[Ron D]

i read this somewhere but cantremember where.but they were washing there carvings with water and some kind of soap before finishing them.does anyone here do this?

ron

[Hugh]

Ron if your cleaning a bird carving, (before burning) use denatured alchol, spray it on, let it dry, and sand with very fine sandpaper. I also use an air hose after the final burning I use the air hose to blow it clean of all residue.

[Just Carving]

DAWN dish detergent. It'll will remove just about all of the dirt, oil, pencil marks, etc. off the wood.

[Mitchell]

When using a soap or dish detergent, I rinse with water first.....the soap will sometimes affect the painting later if it's absorbed directly into the wood.

[Ron D]

thanks guys i no i read about washing the carving but couldn't remember how.
where do you buy that alchol hugh i looked around here but couldnt find it.i seen that you use that when i was doing the grey jay from your article in carving magazine

[Kenny_S]

Ron, I believe it wa "Simple Green" That was mentioned. I have not used it but have started washing with Veggie brush and a little "Dawn", then rise and pat dry with Paper Towell.

[Ashbys]

Ron,

I know that the laser carving are being washed, perhaps carving is not really the word , more like extream wood burning , but to remove the carbon reside , they are washing them in water and using brushes to clean them...

Wonder why so many of them warp ,,,

:snicker

Ash

[Hugh]

Ron I belive that Home Hardware carries the denatured alcohol. But I buy mine at the Walmart or Johnsons Hardware in Calais Maine. I use it because it dries very quickly, and also hardens the surface of the wood. After carving and sanding a goup of feathers, I use the denatured alcohol and resand with real fine sand paper. Also if you use a stone to texture the surface of non flight feathers, use a real fine spray of the alcohol over the texturing, real fine sand paper again, and then do your burning. No denatured alcohol after you burn the feathers. Besides raising the grain, it cleans any oil residue off the wood.

[Claude]

I use an ordinary liquid hand soap and an old toothbrush. Dampen the carving under the faucet, put some liquid soap in your palm, dip the toothbrush in, and scrub away. Takes off the oils, pencil marks etc. After scrubbing, I rinse, wipe dry on a towel, and either let dry naturally, or if I intend to immediately paint, hit it with a hairdryer.

Claude