Where to start

[A.D.Vance]

Hello all,
I'm just starting to get really into wood carving. My wife, my friends & I love camping and canoeing. Hanging around the camp fire and drinkin some brews.
We go on anual canoe trip with The Zoo Crew Canoe Club of Detroit. Talk about a good time...but thats another story or twelve. Anyway when we walk from camp site to camp site (walk-abouts) we bring walking sticks. So thats what I've started carving. Various things on the top to identify with he owner. For instance I carved A Gecko on my wifes to memoralize her pet lizard Willis that passed away not to long ago. I used a Dremel to do the work wich was deffinately fast and easy but I can't get the detail that I want due to the dremel workin to fast and gouging. I've browsed some of the work done by you guys and I'm really impressed with the level of detail thats acheived. My question to you guys is What tools do I need to get this detail?
I've got good vision just need guidance.

Thanks

[cannuckcarver]

First Hello and welcome to the board, I would suggest you browse around the diff. threads and find you a niche I am also a cane and stick carver.
Hope you will share you work with us soon.

[CarverFromNoWhere]

Hello A.D, welcome to the WCI board, I think ya should just search around the other posts there are plenty on tools usage and selection. You will find a huge amount of information on here.
Carl

[A.D.Vance]

Thanks. Just wondering... Is using a dremel tool considered cheating in this community?

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

no cheating...the finished product is what we look at

[Eddy-Smiles]

A.D.... You've got a Woodcraft Supply 12-miles from you in Sterling Heights. Although they're a little more expensive and less carver friendly than dealing with one of our on-line friends like Smoky Mountain Wood Carvers or Little Shavers, I'd suggest a visit to get a visual of what's available, what the tools look like, what they feel like...etc. If you see something that you like you can always go back on the web and see if you can do better by brand or cost but at least you'll know what things are. Woodcraft also carries a pretty good selection of books and a reading table so you can always sit down, flip some pages, and take some notes. If you're lucky they might even have someone on duty that knows something about carving but I wouldn't count on it.

[susieq]

Greetings A.D.,
Welcome to the forum...... is a Dremel cheating? No. There is a whole section on this forum dedicated to power carving. Now that I have arthritis in my hands, it's a nice thing to be able to use power.

I do have a suggestion for your Dremel. Is it the little 5 speed moto tool? If so, get a flex shaft to put on it and hang the motor up over your work area. Just use the bit in the handpiece at the end of that shaft and you will find your control improves more than you could imagine. Also, the speed is a good thing.
You might not have been using the optimum bit for the job. There is an endless array of bits and stones to carve with. The trick is knowing which one to use for shaping, smoothing, fine detailing, etc... small diamond bits of various shapes are wonderful for fine detail, for example. The best place to order bits is through a wood carvers supplier. Hummul Flier, Woodcarver's Supply, just to name a few. The bits you find at Home Depot or other hardware stores, just are not appropriate or effective for wood carving.

I must warn you though.....one thing always leads to another once you get into woodcarving. I started power carving with a Dremel. Now I have 3 of the little 5 speed Dremel moto/shafts....and a large Dremel and a Foredom (I hate changing collets), plus a couple of micro motors..... you see where this is going.... but it's a happy addiction and it keeps us out of trouble most of the time.
Best wishes.

[CarverFromNoWhere]

Nope a Dremelis not cheating, good idea Eddy the woodcraft I go to carries Pfiel, Flexcut, Two Cherries, Frost, and Helvie. They are more then happy to elt me try out the tools before I buy them. As Eddy mentioned they are not exactly carving oriented, but there is normaly someone working who has an idea whats going on.
Carl

[Ron T]

Hello and welcome, AD. It's nice to greet a stick carver. I am one, too.

The gecko's I've carved had to scale detail on them. If you want detail, take a look at Davi Stehly's website Walking Sticks and Canes by David N. Stehly. He even explains how to do scales. You can also use a wood burner and burn a pattern. If you tell us specifically what you are trying to achieve in you carving, we will be better able to help you.

Good luck.

[A.D.Vance]

Thanks for the help guys.

SusieQ, My Dremel did come with the attachment you are speaking of and it's definitely easier to use than holding the whole motor. As far as collets go I found a chuck that works like a chuck on a drill. It accepts all size bits and is a whole lot faster than changing collets. I found it at Ace Hardware.
I must say there is definitely a wealth of information on this site. I've visited youtube and watched the whittler carve a big head Santa and it's got me Pumped to start Knife carving myself. Times are tuff up here in Michigan so I'm hoping to get a Detail Knife and Maybe some Palm tools for Christmas.

Thanks again,
Danny