Question about carving on the grain

[jillsy]

I just realized something. If I cut out arms separately and then attach to the body.......how should I draw the arms on the wood?

Should the grain be going up and down, or across the arm?

I once drew a sheep with the grain going across the body. I thought this seemed like the right thing to do. Was I wrong! I then tried it with the wood going up and down the body and it cut like butter. It seems strange to do this with an arm. What do you think?

[Claude]

Assuming the elbow is bent, then I'd say you get the most strength, over all, if you do the arm so both the upper arm and lower arm are at 45 degree angles to the wood grain. I f the arm is not bent, or at least not bent much, then the grain should be in the direction of the upper arm, as that one has to support all the weight of itself and the lower arm...
Claude

[Thomp]

jillsy,
the grain in your sheep should have went from the back through the feet, being the feet are the most frail, the longer the fibers the stronger the item if given a choice..

the grain of the wood in a straight arm should run shoulder to fingers,

if i was to make a arm bent at the elbow i would make the grain run from elbow through the fingers if possible to support fingers, and if that wasn't possible i would carve the hand and fingers as a separate piece and add it into the sieve on the end of the arm...

its not always possible to follow the rule to support the weakest part of the carving with grain structure, maybe due to the amount of wood you have or the position you carve the item in, just do what you can with the thought of what could pop off...

if iv made this clear as mud or really confusing maybe somebody could translate for me...

good luck...

[jillsy]

OK, think I got it. Sounds like the grain should go long-ways (shoulder to finger). That makes sense.

Thanks!