[OldNineFingers]

Well, here I am in Fredericksburg, Tx. at the Ladybird Johnson park and I am surrounded by members of the Texas Woodcarvers Guild. So I got curious. I went to the fairgrounds where they were having their semi-annual get together. After walking around and looking at all the cool stuff I was hooked. I bought a few things just to get started and then came back to the trailer. Well, I got more curious so I got on the computer and looked for anything related to woodcarving and here I am. I just retired and my wife and I sold the house and hit the road. We are fulltime RVers and I had to sell all my woodworking tools and I was really needing a new hobby. This is going to fit perfectly. The only problem I am having now is that I will have to rebuy a lot of the stuff that I just got through selling. Oh well, such is the way of life. So hello everybody. My name is Ray and I will be checking in here regularly. If anybody has any advice for a new carver, bring it on. I'm all ears. Thanks,
Ray

[slather]

Welcome Ray, glad you joined us,. while you are travelling around the country ask at tourist info places in each city or town and get addresses for senior centers or community centers , most of these have carving clubs or info where there is one. check em out , you may find them interesting, plus they will have acsses to blanks or carving supplies

[Shannon]

Hello Ray - welcome!

As a new carver, I'd love to know what you find helpful and what you find frustrating. Obviously we want to attract new people to woodcarving, while also serving our loyal readers. It can be hard to keep balance. Last week I heard from two different readers - one said we don't have enough beginner articles, the other said we don't have enough stuff for intermediate carvers.

Have you read any books or articles that you found particularly helpful? What's the best piece of advice you've received from a fellow carver so far?

[Donna_T]

Welcome Ray,
I've been to the roundup in Friedricksburg a couple of times about 10 years ago. Aside from being a beautiful time of the year to be there, it's a great place to see lots of carvers and great instructors. If you're a permanent RVer, there seems to be lots of rv parks in Texas and Arizona where carvers tend to congregate and carve while the rest of us up north freeze all winter. There are also great carving clubs all over where you might stay awhile and take some beginner carving classes.

I don't know how you get your mail,but there's some great publications, like Wood Carving Illustrated, that will give you patterns, projects, lists of suppliers, upcoming carving shows around the country, and carving help. Chip Chats from the National Wood Carving Association in Ohio is another great source of ideas, photos, show and carving workshop into, and general help. THen, too, some professional woodcarvers have their own websites where you can get ideas. Depending on what kind of carving you want to do (relief, caricatures, animals, chip carving, flowers, realistic, etc.) there are just loads of books you can purchase for step-by-step instruction on carving and finishing.

I'd recommend staying long enough some place where there's a club that offers beginner carving classes. They will be a big help to a beginning carver and you will be able to see their tools and talk to them about where they get them, advantages of one type or brand over another, where they get their wood, finishing hints, and about everything you ever wanted to know about carving. All of those are things that are a challenge for a new carver.

Regardless, we are glad you found carving. It's a great hobby that can fill hours and hours of free time, and let you create great items for yourself and others.

Donna T

[Mottles]

Welcome, Ray how lucky to get to meet some members of the TWG, one day I hope to get to one of their events.
Carving is a wonderful hobby and carvers are the best.
Hope you enjoy WCI, cause the folks here are just super and so talented.
Kathy

[vacation212]

Hi Ray,glade to have you I am sure you will throughly enjoy woodcarving.

[OldNineFingers]

Originally Posted by Mottles

Welcome, Ray how lucky to get to meet some members of the TWG, one day I hope to get to one of their events.
Kathy

Kathy, they were all great folks. I would walk around the campground and if there was somebody outside carving I'd stop and say howdy and then start asking questions. Everybody was ready to give me answers and advice. I was so impressed with how friendly and helpful they all are. It seems that the men for the most part are the carvers and the wives would do the painting and if they weren't doing that they were making blankets and quilts. What a great group. Go to their website and see when their next get together is and try to go.
Ray

[Ron T]

Hello Ray,

Boy do I envy you. I spent five years full timing it and criss crossed the U.S. several times. What great memories. The best part of it was the people and especially when I got into carving. If you ever get into sticks, let me know and I'll tell you where to get some really great stuff. There's a lot of really nice mesquite in Texas and I got some nice yucca around Lobo, Alpine and El Paso. There's even twisty sticks around if you look closely.

Good luck and enjoy.

[Tom H]

Hey Ray, Be sure to keep on posting about your adventures; both in travel and carving. And don't forget the photos.

Tom H

[Kcubal]

Ray: Welcome to this group. Wood carvers are fine people, and you will have fun making small pieces out of big ones. Practice, practice, practice.. It's always fun. Also as you travel around you should find carvers traveling also. But what Al told you is very good info, senior centers and community centers are very good places to find wood carvers. I have a friend of mine that goes to three seniors centers in Southern California all three are meet once a week and on a different day of the week. He goes to each of the carving meetings. Keep on carving and have fun doing it. And yes keep us up to date an your carvings and travels. all the best to you. Lon