Wood Carving Tools
Wood Carving Tools • Toolmakers • Wood Carving at eBay
Wood carving tools were designed primarily for production oriented carving
of furniture and architectural details. The many shapes, widths and
bends featured in these tools were all developed to carve decorative
motifs with a minimum number of cuts. Although carving hand tool
designs have changed little since the industrial revolution, power carving
tools and handpieces have become popular among wood carvers for their high
speed grinding, chiseling, and polishing capabilities.
On Wood-Carving-Tools.com, you can learn about the hand tools and power tools most frequently used by wood carvers, and also browse the convenient directory of carving tool manufacturers.
Gouges and Chisels
The most widely used wood carving tools are gouges, which are similar to
regular wood chisels except that their cutting edges are curved instead
of flat. Gouges are available in many sizes and shapes.
The size of the cutting edge can range from about 1/8 inch
to 3 1/2 inches; the cutting edge arc may be shallow, medium or deep;
the shank may be straight or bent; and the profile of the cutting edge
may be spoon-shaped, v-shaped or even fishtail shaped. Each tool
has a specific use. For example, bent gouges and chisels are used
for cutting deep hollows. V-shaped gouges are used for crisping
corners and adding detail lines.
A starter set of gouges might include a medium gouge about 3/4 inches wide, a spoon gouge, a V gouge, and a wide, flat gouge. You will also need a flat chisel and a round wooden mallet for striking the ends of the gouge and chisel handles. High quality tools will stay sharper longer than cheap tools, and save you time and trouble in the long run.
Whetstones
To avoid tearing the wood while carving, the cutting edges of your gouges
and chisels must be carefully honed to keep them very sharp. For
this purpose, you will need a whetstone with both a coarse face and a fine
face. To sharpen your wood carving tools, spread some light machine
oil on the whetstone. If your tool edge is dull, start with the
coarse face of the stone; otherwise simply use the fine face of the
stone. Sharpen all cutting edges to a 25 degree angle by holding
your tool on the stone so that when you push it across the stone it forms
a 25 degree angle from the surface of the stone. Use a circular
sharpening motion — press the tool forward across the stone, then
ease the pressure as you drag the tool backwards. Be sure to rotate
gouges as you push them across the stone to make the curved edges even
and sharp. If the tool has to be razor sharp for final surface
finishing, strop the edge on a piece of leather.
Wood Clamps
Soft basswood blocks are frequently used for carving because of their even
grain and dimensional stability. But many other types of wood are
subject to warpage, splitting, or cracking; in these cases laminated wood
blocks are used instead. For most woods, boards are less expensive
and easier to obtain than blocks of wood, and they are less likely to
warp, split, and crack when laminated to form blocks.
Wood clamps are used when laminating wood blocks from individual boards. The stacked boards are glued together with white wood glue, then clamped tightly with several wood clamps for about 24 hours. A woodworking vise or clamp is also needed to hold the wood block stationary while carving it. Of course the size and shape of your developing sculpture will determine the number, type, and usage of the clamps.
Carving Knives
You may also need a variety of wood carving knives for stop cuts, shaving,
rounding edges and other small detail work. Special chip carving
knives, also favored by whittlers, are used to decorate a wood surface
by cutting out small v-shaped wood chips.
Power Carving Tools
Many wood carvers today use hand-held power tools to improve their carving efficiency and simplify the carving process. Reciprocating carvers and rotary carving tools, some featuring flexible shafts, can be used for carving, inlays, and engraving projects.
Other Woodcarving Tools
In addition to the basic tools listed above, you will need a crosscut saw to make the first rough cuts into your wood block. You may need wood files and rasps to finish the surface of your wood carving, small rifflers to finish the details of your carved sculpture, and a file card or wire brush for cleaning the wood filings from the teeth of your abraders. And finally, you will need various grades of sandpaper during the finishing process.
Shop for Wood Carving Tools
- Arbortech
This Australian firm manufactures power woodworking tools and instructional videos for woodworkers and woodcarvers.
www.ArborTech.com - Woodcraft Carving
Well-known woodworking products store features a selection of quality woodcarving tools and supplies.
www.Woodcraft.com - Pfingst Hobby Tools
This New Jersey tool manufacturer and distributor offers power craft tools and rotary tools for wood carvers.
www.PfingstCo.com
Wood Carving Information Resources
- Carving Patterns
Dedicated to designs, themes, and ideas for your next wood carving project. Features downloadable wood carving patterns as well as tips and tutorials.
www.CarvingPatterns.com - Wood Carving For Beginners
Learn about the different styles of woodcarving, including whittling, in-the-round, relief, and chip carving.
www.ChippingAway.com