maybe going back to class.....

susieq · #1 05-03-2008, 09:43 AM

When I first learned to carve, it was with a small group of folks who met every Tues afternoon at a community club building nearby. They met from October through May or June as this is snow bird country and a lot of folks migrate back north to get away from the summer heat.....here in the winter to get away from the cold.

The class was held by a couple of experienced carvers and this is where I learned to use my gouges and chisels. After a couple of years with them, some folks started bringing their little battery powered Dremels to sand with.
Nobody said anything and as time went by, more people did this. We had folks with respiratory problems leave our class for good because of the wood dust and still nobody said anything. It wasn't my places but finally I did sort of mention it to the ones doing it. Their standard reply was "oh, it's not hurting anybody".

Finally, I too left. The last straw was when one woman had the nerve to bring her big Foredom in and set up in the back of the room and hog on a carving with it. You wouldn't believe the dust! I did say something to her and she just said, "I'm way in back where it doesn't bother the rest of them". The room was full of dust. Not to mention the noise. Now nearly everyone in the class was a gouge carver. How fair was this? A health hazzard to everyone in the room...

I had said all I could without being obnoxious and it wasn't my class so I left, not in a huff, on good terms but not going back except to drop in once in a blue moon and visit with old friends...usually around Christmas time.

My old carving teacher is like a second father to me and we see each other often. He drops by our house frequently and on his last visit, he informed me that a lot more of the carvers had moved to another Tuesday group because of the power carvers invading what was never meant to be a power class... The new leader of the class had finally gotten the message and put a stop to this nonsense and I think my old teacher was trying to let me know it was safe to come back.

So, I might drop by next October when the season starts again. I will not be at my job anymore so time will allow for this and I miss the fellowship of the other carvers in the group. I haven't gouge carved regularly in quite a while, being a power carver for the most part these days (being fully set up for that at home, with dust collector, mask, eye and ear protection, etc). I look forward to hauling out my large tool box with my gouges & knives in it and heading over to be with friends.....

Eddy Smiles · #2 05-03-2008, 05:51 PM

Susieq...

Don't forget your glove and thumb guard.....Ha! Ha! Ha!

susieq · #3 05-03-2008, 07:33 PM

Hi Eddy,
Yup, got the thumb guards....never owned a glove but I don't sit and hold the work in my hand while I carve. It is always clamped down in a vise and I use both hands on the gouge handle as a rule....just always carved that way. My old teacher used to say regularly to the class about the gouges, "never point that at anything that bleeds". My hands are behind the blade, not out in front of it..

When do you and your Mrs. head up to Tenn? You have been awfully quiet for a while, I thought you had already gone.

Eddy Smiles · #4 05-04-2008, 09:54 AM

I bow to you superior technique!

Put a sharp object in my paw and it's not a matter of if I'll cut myself, only of when!
Sending you a PM!

SeaChips · #5 05-05-2008, 09:24 PM

Hi Susie! That was an interesting scenario that you shared with us, and it does cause one to think how considerate we are with each other. I've not been here in a while, and I posted something regarding power rough outs. Susie, I've never done power roughout and would like to do that. What power tool and bit do you use to roughout your pieces?

susieq · #6 05-06-2008, 11:40 AM

Hello SeaChips,
I am mostly a power carver these days but am looking forward to getting out the gouges again.

For roughing out a piece I use my large Dremel (not made anymore but it's as big as a Foredom) or my Foredom flex shaft tools and even the two smaller 5 speed Dremels with flex shafts on them....After carving with power for this long, I have accumulated a few tools along the way, some at yard sales....
anyhow, I hate changing collets, bad enough that you have to stop and change bits when on a roll so the large units have the 1/4 inch collets and the two small Dremels have a 1/8 and a 3/32 collet in them.

I keep a 1/4 inch cylinder shaped kutzal in the big Dremel and a big sanding drum (also 1/4 inch) in the Foredom.

Those are the main tools for doing the rough shaping of the wood, not including cutting out the blank on the bandsaw. A large kutzal bit will remove a lot of wood (and skin & bone if you aren't careful). Then I sand with the big sanding drum to get rid of the deep scratches the kutzal leaves behind.

If the piece is a bit on the small side, the smaller kutzal and sanding bits in the two small Dremels work beautifully too.

Kenny_S · #7 05-06-2008, 05:36 PM

Never hurts to cgo back and learn new styles or techniques. Congrats to you Susieq

MelNM · #8 05-06-2008, 07:10 PM

I totally get where your coming from, its kind of like smokers who think because they are outside your not going to breath their smoke. When I use a power tool its outside (don't have a dust collector) and its mainly for roughing. Overall I use hand tools, because I can't stand the dust.

I been thinking of attending a carving club meeting. I hope they don't have the same situation that was happening with you.
Mel

susieq · #9 05-07-2008, 01:14 PM

It is absolutely a courtesy issue and a health issue. I did mention to them, that there could be liability but it didn't faze them. I hope the folks in these classes understand and most of all, I hope the folks in charge, put their foot down about it. It shouldn't be left to the rest of us to say something.