[Dull Knife]

are on this forum and what brand of tools are you using??
When I started carving about 20 years ago, I said I'd NEVER power carve. I thought that true wood carvers were the ones that used knives. I still do some with knives, but after a life time of working with my hands, and sometimes abusing my hands, I finally I had to go power carving.
I use a 1/3 hp Mastercarver, with the stealth hand piece, this one doesn't use the dreaded collets....it makes carving soooo much easier. As far as the dust is concerned, I carve over a suction unit that I built into a work bench. This unit collects almost all of the dust, and I wear a "Dust Be Gone" mask that gets the fine stuff, hanging in the air.

[Eddy Smiles]

I'm still at the point that you were 20-years ago. I have a Dremel on hand in the event that I get in trouble but I rarely use it. As for dust I only use power tools outside and wear respiratory protection.

[fortysomething]

For me the type of carving dictates whether I use the power or hand tools. I enjoy using a power carver when carving fish or birds, but prefer gouges and knives for most other carving. I too have the Mastercarver with several hand pieces. I have a dust collector built into an old bench that connects to my shop’s dust collection system.

I prefer the peaceful quiet of hand carving, but sometimes power works better, at least for me.

[Paul_Guraedy]

I am a power carver because I use power. I am a non-power carver because I use hand tools. I am not sure what I am!

I cannot think of a single carving that I have done that did not involve both. At a minimum I have used knives on pieces that were otherwise completed with power and have used scotchbrite pads to clean out carvings that were done with only handtools. It is the carving that is important to me not the methodology.

As far as power tools are concerned I have: 2 foredoms (flex shaft and micromotor), 2 optimas, and an automach. I also burn on nearly all of my carvings and have "The Detailer" for that. Although I don't use it too much (due to lack of skill not lack of desire) I occasionally use a Paasche airbrush for painting.

[susieq]

I started out as a gouge carver in 1992 and still have my gouges. I could never part with them. But I started using some power around 1995. A Dremel with the fllex shaft. Then Father Christmas brought me a Foredom SR unit in late 95. Shortly after that I invested in a Foredom 1045 micromotor and found myself carving only with power. About two years ago my husband found a large Dremel flex shaft unit equal in size and power to the Foredom units, at a moving sale, new in the box. I have since learned they quit making this unit about 10 years ago but it runs good.

There is an IV hanger from medical surplus standing by my work bench. It holds 4 IV bags....or 4 flexshaft units. There is the large Dremel, the Foredom SR unit (with 1/4" collets, one for a kutzal and one for a sanding drum) and two small Dremels ( 1/8 collet & 3/32 collet) hanging from this thing. (I hate changing collets) Clamped to the end of the work table is an extendable arm with a table on it (for computer monitors). The arm folds up and swivels too. The micromotor sits on that. I can pull it over to me, use it and then push it out of the way. I still have work bench surface underneath it to put more stuff....

The work bench has an "IN LAP" dust collector attached to it and I wear a Dust Bee Gone mask. There is something to be said for the peace and quiet of gouge carving though..........
susieq

[Dull Knife]

Originally Posted by Eddy Smiles

I'm still at the point that you were 20-years ago. I have a Dremel on hand in the event that I get in trouble but I rarely use it. As for dust I only use power tools outside and wear respiratory protection.

Ahhhhh the wonderful Dremel tools......I've used them too, for many, many years, buying the first around 37 years ago when I was building model airplanes. I just threw a no. 395 away because it burned up....gee, how I hated to let it go, but it was shot. I hope that the 395 is still available...??

[susieq]

Hi Dull Knife,
I don't know if they still call it the model 395 but the tool hasn't changed a lot over the years. They did change the shaft a few years ago and not for the better..... I like the erganomics of the hand piece but it is no longer skinny at the business end and therefore does not get into tight places like the old version. Luckily I still have several of the older version shafts around.

The Dremel is still a 5 speed high speed tool. I think they are rated at 30,000 rpms. Nice combination of high speed and power....good for detailing if you don't own a micromotor, but also good for a little bit of hogging if you don't own a Foredom, which is why I always recomend them to folks who want to try power. It isn't an investment that will break the bank and you should be able to decide from this tool, if power carving is for you or not. Even with all the other stuff I have, the Dremels get nearly as much use as anything else.
susieq

[Alice in Wonderland]

I am a totallllll Powercarver(in) I could not carve anymore if I had to use my hands so what does it matter ?? it is the end result ,isn't it???
Alice

[Donna_T]

Looks like I'm in about the same boat. A lot of my carvings are done totally by hand--especially til I get to the cleanup stage when I use Scotchbrite or Scotch discs. However, if I'm carving birds or fish, they done almost totally by power.

I have an old Foredom that I bought at an auction and added a smaller handpiece. I also have a flex-shaft Dremel--an old standby and probably 10 years old or more. Also in my bag of tricks is a little Dremel Mini Mite that I use for cleanup or touch up. When doing birds, after roughing out with the Foredom, I usually switch to an awesome Ram Micro Motor, which I love. It's small handpiece and neglible vibration is easy on my old hands. For burning, I use a Colwood Cub that I've had for about 12 years and it still works great.

I still think that you're a carver whether or not you do everything with knives and gouges or use power.

Donna T

[Eddy Smiles]

"I still think that you're a carver whether or not you do everything with knives and gouges or use power." Donna... Your statement brings on some Dejevu! There was another post earlier this year where I believe just about everyone on the forum piped in concerning "what does the term, "hand carve" conotate." The answers were all over the board and I'm not sure whether a concensus was actually reached or not. Personally, I don't think that it really matters... what matters is that you enjoy what you do....clear and simple. If you're not carving or painting or woodburning for the pure enjoyment of life then....something is missing.