What is heavy grain?

[argoodoleboy]

Hi,

As I am sure you all get tired of hearing I am new to carving and have some questions. First off this forum is great I don't have a lot of woodcarving around me so sources to ask and find out information are very limited. I have been able to answer a hundred questions or more just by searching through the threads. I am just fixing to buy me a few tools to start with. I really seem to like the relief carving of landscape, farm and wildlife or nature. I live in arkansas so wood seems to be a problem. I like many posts I have seen have looked at lowes and home depot to find poplar, whitewood and red oak. I have come to the conclusion that poplar may be where I start, but I read a post that had a reply about staying away from heavy grain wood. While I am a country boy I guess that is some that I dont quite understand. So do I need tight grain, wide grain. Just needing a little more explanation before i make the plunge. Also anything I have said that you have better ideas or any other suggestions I am open to all of them.

Thanks,
Colby

[Donsexton]

I can tell you that red oak has open grain that looks great for stylized carvings with just suggested detail, but for extreme fine detail it is not so good.

[Wingnut]

Oak I believe is a heavy grain wood

[mpounders]

I have enjoyed carving poplar, but I order my basswood from Heinecke....really reasonable. You ought to contact these guys who are in your area:

North Arkansas Woodcarvers
Jay Nottingham
2706 McCracken Ridge Rd
Mountain Home, AR 72653
US
(870)431-7726
carvinj@mymtnhome.com

North Arkansas Woodcarvers
Richard Todd
PO Box 531
Mountain Home, AR 72654
US
(870)481-6070

Their club sponsers a show every year and it also has vendors selling tools and wood.

[Claude]

My interpretation of "heavy grain" would be something with wide variation between the "soft" part and the "hard" part, such as pine. Basswood, in contrast, has almost no differentiation. The woods such as pine (i'm thinking construction pine 2 x 4's ) and fir are difficult to carve, IMHO, because your knife/gouge will have to go from a really hard part into a really soft part, then back into hard, etc. Poplar is similar to basswood in it's grain structure, but is quite a bit harder than basswood.

Claude

[argoodoleboy]

Thank you all for your comments. I hope to have more questions and hopefully a picture of project before long. Colby