Hogging Off

[Splinter]

What can I use to get rid of wood fast at the beginning of a project, so I can get down to business? I have used a #5 chisel, but it certainly takes a long time after cutting it with a band saw.......

[Donna_T]

Well, have you considered power? When I'm starting a big project that I'm starting from scratch, I first bandsaw the big chunks away. Then I get as big of a burr that can be used (I like Kutsalls or blue typhoon bullet shaped bits) to move wood down to the general shape of my carving. I use my pencil quite a bit to draw in the design, remove wood, then redraw, and keep repeating. I leave extra wood to allow for detailing.

When doing it all by hand, I just use a large Denny flat gouge and a large veiner (about 1/2"). I still use a pencil to keep drawing in the design so I don't take off too much wood in special spots.

As an aside, when the weather is good, I take my Foredom outside to use when roughing out a carving. I still use a mask, but it holds down on sawdust in the garage. I try to turn away from the wind so it helps blow the dust away from me and the carving.

Donna T

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

I like a bandsaw Happy

[Claude]

It obviously depends on the carving, both type and size. If you're making a 5 foot bear out of a log, then a chainsaw followed by a 25mm #3 gouge is probably best. If you're doing a Santa out of a 1.5 inch by 1.5 inch by 4 in piece of basswood, then a bandsaw and regular carving knife are probably all you'll need (On something like this, I often don't even bother with the bandsaw, because it takes time for me to set my bandsaw on the workbench - I have a really samll work area...)

Using a Monster Carbide cutter in a Dremel or Fordom is also a good choice, if you prefer power carving...

And, if you're not trying to do original work, you could always buy a roughout from many places on the web. These have all the waste wood already removed for you.

Claude

[Thomp]

I found when using my fordom like tool. that the rotory files for pistol drills, i think black and decker makes them as well as craftsman but you usualy pass them by becuse they look like junk,
the rotory files i use is a 1/4 shaft the working end is 1/2 x3/4 long cyclendrical or bullet shape, the cutting edeges look like they were center punch just pushing up mounds of steel then sharpened..
i found a picture posted below.. look at the 2 lower files.. in the package.. they limit in how much they will take off by the design they wont just keep on digging, they take off about a 1/8 scoop with each tooth if you hold them in one spot but if you really want to hog it off just rock the bit a little and it digs..

i find using a regular burr it digs too fast, for some applications or it grabs and tries to fight ot even get away from you.. this bit isent as aggressive, and very easy to controll...
if it gets away it dont damage as deeply as a rough burr

[Nancy-G]

After I cut my pattern out with my band saw I re-set the blade to 45* (degrees) and cut all 4 edges of the carving block. That removes a remarkable amount of "spare" wood".

Then I go to work with a power chisel - a Ryobi (no longer available) or an AutoMach.
I don't like a rotary tool because I seem incapable of using one ~sigh~.

[Just Carving]

I'm in no hurry so I use a 3/4" chisel and/or #3 gouge. I like making chips, and the tools going through the wood. It takes me a little longer but it's relaxing and I enjoy carving more. I'm not crazy about using power tools--too much noise, vibration, hassle, etc. I even cut my wood with a handsaw!

[Splinter]

Thanks for all the good suggestions! It's so great to be able to come here for information.

[Thomp]

bob i tried roughing out a 3x7x12" block to carve the chuckwagon cook out of with a copeing saw, i broke more blades in 3 days than i ever did learning to using a coping saw. im not particularly fond of using a power tool myself, but i do sometimes resort to it.

but i have found that others have the same problems as i do when after you have removed the bulk waste with a saw keeping the mental image of the actual carving in mind while pulling off the last of the bulk.. with palm gouge or roughing burr.
donna t was talking about redrawing the image constantly, a little work and redraw.. i thought i was the only one in the world that did that. till i read her pos t
but nancys post of turning the table to 45 and hogging off with a bandsaw.. great idea but for me i would loose arms and leggs due to my lack of ability to imagin where the charter is in the wood...
on smaller charters i use the scrollsaw which isent much different than nancys idea though....

[Just Carving]

Thomp,

That's an advantage of having to work slower when using hand tools as opposed to power tools--you'll more likely to take your time, and resketch as you carve. That's what I try to do. I'll do the side profile. Then I try to resketch what I cut off. But, sometimes I get so involved with carving the wood, I forget that I need a road map to get where I want to go! But eventually I'll get back on track and redraw my linework. Then I'll carve and redraw the front. When I'm pretty much done roughing the carving, then I'll start fine tuning the details. All the while I'm flipping back and forth from the wood to the sketches/patterns to see that I'm not going too far astray.

I'm working on one carving where I sketched a rough idea of what I wanted on all four sides of the block of wood, and then I made copies of the block on the copy machine. Now I have a permanent record of what I started with, and it's easy to revise my idea and put back what I want on the block as I go along.

It took me a bit of trial and error, and a quite a few tips coming from the kind and generous people here, to find my way to carving this way. So far, it's working. Now I'm working my way up to a little bigger blocks of wood as I get more confident. One other benefit of not working with power tools--more money to spend on hand tools!!! LOL

BTW--I tried the coping saw route too, and I work faster with the chisel or gouge then I do with a coping saw, and with better results. And like I said, for me, it's more relaxing, and that's one of the reasons I took up carving was to relieve stress. Carving takes me far, far away from the real world, and sometimes, I don't want to come back!