More Woodspirit Canes

Eddy Smiles · #1 07-16-2007, 05:16 PM

It's been so hot here in Florida that working outside or in the shed hasn't been an option. But the last couple of days we had a few periods where it was cloudy and things cooled down a couple of degrees, especially before dusk. I finally managed to stain and urethane a couple of wood spirit canes that I'd started a couple of months ago. They're carved from Tulip Poplar. Not my best work but I'm learning - slow but sure. Woodburning the hair doesn't look all that good to me. I wish that I had used my V-tool instead. Anyway, now that they are completed all I have to do is find them a home!

Ashbys · #2 07-17-2007, 06:13 AM

Very Unique
I don't know if I ever saw any quite like them . If your not happy with the wood burning , you can always cut them again. Just follow the burn lines as guides.

Ash

Irishman · #3 07-17-2007, 06:42 AM

They turned out good Eddy. As for the burning vs carving, it depends what your going for. The V-tool would give you some more depth...and I would suggest using a detail knife to make the cuts a little deeper as it will show up the oil/stain really well. I've only made one cane in my carving life time so I'm not the right person to give feedback. What my instructor told me about a year ago is to treat the stick like a log....using smaller gouges, try and bring the face out of the wood. Making cuts around the face also brings out the features. However, your's turned out just fine - and a unique way of making the handles. Thanks for sharing.
Patrick

tnartist05 · #4 07-17-2007, 07:59 AM

Yea its been hot here even in the mtns which keeps me from being outside as much. Yea just cut all the lines you've burned in the face and beards making them deeper. You sure have the right idea on theses two canes. I use a dark walnut stain in the deep cuts on faces then you can always use light sand paper to high light areas on the faces again like the bridge of the nose and cheeks,forehead,etc. Keep at it,you are doing pretty good so far...Tn

mr.sticks · #5 05-08-2008, 09:54 AM

i liked your thread on burning the face on a stick then carving it out i am verrrrrry new to this and i am interested in walking sticks canes and wood spirits would like any help iam still trying to carve a morel mushroom on a walking stick and get the holes in it ive had some response on it but some carvers use a certain size bit for the holes which i would like to have and some kind of instructions on how they put them in ,iam prenting this again because iam not sure the first one went through thanks again, like i said earlyer iam new to this and this computer mr sticks

tnartist05 · #6 05-08-2008, 12:02 PM

Eddy! I like them and think you did good on them!! Hot here also!! Strangeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Weather for sure!! Forrest

markken5889 · #7 05-08-2008, 12:52 PM

c'mon up to New England for awhile to cool down! Nice carvings. I've never seen cross-pieces like that on canes before, but like what you've done with 'em.

-Mark

Eddy Smiles · #8 05-08-2008, 01:07 PM

Forrest...

Mark and Mr. Sticks are about a day late and a dollar short. This post is close to a year old. I ain't carved anymore woodspirit canes like these since I finished these up. I donated a bunch to our club's woodcarving show this past January for door prizes and I do need a replacement myself for the one that I'm using so perhaps I'll gather up some tulip poplar while I'm up on the mountain next month and set about doing some whittling in between hurricanes later on this summer! They are fun to carve!

Eddy Smiles · #9 05-08-2008, 01:18 PM

Mr. Sticks... Not sure what you are exactly refering to but it sounds as if you're talking about assembling the handle or a carved top piece to the staff itself. In the case of the above woodspirit canes I use my Dremel tool to seat the handle down into the shaft. Then I drill a hole slightly smaller than a 3" wood screw through the handle into the shaft. Then I drill a counter sink into the handle to hide the wood screw head. Then I glue the b-jeezes out of the shaft and handle where the two come together using Gorilla glue or Titebond II. It helps if the seat is almost perfect so that there are no gaps between the handle and the shaft. Then I screw the shaft and handle together with the 3" screw being careful to snug it down real good without stripping it. With the screw in place you don't need a clamp. In 24-hours I clean around the joints and fill in the remaining screw hole with a wood putty. Once dry it's ready to sand and finish. I've yet to have a handle fail since I started using the 3" wood screws in a pre-drilled hole.

Eddy Smiles · #10 05-08-2008, 01:23 PM

Mark...

I made a quick run home to your neck of the woods last spring to see kin-folk and on my return to Florida I burnt the bridge at the Mason-Dixon line! Here it was early June and I had to wear a flannel shirt and a jacket the entire time. Noooo.... I'll live with my 3-1/2 months of hot weather. You can have your nine months of winter and 3-months of damn cold weather! Nope! It didn't take me long to figure out why I left.