subject: A good wood guide for woodwork carving [print this page] A good wood guide for woodwork carving A good wood guide for woodwork carving
Wood carving is a wonderfully fulfilling and exciting area of woodworking,but only,if you choose the right wood.When 1 first started carving,I had in mind to carve a female torso,a Venus.I'm sure you know what I mean,a bit like Marilyn Monroe,but more so.Though my teacher told me to use lime,when I arrived at the wood yard and saw the astronomical prices,1 was swiftly talked into buyingat a quarter of the price of limea massive piece of I-don't-know-what.
Well,when 1 got my"bargain"wood back to the work-shop,it was a nightmare.The wood was green and wet,it was lull of iron-hard knots,it started to warp and split the moment I started carving,it made my tools rusty,the grain was wild and twistedI could continue listing its terrible qualities.Yes,I did manage to finish my carving,but at what cost to my strength and sanity?It was truly awful,a sort of mad mix-up between Marilyn Monroe and a glandular Guernsey!
The moral of this sad little tale from my teenage yearsis there are no shortcuts,and there are very few bargains.You must use a piece of good wood.The following listingwill help you on your way:
AlderA sapwood tree common in low-lying areas.Awood traditionally used by North American Indians andearly settlers,it is especially good for bowls and generalkitchenwares.
American WhitewoodKnown variously as tulipwood,basswood,canary wood,and many other names besides,this is a soft,easy-to-carve wood.
AppleA hard dense,close-grained fruitwood,it comesin small sizes,carves well and takes a good polish.Appleis traditionally used for small items of treen(wooden-ware),and for kitchenwares.
BeechA heavy,relatively easy-to-carve wood that has ayellow-gold sapwood and a reddish heart.Beech is partic-ular!good for carved furniture.
BoxwoodA beautiful,pleasant-smelling,butter-smooth wood that is extremely hard and close-grained.If you want to carve items like jewelry,hair combs,small dishes and boxes,then boxwood is a good choice.
CedarPencil Cedar is a favorite wood for carving.It cuts to a clear pink-brown finish.
CherryAmerican cherry is a close-grained,hard-to-work,reddish brown wood that comes in relatively small widths.It carves well and can be brought to a wonderful high-shine finish.
HickoryStraight-grained with a white sapwood and reddish brown heartwood,hickory is often the first choice for large sculptural carvings.
