help with patterns

[cedarshavings]

I have two questions here.
Does anyone have any other projects similar to the 5 minute wizard? I would like to find something I can work on that wont take too long from start to finish and I'm just not in to wizards that much.

Second question is how do you determine the correct size of wood to transfer a pattern on to? It seems like every time I try to do my own pattern and get it transferred to a piece of wood, when I get the roughcut done it is still way too big. Is that because I'm not using my band saw correctly and cutting the demensions just right or what? For example if I were going to carve a caricature 7" tall with an arm or leg protruding past the width of the body. My roughouts never seem to be what I need them to be.

Thanks
Steve

[Bill Anderson]

u tube whittler 0507's channel. also the gene has some tutorials on this site you might like.

[Claude]

I agree; Gene's videos have lots of different projects are all aimed at the beginning carver. A lot of them are also fun for those of us who would like to think we are no longer beginners.

As to the 5 minute wizards...paint the hat red and they become 5 minute Santas... They make great Christmas ornaments. In fact, if you go up to the green bar and click on "Search" then enter the keyword ornament
you'll find lots and lots of projects.

Claude

[BobT]

It sounds like Arlene's new Santa videos may be something like you are asking for.

YouTube - carverswoodshop's Channel

BobT

[Eddy-Smiles]

Steve...

PM me your regular email address and I'll send you a couple of patterns.

As far as cutting your patterns out.... When I start a project I approach it from the point of what size wood do I have to work from...i.e... 2"x2", 3"x3", 4"x4" Then I use my computer to take a pattern and size it to fit on that piece of wood. I like to use Microsoft Publisher because you can scale it down to the 1/8" and if you lay the front, side, and back views side by side it's almost impossible to make a mistake. Once you have them laid out, print them on card stock and then cut them out with shears. I always allow about 1/16" from the line for cleaning up saw marks and imperfections.

[therandallknight]

with the same size piece of wood try doing a ball in cage . I do that when I don't know what to carve and I have a small piece.

I'm not sure what you mean with the pattern thing. Try doing just side of the carving , like the side. You might then find after you have cut the profile you can " eyeball " the width and cut it down

[cedarshavings]

I think my problem with cutting the roughout after transferring the pattern on wood is just lack of experience. I've done a couple of small projects (bird, fish, dog) with no problems but with caricature people, I've just had problems. You know like with a bent leg or extended arm. I really don't know why, I'll get the hang of it soon.

Thanks for all the advice.

Steve

[therandallknight]

maybe you're trying to rough out to much. Some carvings that have the legs or arms separate require very little work on the band saw and more work with the chisel and mallet. THEN you can move on to the knives and palm gouges