• Hi all and welcome to TheWoodHaven2 brought into the 21st Century, kicking and screaming! We all have Alasdair to thank for the vast bulk of the heavy lifting to get us here, no more so than me because he's taken away a huge burden of responsibility from my shoulders and brought us to this new shiny home, with all your previous content (hopefully) still intact! Please peruse and feed back. There is still plenty to do, like changing the colour scheme, adding the banner graphic, tweaking the odd setting here and there so I have added a new thread in the 'Technical Issues, Bugs and Feature Requests' forum for you to add any issues you find, any missing settings or just anything you'd like to see added/removed from the feature set that Xenforo offers. We will get to everything over the coming weeks so please be patient, but add anything at all to the thread I mention above and we promise to get to them over the next few days/weeks/months. In the meantime, please enjoy!

This might shock a couple of people....

sunnybob

sunnybob

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... but I'm getting interested in chisels. :shock:
Mike,,, Mike,,,, do you need an ambulance???? :lol:

But not the normal bash out a mortise type chisel, not even the turning a bowl type. More of the shape carving chisel.
My animal bandsaw boxes are slowly morphing into contoured shapes that I want to become slightly more lifelike and no longer just 2D.

Starting from ground zero (honestly, the basement below ground zero), what differentiates a carving chisel from the normal type?
I'm thinking chisels that dont even need to be struck with a hammer, more gouging and paring (see, I already can speak the lingo) 8-) :lol:
 
sunnybob":1io3zfeh said:
Starting from ground zero (honestly, the basement below ground zero), what differentiates a carving chisel from the normal type?
Click to expand...

They're anything but straight :lol:

You wouldn't need to buy a lot of chisels, three or four would probably do for your needs. Something like a V-tool, shallow sweep gouge, deeper sweep gouge, and a narrow gouge would more than likely be sufficient.

You can buy cheap sets, you can buy ludicrously expensive sets, you can buy old secondhand stuff if you know what you're looking at, but you're probably going to be looking at ~£100+ for a decent set of 6 chisels or so new or secondhand.
 
Good for you, Bob. :eusa-clap: :eusa-clap: Got you in the end..... :lol:

If you are carving in the round (ie 3D stuff) then you may need less in the way of gouges, and more in the way of getting-into-awkward-corner type tools, such as fishtails, knives, and tiny tools like a sharpened bradawl. A decent set of bench chisels will get you a long way. But sharp, sharp, sharp. Carving is a pain in the neck with anything but really sharp tools.

The sort of carving I am doing, low relief stuff, requires a decent choice of gouges and a V tool or two. If that is what you are thinking of (classic territory for boxes, of course), then just snaffle whatever gouges you can lay your hands on for not much money. You absolutely must have tools that can be thwacked with a mallet, which means not only does they need a robust handle, but also one that is long enough to accommodate your hand without it hanging over the end. Because no one carves these days, really great quality gouges sell for £5 to £10 each, so no need for a fancy new set. Oh, and out-cannel. In-cannel is for altogether different uses, and is all but useless for carving.
 
Mike, I really need stuff that does not require brute force, rather tools that will remove wood from hard to get places without damaging more fragile sections, as in the tusks of the large elephant I am currently making. Any hammering would just result in needing to glue things back together.
I'm using sandpaper in huge quantities trying to get into these areas and make shapes rather than just flat smooth. This shape is costing me more in sandpaper than the wood to make it.
I have a small power file with a 10 mm belt, and its pretty good at bulk removal, but not good enough for detail work.
I have a dremel, but none of the attachments I have will reach into a gap.

Whittling, or even sculpting might best describe the things I want to do.
And yes, I am going to have to start learning how to "gulp" sharpen. :eusa-doh:
 
Carving knife.
You quite possibly have enough steel left from TNAK to make a few small blades of suitable shape.
 
Nah, I used 98% of the bar I bought for TNAK. :lol: 1% was tiny pieces cut with the disc cutter, the other 1% was filings. :lol: :lol:
I actually bought a set of 10 small carving "chisels" 6 years ago when I first started woodworking.
But that was before I discovered that most woodworking tools were made of chinesium. They are so soft I would have to resharpen after every wood contact.
I'll do a search for sculpting tools
 
It would need to have a bend half way along it. :D

I have a few half round chisels that might get me out of trouble on this build, but I would need to know how to REALLY sharpen a curved bevelled edge. :cry:
 
sunnybob":1q9ojbtc said:
It would need to have a bend half way along it. :D

I have a few half round chisels that might get me out of trouble on this build, but I would need to know how to REALLY sharpen a curved bevelled edge. :cry:
Click to expand...

I'm not picturing a "half round chisel", Bob. Are we talking a gouge here, like a U-gouge? Care to elaborate, or better yet, post a picture? Also, I looked at your post for the last couple of weeks and couldn't find anything that you're carving on. Maybe a picture there would give us an idea of what you're up against so we can make better suggestions.

Good luck...

Kirk
 
Kirk,
I dont post "work in progress" pics because I dont follow any plans, just add and subtract as I go along.
Also, I dont make large complicated stuff (normally) so there really is nothing to see till I've finished.

Imagine a wooden elephant about 15" long and a foot high by 5" deep. I'm trying to remove wood from around the head to make the trunk and tusks.
Any tool involving a hammer would just knock the tusks off, so I was hoping to find a tool that would curve around and dig in with just steady hand pressure.
Seems I've found a hole in the market, Loads of ordinary chisels, lots of sculpting stuff the size of scalpels, but none with the reach and strength that would suit me best.
I just use lots and lots of sandpaper :eusa-violin:
 
My dad collects elephant ornaments and has a couple of dozen and all of them have the tusks as a separate part. Have you considered making the tusks separately?
 
kirkpoore1":2t4siup7 said:
sunnybob":2t4siup7 said:
It would need to have a bend half way along it. :D

I have a few half round chisels that might get me out of trouble on this build, but I would need to know how to REALLY sharpen a curved bevelled edge. :cry:
Click to expand...

I'm not picturing a "half round chisel", Bob. Are we talking a gouge here, like a U-gouge? Care to elaborate, or better yet, post a picture? Also, I looked at your post for the last couple of weeks and couldn't find anything that you're carving on. Maybe a picture there would give us an idea of what you're up against so we can make better suggestions.

Good luck...

Kirk
Click to expand...
Hi Kirk the bottom line on each of Bob‘s posts contain a link to pictures of his work. Ian
 
Bob, the good news is that you can do 95% of the carving you will ever do with half a dozen carving gouges. The bad news is working out which half dozen requires you to buy 30-40 or at least that is my excuse for owning that many. It really does depend on what you are carving as to which of the hundreds of gouges you need. The ones listed below I use a lot
If the carving you are doing is on quite small boxes I would suggest as a start the following (this list assumes you have at least some woodworking chisels if not you will need to add #1 10mm):
#3 6mm and 10mm
#5 6mm (maybe a fishtail version 10mm)
#9 6mm and 10mm
#12 6mm
#15 10mm or A small knife
These are from the Pfeil range. The good news with Pfeil is they are ready to go when you receive them. It might be their Medium set is better value.
Note how sharp and shinny they are when you receive them as this is how you need to maintain them so you need a sharpening method which can maintain that quality. A leather strop and polishing compound (I still use autosol) is essential.
I would also suggest getting a small carving mallet not because you need to exert brute force but sometimes a mallet gives you more control over the cut.
Mary May has some useful free videos which are well worth watching.
Happy carving!
 
Lots of replies. I will try to answer them all here.

Rezi, I do not plan. Its a failing I know, but its MY failing :lol:
When I started this box I had no plans at all about separating tusks and trunks. I havent done it before, having seen how hard it is I might never do it again. :?

I have lots of sand all around me, but I cant see me sifting it to get different grit sizes, and dabbing glue onto every grain to set it in the right direction on a piece of paper seems a bit too long winded for me. :eusa-naughty:

Pac (scary, those are my wife's initials, I dont THINK shes woodworking when I'm asleep) and a couple others, those pfiel knives appear to be what I need, but of course I need them NOW, not in 6 weeks when amazon can finally get around to delivering them. But first I need a lottery win to buy them with. Only yesterday we were talking about birthday presents (well, I was, I dont think cloth ears was paying much attention), a couple of those might just make the wish list.

I've found a couple of temporary solutions, a stanley flush trim saw for straight line work, and drum flap wheels in the battery drill. I found a couple in my "these will come in handy even though I havent used them for 10 years" box. :eusa-clap: :eusa-dance:
They are extremely useful for removing saw marks and bumps and dings from end grain, although a bit too aggressive for flat surfaces.
I might get the shape finished sometime this week, but can only spend a few hours a day hunched over the bench before chronic fatigue sets in :cry: :cry: 8-)
 
Hi Bob

Another advocate for Pfeil which are by far my favourite carving tools, I have about half a dozen standard my most used being 10 and 12 mm shallow fishtails, I'd need to look to see exactly what as I don't pay much attention to the sweep. I also have a lovely set of 12 Pfeil palm chisels which I bought from a mate's widow after he died and they are a joy to use. Buying a set when starting out is a waste of money in my opinion as you'll find most of them just sit unused in the box. I probably have 50 or so left as I sold a lot on but most of my carving is done using just a handful the rest being used rarely.

Just get your hands on whatever you can going cheap, are there any second hand sales sites in Cyprus? There must be carvers on the island, maybe just putting the word around or a wanted add might open up possibilities. Any of the old chisels or well known brands are worth having and will sharpen nicely just get them really sharp then hone little and often as you work and you'll find it a pleasure.

There are as you've found some places almost impossible to get a chisel into and a couple of rifflers or cut down, shaped hacksaw blades with the ends burred like a scraper will get them sorted I use abrasive stuck to shaped lollypop sticks and toothpicks if I have to as well.

Be warned Bob, carving chisels, like planes somehow tend to multiply and before you know it a couple will be a dozen then........well you get the picture. :o
 
Another option if you are looking for gentle rounded over rather than high detail sharp carving is to go for rasps and rifflers instead. Many people dismiss these as amateur. My experience is that for gentle flowing curves these are the best tools for the job. So for your elephant a couple of rasps would be excellent for the body and then some rifflers for the detail. Sadly good rasps make Pfeil gouges look cheap. Cheap ones are available but are a pale imitation as they tend to form tracks rather than remove wood.
If you own a rotary multi tool then check out Sabburtooth rotary rasps a couple of these will make short work of your tasks but they make dust and there is a bit of a knack to using them so practice on something first.
 
Make yourself a few carving knifes.
I use old jigsaw blades, after shaping and initial sharpening use epoxy to bed into the wood,then finish the handle shape and do the final sharpen.
The handle doesn’t have to be posh mine look like deformed sausages.
 
Here is an example of why I dont post WIP pics.....
The task was to make a large elephant bandsaw box, A3 side size.

At the eleventh hour plan A got amended by the customer no longer wanting a box in the bandsaw box.
OK, that saves me some effort, so welcome, plan B.
Plan B continued apace, until I fell foul of the tight spaces around the tusks and trunk.
I finally overcame that and submitted the plan B shape for approval before starting the finishing process (me no silly, experience counts :lol: ).

"Oh no, I dont like that trunk, or that tail". :shock:

Hello plan C. Now I have to cut off the trunk (leaving the tusks which passed muster) thus opening up all that carefully crafted area and insert another piece of wood with a new trunk shape and start all over again.
:cry: :cry:
 
the customer is always right.

but if you can hide the bodies, no one ever needs know. ;)
 
I can hide the body alright, but then whos going to cook my tea and do the laundry? :eusa-doh:

I'm basking in a warm glow at the moment, just chopped out a mortise for the new tail 2" x 1" x 3/4" deep in beech end grain. tapped the tail in for a test fit and could not get it out again! :eusa-clap: :eusa-clap: :eusa-clap:
As this is purely an ornament, I wiped some glue around the (almost) invisible joint and called it a day. 8-)
 
Ah that customer Bob. :lol: Most of us can identify with your dilemma, you have my sympathy. :eusa-think:
 
The finished offending article. several brownie points awarded and written down for future use. 8-)

Beech centre with zebrano on both sides.
13" long
weighs in at 6 kg :shock:

IMG_3153.JPG

IMG_3152.JPG
 
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