 freight. You can get 6 nice 8" caricatures from this piece. Big Al

[Thomp]

Most of the carvings i do are small, 2x2x4 or so basswood bought in a accortment pack from michaels and hobbie lobbie, where there are usualy 2 blocks and many 1/2x1/4x8" and some flat 1/16" x3"x8" pieces a fwe 1/2x1/2x8" and somw 1/4x1/4x8 im building quite a collection of the small pieces,thinking of glue ups,


big al
i looked at that web site, and am thinking of giving them a try, you just dont know ordering over the internet, just who will be enjoying your paycheck...

Hi_Ho,
I have carved and love to carve cypress knees, although all the woods round here is posted off and its getting hard to sneak in there any more,

tuper gumm as its called round here is just too wastefull, the log is of no use, and to cut down a 40 year old tree just seams to wastefull to do for a little free carving wood, plus the year of drying time,
although tupergum is favorite of local decoy carvers, ill have to look for some of them guys or a pulpwood hauler. localy

Mitchell

Thanks for the links, and i too do some miniture carving, but the smaller they are the bigger the mistakes seam,, haha

thanks again guys for all the good info. '

[Big_Al]

Re; buying on the internet. Heineke products are so trustworthy, they send you the wood - THEN SEND A BILL. Big Al
l

[Thomp]

Big_Al

thanks for the information on Heineke's products trustworthy-ness

My intention in the before mentioned internet security statement wasent ment to discredit any reasonably good merchant, And im not against internet transactions, but you never know just what your going to wind up buying.

I been studying the basswood blocks they offer and im thinking one of each at this moment.... ha!

about $50 bucks might cover it ....

[Shimmy]

You can't beat Heinecke's for quality and price.I am dealing with them for yrs.

[Kenny_S]

Ya might try this site. Mostly use the phone and they are nice people to deal with and prompt also. Good prices. Order after Wed .


http://www.basswoodproducts.com/catalog_7.html

[dart]

I usually just use a piece of pine 2"x4" construction grade or whatever else I can get. I have some firewood in the backyard, mayberry, oak, ash, maple, locust, and some I don't know what it is, that I will split into pieces to carve. I tried basswood and poplar. Both seemed too hard and narly for me. I don't care much for cedar either. It's soft and causes a rash. Pine has its faults as far as pitch and knots go. But I've been whittling it all my life and I guess I'm used to it and know what to expect from it. I have some spalted maple pieces that I've been drying for a year or more. They seem to carve nicely. I like tulip but I haven't been able to get anymore of it for a long time. It's considered a "weed" in my area and it's destroyed quickly when it's young by cutting or poisoning. So it is scarce.