new power carver

[NewWVcarver]

i am a landscAPE relief carver who has been carving 10 months. i have multiple sclerosis and weak hands so have decided to get a Dremel to help cut out some of the carving with my knives. i was wandering what set of bits would be helpful for starting buying them. i would like to know which bits are the most used for roughing out and shaping and which shaped gbits will help most with detailing. landScapes are my preference. IF there are any recommendaTIONS for brands that are cheap but worth the money besides Dremel i would appreciaTE IT.

[Keoma]

It might be fun for you to check out Grizzley.com. I get all my bits and what not from them. They are very helpfull and do catalog searches with you on the phone...way cool! They ship SUPER fast! Tell them what your after and I bet they can hook you up. Their prices can't be beat either. Would love to see some of your work

[dmatias]

http://Check out this site. It is for WoodCraft and I have purchased a few of their bits when I go down to the States. I have the 10 piece Carving Bur set and the diamond tip 6 pc. set.
set.
Burrs - Woodcraft.com

[Claude]

These guys Wood Carvers Supply, Inc. have a large selection. I've bought a couple of the carbide Monster burrs from them...

Claude

[Ron T]

Hello. Sorry to hear about your MS, I have CMT (Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease) and my hands are also very weak. I finally broke down and got some power equipment fror roughing out my in-the-round carvings and sticks.

I haven't done any relief carving, so I wish you luck. If I thihnk of anything that may help I'll let you know.

Have you lookeed into a reciprocating attachment for your Dremel? I got one from TreelineUSA.

[susieq]

Hi WV,
There are a lot of woodcarvers suppliers out there that carry a good selection of bits for power carvers. As Claude suggested, Wood Carver's Supply is a good place to start. I buy a lot of bits through them. You can get the 1/8 shaft monster bits fairly reasonably and they do remove a lot of wood. Their "blades" cut the wood just like a gouge, leaving a similar mark. Just don't let that thing get away from you.

Best of luck with your foray into power carving.

[Donna_T]

Just a thought...Dremel has a holder that makes a Dremel an instrument like a drill press. With the right bit, it would be a great way to remove a lot of background wood for a relief. Since the holder restrains the Dremel, you just have to move the wood around and not have the strain of holding the tool, too.

Donna T

[Ron T]

Originally Posted by Donna_T

Just a thought...Dremel has a holder that makes a Dremel an instrument like a drill press. With the right bit, it would be a great way to remove a lot of background wood for a relief. Since the holder restrains the Dremel, you just have to move the wood around and not have the strain of holding the tool, too.

Donna T

Hi Donna,

Now that you mention it, a friend of mine used it like a router and made signs.

[Eddy-Smiles]

West Virginia.... Obviously the best quality bits are going to cost you a little more and can be purchased from a woodcarving supply dealer. Home stores like Home Depot and Lowes and even Wal-mart and your neighborhood hardware store will carry Dremel bits but usually they're as expesnive if not more expensive than a woodcarving store. However, over the years I have built up quite a selection of fairly good bits, rather inexpensively, by keeping my eyes open at fleamarkets. In particular, for me, there is a fleamarket on I-75 at Sweetwater, TN that has a tool shed, in which the vendor carries a large supply of bits, brushes, polishing and sanding wheels for micro carvers 1/8" and smaller. Point being, keep your eyes open...you never know when you'll run across a find!

[arbarnhart]

For major excavations across a decent sized area in a relief carving, a drill press with a small (or even large, sometimes) Forstner bit is quite useful. Sometimes you can find them with little or no point so they leave a flat bottom. Otherwise you have to stop short and clean up the bottom.

I like the Dremel carbide shaping and/or carbide shaping/cutting disc a lot for in the round and sometimes they can be useful on relief. They remove a lot of wood very quickly.

I hesitate to recommend the Weecher reciprocating handpiece because while it drastically speeds up stock removal it requires a fair amount of effort. I pause to rest my hands a lot when I am using it.

And lastly, I have router on a Tool Trolley plate and I made a guide on raised rails so I can carefully route detail under it. I have a bit extender also: