Does anyone here do woodcarving as a hobby?....

[zephyrcat]

I have lots of questions for you!!!!!

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Fab! is she around often?

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Yes please, thank you v much

hi zephyrcat. how are you?

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Thanks Dior

Hiya Dingle! Not to bad thanks - been a rough few months but getting there!! How are you and the family?

*too

It's as hectic as ever Zephyr!! Trying to fight the LEA for some support when Amelia starts school in September- that has taken over my life for the last few weeks! But apart from that we are plodding along nicely thank you.
The cats say "hello!"

Yes me!Hi Zephrecat,I've been doing it for a few months now and loving it.Are you going to do it?

Hi Dior,I wonder if you have the right e mail for me as I haven't got the e mail.I think the last one I had from you was on the 1st July in my yahoo one.

Hi Layla! Have only just started so nothing very comlicated - I'm currently doing simple childrens designs on pine boxes, and then adult boxes with tribal/celtic designs but not ready to try a celtic one yet!!

I was just wondering if you have any advice for tools etc and what are the best ways to deal with different grains/knots etc - I've found I'll be going along quite nicely then hit a grain going the other way and the tool shoots off in the other direction!!

What kind of things do you carve?

Hi Dingle - can't believe you're having to fight for support - you would think that in this day and age it would be readily available
Glad the cats are ok - can't believe they're 3 now already!! Could you send Gabi a pic or two - no rush though just if you manage to catch them!! You would think she'd be over it by now but she still keeps questioning me about them bless her!! (email is [email protected] )

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Hi Dior,that's funny oh well we'll sort it out.I'm sorry you're having such a bad time now.I did read a bit on a thread about your Mum.If you feel like discussing things on an e mail then please do,I will be a good listener and sympathetic.You don't have to write about all of it if at once if it's too much for you.But I shall look forward to hearing from you.The hotmail addy has .co.uk on the end not .com or just use the yahoo one.I'm watching Dawn Bibby she is on at the moment.

Your boxes sound lovely.I think you may have done more than me if you've tried different types of wood.I've only used beech or lime.I've nearly finished one lovespoon and I've got another one on the go.That's really all I've done so far.I started last year and did 3 classes.Then I've just completed a 4 day course.Which was brill.Are you doing classes or teaching yourself from books etc?There aren't many books on it in the library I found.But Amazon has loads of books on it or the Search Press craft book catalogue.I got my teachers book to learn from too.I have found it easier than I first thought it would be actually.Not saying I don't have a lot still to learn though.But I'm really loving it.I have 3 tools now from Henry Taylor.They have the long handles.I need a set of slip stones and piece of leather.Another useful thing is a knife like a craft knife.I really need a few more tools.I'm aiming to make mini ones too.I'd love to see a p icture of what you're making that would be really interesting.How are you getting on with it?When do you do it?

So far I've had no classes or read a single book!! I will have to though. We bought a pine box for the kids toys and my original plan was to paint it for them and then the idea to carve it popped up and I thought "How hard can it be?" Now I know!! The tools I've got are a really basic set from hobbycraft and I don;t even know the right names for them!! There's a small and large curved one, one which is like a right angle and a couple of plain knives. I've only tried pine so far as I thought it would be really easy because the wood is so soft but the box is made up of several pieces, not one big piece so the grain in each piece runs a slightly different way. I also find the knots quite difficult but that could just be a pine thing maybe?! When the first box is done I'll have to post a picture - so far it sounds better than it looks!
Would love to see what you have done too.
I only manage to get a couple of hours in at night when the kids are in bed but I find it sooooo relaxing!!!

Hi,I'll post a piccy of my spoon up on the mumsnetcrafters so you can see it.I'll tell you when I've done it.I haven't been doing it at home yet as I don't have any way of sharpening the tools yet and they get blunt quite quickly so you need to keep them very sharp apparantly it's safer too to use really sharp ones.I only get the evenings to craft too but I find it relaxing also.There are plenty of classes around here to do woodcarving in.I have booked up some evening classes for me for September so I'd encourage you to go to a few.It's interesting to see what others are making.The first few classes I did it was a mixed class with some doing woodcarving,some stone carving and some scultpture.Have you heard of intarsia?I thought that was what you were doing at first on the box.I think that is what it is called,it's really lovely and involves carving different shapes in different woods and putting them al together say like a teddy bear shape with lovely smooth edges.I saw a book on it.Don't whatever you do get a book out of the library like I did when I first started on woodwork tools,you'll be completely baffled by all the different ones.They are called gouges mostly.I just asked my teacher how many and what sizes to buy then went to a shop and looked at some.You can also buy a woodcarving magazine which will tell you a bit about some courses around the country.There are a few fairs and woodcarving festivals too.Bank holiday weekend has a festival at Westonbirt arboretum which I'm going to.
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