[artolver]

I wonder why is Basswood so desireable.....
I have been carving many years and Cottonwood bark is my favorite carve.
Cedars and Junipers are my favorite wood and Bass wood being low on my list.
ArtOlver

[Paul_Guraedy]

I believe that the choice of wood depends on what you are carving and how you are finishing as much as on personal preference. Basswood is a good all around wood because it is hard enough to hold detail, soft enough to carve easily with hand tools and the lack of grain is excellent for staining or painting. I, too, enjoy carving in cottonwood bark and cedar; but, only when I am using a natural finish and when the grain/color of the wood does not detract from the subject (I don't think birds do to well in cedar). Tupelo is making a big dent in the preference for basswood. Primarily by power carvers as it does not fuzz up as bad as basswood when using burrs.

[squbrigg]

Hey Paul, how is Cedar to carve? I have been asked to do a carving on a door, and was wondering how it holds detail? I know it's soft, but is splitting any worse than some other soft woods, Pine or Butternut, for example?

Bob

[Paul_Guraedy]

Originally Posted by squbrigg

Hey Paul, how is Cedar to carve? I have been asked to do a carving on a door, and was wondering how it holds detail? I know it's soft, but is splitting any worse than some other soft woods, Pine or Butternut, for example?Bob

YES! I really enjoy carving cedar; but, I now do it mainly with power. I guess if tools are kept exceptionally sharp, cuts are not made too deep, you hold your mouth just right, the wind is at your back and luck is with you, it won't split too badly. I have also found that it does not matter how long a piece of thick cedar has been curing, it will split on its own after the carving is finished.

Now, allowing for this, it is a beautiful wood and can be polished down to a mirror finish. Here is a cedar owl I carved quite a few years ago. It started out as lifelike in clay. While putting in the eyes, I started to think about the legend of ill befalling people who hear an owl call at night. I don't believe that these folks saw a feathered bird; so I deepened the eye sockets, pulled the "horns back" wiped out the feet and swept the wings back and named the piece "Night Messenger". Under normal light conditions (I took these with flash to show details), the eye sockets are shadowed. I also switched to cedar from the intended basswood. This piece is finished with several coats of tung oil.

[Irish]

I use basswood as my primary carving wood because my teaching is focused on beginner carvers. Basswood has such a fine grain that the new carver is not pushed off course by heavier grained woods. Plus it is soft enough that the new carver does not have to fight the cut or force the cut.

Over the years it has been my experience that many new carvers choke up on their tool grib, bear down (growl - see the grit teeth) on the push stroke and just plain force the cut because they don't yet have a feel of how the tools do the work for them.

Plain Jane basswood is perfect to learn your tools, learn your cuts and learn how to work through a design ... Once you have those basic skills than there is a whole world of wonderful woods to branch out into.

Susan

(I am sitting here remembering my very first carving ... it was a scrap end cut off a 2"x4" piece of framing lumber. Wish it had been basswood!)

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Well...its either Bass Wood or Crappie Wood LOL

[squbrigg]

Thanks Paul, interesting piece, beautiful finish! I've picked up some Red Cedar flower boxes that were on sale, and broke them down for practice wood. At $2 each, it was a no brainer. They looked rough, black, gray, ragged, but once I trimmed off 1/8" of the outside with the bandsaw, the wood under is gorgeous!!!

Basswood varies, I have some that's splintery and useless and other that is sweet as fudge. Must be the different North/South stock raising it's head again. The useless stuff came from Walmart and the sweet from a bulk lumber shop. Any wood can be carved, some just better than others.

Bob

[woodtrapper]

I to have never carved basswood but I know it the favorite.I recently posted a piece of yellow locust in the photo gallery. I thought it was poplar and was not that bad to carve.I do want to try some of the softer woods.

[AlArchie]

My bet on "Why Basswood"?, would be a combination of tradition, utility and availability.

From our European heritages, "linden", and it's North American equivalent, basswood, has been a traditional carving favorite among student carvers, and profesionals.

It is an extremely utilitarian wood, being used for both decorative and functional purposes. It's easily finished, in either stains, paint or various oils, stable when cured, safe for food storage and serving, fairly non allergenic, and due to the consistant (not lacking) grain patterns, fairly easily carved.

As a fairly fast growing tree, it provides a ready supply of large dimensioned lumber. It grows in a broad range of climates, so is readily available most anywhere in the country, although there will be some favor toward "northern" basswood.

None of this would seem to diminish the desireability of other woods for individual preferences, or for use demanding species specific qualities, such as color, grain structure, figure or durability.

Personal favorites, not withstanding, I'd bet that the good ole basswood will remain the general all around favorite of carvers for a long time.

Al

[Muad´Dib]

hi!! im sorry but no one can tell me what is the traduction for basswood in spanish... in Argentina we have Cedro, Paraiso, Roble, Lenga, Lapacho, etc... but i don´t konw what is basswood!!