The Archive

Every article, free, from the bench.

Page 11 of 18. Back to the start of the archive

205 articles in the archive · page 11 of 18

In depth
August 28, 2024
What does the gravity of wood mean?
Gravity of wood is a ratio against water. A master carver on why the board under your hand disagrees with the chart.
WOOD for Wood Carving
August 28, 2024
Is European Beech Good for Carving?
WOOD for Wood Carving
August 28, 2024
Is American Beech Good for Carving?
WOOD for Wood Carving
August 27, 2024
Is Bamboo Good for Carving?
In depth
August 27, 2024
How do I dry green wood for carving at home?
Two stages, outdoors and then indoors, with the oven and the microwave weighed honestly against the patient stack.
WOOD for Wood Carving
August 27, 2024
Is Batai Good for Carving?
Everything above is free and stays free. The courses are where I put your hands on the gouge and watch what they do.
See what is inside →
WOOD for Wood Carving
August 27, 2024
Is Balsa, Siam Good for Carving?
WOOD for Wood Carving
August 27, 2024
Is Balsa Good for Carving?
In depth
August 27, 2024
Is Wood Carving hard?
The cutting is the easy half. Sharpening and seeing in three dimensions are what stop people, and here is how long each part really takes.
In depth
August 27, 2024
How Long Does It Take to Learn How to Carve Wood, Hour by Hour
A master carver's milestone clock for wood carving: 10 hours to a clean stop cut, 40 to a finished rosette, 200 to an acanthus leaf that holds its shape, 600 to a panel that belongs on furniture. What shortens those hours, and what quietly adds years.
In depth
August 27, 2024
How do you soften wood before carving?
Soaking, steaming and bottled softeners all work for an hour, and all of them raise the grain. What really changes a block is a sharp edge, the species you picked, and knowing which way the grain runs.
In depth
August 26, 2024
Do I have to dry wood before carving?
You do not have to dry wood, but you do have to live with what wet wood does after you put the tools away. Here is what happens under the gouge, how dry is dry enough, how to read a board without a meter, and the projects where green wood is the better choice.