NG Carvings

ngcarvings · #1 02-08-2008, 04:14 PM

Greetings fellow carvers. I'm new to this site and need some information. First, a little about myself, I'm a disabled lady that needed something to do with my time, so started with the glass etching with a sandblaster. I then got interested in carving on different mediums. I have a high powered rotary tool the size of a dentist drill. I am needing information on which Dremel would be best for me that isn't too big for roughing out and larger projects. My rotary tool on basswood leaves a lot of fuzz. I usually work on walnut and maple, but am finding the cost prohibitive. Also would like to do some larger pictures, etc. I live in the midwest, WI, have to adorable, loveable boxers who I call "my boys". I read in one magazine that the Dremel Mastercarver was a good tool. Does anyone recommend it or a different model. Best go...stay warm...it's cold here in Wisconsin. Nan

Mottles · #2 02-08-2008, 05:28 PM

Hello and welcome. Here is a link to one of the Forums that folks frequent who power carve. Power Carving - Woodcarving Illustrated Message Board
I have a Foredom Power Carver and like it very much www.foredom.com I know there are others who use Dremel with success. There is another Forum you might check and it's the 'Tools' Forum on this site too Woodcarving Tools, Technology & Sharpening - Woodcarving Illustrated Message Board.
Hope you find what you are looking for.
Kathy

AlArchie · #3 02-08-2008, 10:41 PM

Welcome from a neighbor to the north (UP of Mich).

Nan, sometimes it's not so much the rotary tool itself that is the "fuzz problem", but the bit or burr you are using. I have several of the Dura-Grit shaping wheels from Lee Valley (www.leevalley.com) that I use on my dremel for hogging out a lot of wood in a hurry, and they leave a fairly smooth cut with no fuzz. I like the 80X wheel.

I have the corded dremel with a flex shaft. This shaft with it's slim hand piece makes a very comfortable tool to grip and manuever. They also have a newer model, cordless that looks sort of like a pistol grip, but handles like a pencil.....not so much power, though. My brother in law has one of these and likes it just fine.

Al

Tom H · #4 02-09-2008, 08:30 AM

Welcome Nan. I think you'll enjoy your time on this board/forum. If you really like to carve walnut, don't let the cost keep you from carving it. I don't know how big your carvings are, but I myself have lots of walnut end cuts and smaller pieces that I would gladly send you. If you do relief carvings, I don't have any of the larger flat pieces, but I do have smaller pieces: 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches thick 1 to 4 inches wide, 6 to 10 inches long.
If interested, PM me.

Tom H

susieq · #5 02-09-2008, 01:49 PM

Greetings Nan,
Regarding the fuzzing on basswood.....that is what basswood does when you power carve it. It is the main problem with power carving basswood. I am mainly a power carver also and speak from experience when I say this. Tupelo is real good for power carving. Light weight but holds fine detail very well and doesn't tend to fuzz like basswood. It is not cheap either though.

There are some bits that fuzz less than others but they are for roughing mostly and when you get down to the finish work using diamonds, rubies, etc, basswood will fuzz. It requires a lot of sanding to finish with power.

With regard to tools, Dremel and Mastercarver are two different brands....both good. I have both actually and it really depends on what you want to do as to which one is better. Mastercarver makes a large heavy duty shaft tool similar to Foredom. It gets good ratings. I have the Mastercarver micromotor for fine detail work. I don't hog wood or rough out with this tool....just fine detail and finish work. It runs 50,000 rpms and has good torque so you can work a little harder with it than you would an air turbine tool.

Dremels make a variety of tools but I like the one they refer to as the moto tool. It is a little 5 speed rotary tool that you can put a shaft on and use for either fine detail or roughing out. But the largest sized bit you can run in it is a one eigth shaft size. It has higher rpms than the larger shaft tools like Foredom or Mastercarver, which does help make up for the smaller motor/less power and smaller bit size. I have two set up and my carving station, one with a 1/8 collet and the other with a 3/32 collet.

By the way Nan, I live with a boxer too, named Butch....85 lbs of drool and chops. Greatest dogs that ever lived....he is 4th in a long line of excellent boxer companions. Our children were raised by boxers. I just helped out.

Welcome to the forum. I hope you enjoy it here. Lots of nice people willing to share what they know. Stay warm