Good wood characteristics

Tarik · #1 06-07-2006, 04:20 PM

I'm always looking for wood, but here I can't find the same ones as you. So, I was guessing: What should I look in a good pieces of wood to carve?
As a hint, I like to do animal figures, but would be interesting to know what do you search in order to do something different too.

Ashbys · #2 06-07-2006, 04:30 PM

Tarik, since your already using power as well as hand tools, your choices are almost unlimited.
Carver here use about anything. If your using power to carve , the harder wood will be slightly eaiser as they will not cut quite as fast , but power does not have the same issuse that hand carving does.

Hand carving can work in almost any wood , just some are better than others. The hardwoods , oak , walnut , hickory , are slow to carve , so most hand carvers use other woods, basswood, ash , pine, and other woods of thaat consistancy. Since i do not know what woods are in your area it is impossible for me to suggest one being better than another.
If you wish to have it shipped to you you can get almost anything you want off of e-bay or a wood mill, if you want to have it shipped, in which case I would sugest basswood , as a good all round carving materal

Ash

Hi_Ho_Sliver · #3 06-07-2006, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarik

I'm always looking for wood, but here I can't find the same ones as you. So, I was guessing: What should I look in a good pieces of wood to carve?
As a hint, I like to do animal figures, but would be interesting to know what do you search in order to do something different too.

You have some kind of wood that is reasonably soft to carve, but I don't know the name of it, I have a set of dogs, dachsund's, that I believe are from south america and were scrollsaw...the wood looks very much like basswood..

woodcarver55555 · #4 06-08-2006, 02:38 AM

In another thread I asked you what type of wood you were using, and you answered me. My spanish is not to good so I could not make much of the link you left. I found the wood on an english site, and you are using a type of oak that grows year round. Oaks in the USA go dormant in our winter, the leaves fall off, and don't grow for a few months. I have carved some South American oak from tropical areas. Still has large open grain, but not as hard and lighter in weight. I found it to carve nice and have pretty grain pattern. I also get my hands on a South American wood called Banak, the place I got it from uses it for moulding. It carves much like basswood, but no fussies. I no not think Banak growes in Chille, but does grow on the west coast of South America.
You need to look for wood that has for the most part a tight grain, that does not twist around alot, and is soft to med hard. Good luck Duncan

wade clark · #5 06-08-2006, 09:51 AM

You can carve any wood. I've found beautiful wood for smaller projects salvaging it from shipping crates and pallets. It all carves. some of the harder woods are some of the more beautiful woods too.
In Florida some of the varieties of oak keep leaves all winter.
Wade

whitecree · #6 06-08-2006, 06:36 PM

Any kind of wood is good for carving, but generally, you want something that is straight grained with little or no knots and preferably free from checking or cracking.

Now, having said that, even the most twisted, knotted badly checked piece of wood has hidden beauty in it, and you will learn far more from carving a piece of crappy wood than a piece of nice wood.

Or did I misunderstand the question?

woodtrapper · #7 06-12-2006, 05:42 PM

Tarik, If you are exposed to wood that are different than the us just give some of it a try. That is how I found the rhodendren because where I live. Now I really love carving it.Just experiment a little bit.You may find something we all want.

Mryooper · #8 06-16-2006, 04:14 PM

[quote=whitecree]Any kind of wood is good for carving, but generally, you want something that is straight grained with little or no knots and preferably free from checking or cracking.

Now, having said that, even the most twisted, knotted badly checked piece of wood has hidden beauty in it, and you will learn far more from carving a piece of crappy wood than a piece of nice wood.

Or did I misunderstand the question?

Tell you hard maple isn't fun to carve by hand. I started and I quit with in 20 minutes. Looking at this one to be a long time to finish!!