Bases For Wood Carvings

[Mottles]

Hi All:

QuestionI need to purchase a base for my 'Old Rain In The Face' carving. Can anyone recommend a business that makes good quality wooden bases? Most likely you all make your own....I need one that will be at least 3-5" tall and oval.
I could leave him without a base, but for stability purposes I think a base would be good.
Any suggestions where to look would be appreciated....I am in the process of doing Online searches too.
Thank you for your help,
Kathy
He is 14" Tall--flat on the backside

[Sharon of the Dell]

How about cutting a piece of limb of something? Sometimes limbs are oval shaped. I don't know where to buy bases.

[Donna_T]

Kathy,
Randy Moore of Moore's Roughouts in the Dakotas has quite a few bases in stock...mostly unfinished....and he enjoys cutting walnut in unusual shapes so you might try him. Also, I ordered several walnut bases from MDI carving supply this past spring and they were beautiful, although not 4" thick. He told me if I needed special sizes to let him know.

Another suggestion....I've taken a block of wood and shaped and sanded it really well and spray painted it black. Used emery cloth on it and wiped it well and sprayed it again--3-4 coats. When dry, I sprayed it with a high gloss clear coat and it made a great base--like ebony. This is especially effective to not detract from your carving and it's hard to get great chunks of wood like walnut. (If you're in an area where you can get scraps of Corian, they cut well with a saw and can look like a piece of marble on a wooded base--making a really great presentation. Another thing I've done is go to a trophy shop to see if they have any discarded or leftover bases. I've gotten some really good thick bases this way for a fraction of what they would cost otherwise.

Good luck!
Donna T

[Mottles]

Hi Ladies, thank you both for the suggestions. I checked Moore's site and unless I'm not looking in the right place I didn't see any bases. I will head over to MDI and have a lookie see.
Sharon, I thought of doing that very thing which I won't rule it out.

I'm going to revise my base size--down sizing the height. Our new Home Depot opens here this Thurdsday. So I think I'll go see if they have any oak, walnut sizes that might be workable.

Thanks again,
Kathy

[Mark N. Akers]

Kathy:
I get the Blue Ribbon Bases from MDI Woodcarving supplies their web address is MDI Woodcarvers Supply they are really good bases,they also have their own brand that is a little cheaper.

[Mottles]

Originally Posted by Mark N. Akers

Kathy:
I get the Blue Ribbon Bases from MDI Woodcarving supplies their web address is MDI Woodcarvers Supply they are really good bases,they also have their own brand that is a little cheaper.

Thanks Mark, I just completed my order to MDI for a base. I believe Donna recommended them too.

Thanks everyone!

[Canopener]

Kathy,
I can rough cut you some oak or juniper from the wood pile if you would like. I even have a lancelot for my grinder to get it close? I would pick out some show worthy pieces, not too rustic.
Other than that; nice carving and paint job, as usual.
Jim