[Muircheartach]

Hi all!

Just posting an introduction - I'm glad that I found you! I decided to join after I found several articles I can use.

To be brief, where woodworking in concerned, I love carving and boat building. Most of my hand-carving projects are pieces that I use while trail hiking (staffs and rods) or pieces for boats (cabin details) and hull number plates.

That's it for now - I look forward to hearing from you!

[Irishman]

Nice to meet you Robbie. Your picture reminds me of the Cape Breton highlands here in Nova Scotia. Look forward to seeing your carving pictures.
Patrick

[Donna_T]

Robbie,
Welcome to the message board. Hope you find inspiration here. If you have questions, you can either post a new question, or scroll back through several years' of postings to see if the question has been asked and answered already.

It's quite chilly and rainy here in the Midwest, but there's always a warm welcome here on this site.

Donna T

[pallin]

Welcome, Robbie,
You'll find lots of encouragement for your carving interests at this site. Take time to browse through some of the Carvers Galleries, especially among the type of carvings you like (perhaps whittling).
I'm a fellow Californian - in the mtns northeast of Bakersfield. Some of my carving got started while hiking and camping - mostly neckerchief slides while I was a Scoutmaster.
Again, welcome.
Phil Allin

[Muircheartach]

Hello and thank you Patrick, Donna and Phil for your welcome - it's most appreciated!

Patrick, your Cape Breton area is very charming indeed, but the photo is of North Antrim in Northern Ireland - 'tis a beautiful place also!

And Donna, I've taken your advice and I'm finding a wealth of info in previous posts! I'm glad there's so many carvers around and now I'm rather sad that I didn't join your forum earlier.

I appreciate the encouragement Phil, and perhaps like you, I started carving when I was in the Cub Scouts, then proceeded through scouting and into adulthood. Your area of The Golden State is nice, however, since my wife and I are now confirmed weather wimps, we must stay where the temps hardly go above 85F in the summer and stay "somewhat" warm in the winter (I can't complain about 50F during the day, since KC was normally in the 20's...).

Thanks all for making me feel welcomed - I'm looking forward to really enjoying this site!

Have a great week!

[slather]

Welcome Robbie, I see that some good people have made you feel at home. looking forward to seeeing your work
Al

[Mottles]

Welcome Robbie, hubby and I moved from Northern California about 5 years ago. We had a boat we kept at a Marina in Bethal Island in the Delta. I often thought our cabin teak would look great with some carved pieces. Alas, at that time never did I think I'd be carving now, then I was only painting. Did do some small paintings for the galley and aft cabin. Miss that boat.
Hope to see some of your carvings,
Kathy

[Muircheartach]

Thanks for your welcome, Al and Kathy - it's much appreciated!

I'm working on a shepherd's crook now with a Welsh ram's horn on top of the wood staff that has a real nice double curl to it. I certainly hope I get it right - if I do, you can be sure I'll take lots of pictures of it and post the best one. Before working the wood, I'm sanding down the horn - you would not believe how hard this has been! I've never made a staff before with a horn on top and probably won't do it again, but it is starting to look good. I hope once the horn is just right, the wood will be easier to complete. If not, I guess I'll have more ash kindling...

I will also be carving the staff, but that will be over a period of time and I will more than likely be using it during the carving. Once complete, I'm going to use CPES to penetrate the wood and hopefully make it last longer under hard use.

I can see that I'm starting to run on about this, so I'll end this post now!