Carving sweet potatoes

[jmischel]

I'm about to give carving sweet potatoes a try. Today I was looking for information about it, and found quite a lot, including how to dry and finish them. I even found quite a few of the carvings. Unfortunately, I didn't see any pictures of the carvings after they'd dried. Nor did I find any of what they looked like after painting.

I'm going to do it regardless, but it's really frustrating that nowhere on this forum or anywhere else on the Web was I able to find a picture of a completed, dried, and painted sweet potato carving.

Anybody got a link for me?

[gene-messer]

Here Jim .. Look at this link .. it could help you


Amazon.com: The Yam Yankee: & Other Veggie Carving Projects (Schiffer Book for Carvers): Tom Wolfe, Douglas Congdon-Martin: Books

Gene

[jmischel]

Thanks, Gene. The cover image is perfect. I might have to order that book.

[Mottles]

Hi Jim, our carving club library has the book Gene gives the link for and it's really good. I have carved dried and painted them. Be prepared they I think look better right after they are carved...just my opinion. They are fun to carve though...after I finish carving them I put a large nail though the top with a string wrapped around both ends of the nail. Makes it easy to hang for an even drying all around.
After they are dry they become very hard and can even be carved on a bit.
Have fun, and please share them with us.
Kathy

[brent from mb]

Hi Jim,
I have the Yam Yankee book and it is pretty good. I have carved a yam following his instructions and was pleased with the results. It was particularly interesting watching the face change as the yam dried out.

I will try to take a photo of mine over the weekend and post it.

Brent

[jmischel]

Thanks, Kathy and Brent. I've ordered the book from Amazon (along with a few others so I could get that free shipping). Unfortunately, they say that the book will ship "in 2-3 weeks." Oh, well. It's not like I don't have other things to do. And I don't actually need the book in order to try carving a sweet potato. Just have to visit the store.

I'll be sure to post pics when I give this a try.

[Terry Vance]

"Teaching Kids to Carve" Woodcarving Illustrated Fall 2008 Issue 44 had an article about using yams. Maybe WCI could do a more detailed article on yam carving. Maybe include the drying process, etc......

How about it Bob "D"???

[Kenny_S]

I carved one up last night, De-lick-able!!!!

[wildflower]

Hi Jim:

Shoot! I was at the carving club yesterday and we were looking at photos in a carving magazine of sweet potato carvings, painted and finished. They were awesome looking. Unfortunately I didn't pay attention to the name of the mag. Augh! I'll check it out next time I'm in! Looking forward to seeing pictures of your S.P. carvings posted!

Leslie
aka: Wildflower

[chuckbolton]

the drying process ive used-- put in low humidity environment and forget it for a month or more-- wont resemble what you carved as it shrinks in all directions and not uniformly at that.