[will_md]

Hello!
I have been woodcarving on and off for about 30 years. Most of my hand tools I purchased by selling carved Santas. About ten years ago I bought a Mastercarver from Woodworkers supply. Unfortunetly I never got around to using it. After five moves I am back in the mid-atlantic and am re-building a gutted and abandoned house. In transforming my one car garage into a workshop I made space for a power woodcarving position. I have connected my Delta dust collection system to the woodcarving postion. I have a suction 4" hole in the table and a 4" hose 5" centered with a sliding control to manage horizontal dust. A picture would probably be better at informing on how the system works. Bottom line is that I do not want to suck dust.

I have a wide range of hand tools to carve. But I need some information on what bits are the right ones to start power carving. I am open to any suggestions.

In my last move I seem to have lost about ten Santas. While I may still find them, since I can not guarantee that we have un-packed all boxes. So my plan is to carve several Santa's. My first ones did not have real facial expression. So my goal is to create Santa's with more interesting faces. My challenge is determining what are the right bits to start with to carve Santa's with some detail.

Thanks,
will_MD

[Eddy Smiles]

Will....

Asking a question like that on this forum is like asking all the forum members what color you should paint your house. You'll get that many answers and opinions.

If I was you I'd go on line to Fox Chapel's books and order a book like....

Frank Russell's Power Carving Fur, Feathers, & Fins - 3 DVD Set: How to Carve with Foredom Power Tools and Accessories http://www.foxchapelpublishing.com/p...ls.cfm?PC=2219

What you use is going to depend on what you carve. I personally have a collection of over 50 burrs and bits and every time I visit a carving store I look for new ones.

Another thought might be to visit a website like The Smoky Mountain Woodcarvers with a on-line informative catalog that tells you what each bur and bit is used for.... http://www.woodcarvers.com/PRODUCTS.htm

Good luck!

[Mottles]

Hi will and welcome, to go along with Eddys recommendation follow this to Frank Russell's burr list http://www.blackstoneind.com/foundat...p?nav=3,21,295 This will give you some idea along with the Russell DVD which I have is really helpful. I have a Foredom FlexShaft and get a lot of use out of it. I don't have all the burr's but add them as the project dictates.
Kathy

[will_md]

Eddie and Kathy,
Thanks for the information. I have checked out the web sites you guys (my MN roots coming through) recommended. I probably, like my wife says, miscommunicated.

I am hoping to find out which burr is for which purpose. Like when do I use a CeramCut Blue Stone, carbide burr, or a Plated Diamond burr. Then, what shapes work best for each objective. Maybe someone has written a book or possibly a CD that would give me the answer. Maybe the Frank Russell CD is the answer. Any suggestions are welcome.

Kathy - I liked your web site, I took a break from woodcarving to paint with pastels and watercolor. But my pathetic painting results have driven me back to woodcarving.

will

[Eddy Smiles]

Will...

In that case I think I'd, if you already haven't done so, take out a subscription to Woodcarving Illustrated and possibly another carving magazine because in almost every issue when a project calls for power carving the carver illustrates the bur and the technique used. I just went back and reviewed half a dozen WCI past issues and found numerous examples of power carving of scales, fins and fur. It sounds like you're looking for an answer in a basket and I'm not sure that one exists. Each carver has his or her own technique, some good, some not so good.

[will_md]

Thanks for the feedback. As an engineer I tend to look at the landscape of tools to understand their boundaries. As I rebuild my gutted and abandoned house I have some familiarity of the capability of my tools. In the power carving domain, I am a total novice. I have several older carving magazines but I was focused on hand tools, so I will go back and see what I can find. I also appreciate the list Hugh provided.

[Donna_T]

Welcome Will,
I'll add some of my personal preferences, although I largely use those bits that Hugh mentioned. But, it depends on what I'm doing. I have a very old Foredom and I use it with a Kutsall or Blue typhoon bits to rough in a carving--really hogging of excess/major parts of the cutout and shaping it. I also like sanding drums or Marsh sanders for cleaning that phase up and getting ready for detailing with diamond bits--laying in lines and general features. That's when I switch to my Ram Micro motor that give me much better control and flexibility. I use ceramic blue bits (tapered cones or cylinder shapes) for fine tuning--fur, hair, feathers. For faces, I still tend to use hand carving tools to put in details that I highlight or soften with power, but that's my personal preference. Sometimes I use handtools because I'm sitting in my recliner to carve instead of in front of a dustcatcher in the shop.

The Frank Russell publications are the best that I know of for power carving--although Fox Chapel has a pretty good basic power carving book.

Power carving is something that you just get better at with lots of practice and experimentation--just like hand carivng. I'm not a purest who thinks you must carve with a hand tool for the end result to "count."

Good Luck. Let us know how your efforts progress--what works for you and what didn't.

Donna T

[will_md]

Donna,

Thanks for the additional information. I am going make an order tonight. This will give me a start for experimenting on a few unfinished Santas I have laying around.

I will let you know how it works out.

Thanks