Blog

The Humorous World of Pete LeClair

Lanky figures, eggheads, clowns, and grizzled faces are all part of the carving repertoire of Pete LeClair. A resident of Gardner, Massachusetts, Pete has been carving since 1979. After an unrewarding stint with ships in a bottle, he tried his hand at carving caricatures. He tracked down a couple of […]

by February 5, 2010 Features

Branson: A Carver’s Paradise

Ozark tradition of carving makes this Missouri hot spot a great vacation destination Branson has been called the “New Nashville” because of all the country music shows held there. With 100 shows, three full blown amusement parks, and a host of water parks and go cart tracks, there are many […]

by February 5, 2010 Features

Art of Chainsaw Carving

Most people think of a chainsaw as a tool for cutting limbs and trees, but artists have been using them to create sculpture for years. Today, carvers use chainsaws to sculpt everything from garden decorations to furniture and priceless works of art. Whether you’ve been thinking about getting involved in […]

by February 5, 2010 Features
Carving a Caricature Colt

Carving a Caricature Colt

Simple stylized horse is easy to carve By Floyd Rhadigan This adorable little colt only requires a few tools to complete. Novice carvers can expect excellent results in a relatively short period of time and more experienced carvers can finish the project in a single day.  My first carving project […]

by February 4, 2010 Patterns & Projects
Saint Nick Cane Topper

Saint Nick Cane Topper

Carve and paint this great holiday gift in a weekend By Phil Bishop This great topper can be customized for a variety of uses. Reduce the pattern to make a bottle stopper—the perfect gift for wine enthusiasts. Because of their size, cane toppers make great weekend projects. The small investments […]

by February 2, 2010 Holiday Carving, Patterns & Projects

Woodcarving at the National Scout Jamboree

Introducing 50,000 boys a year to the joys of carving through the merit badge program More than 1,000 Scouts, ages 12 to 17 took a three-hour class in the basics of wood carving at the 2005 National Scout Jamboree’s “Merit Badge Midway.” The Jamboree was held in Caroline County, VA. […]

by February 2, 2010 Features
Jenga® Block Bear

Jenga® Block Bear

Simple tools and materials can produce great results By Lavonne Russell I purchased Woodcarving Illustrated Spring 2005 (Issue 30) on a whim—without any carving experience and no tools. What was I doing with a woodcarving magazine? But something about the bearded figure on the cover caught my eye. He looked like […]

by February 2, 2010 Techniques
Carver’s Lapboard

Carver’s Lapboard

By Charles Brown With this lapboard, you can carve mess-free anywhere—You can take your carving out of the basement and carve in the comforts of your easy chair. Flip it over, and it becomes a handy portable writing table. The dimensions of the lapboard depend on a couple factors; I […]

by February 2, 2010 Shop Tips
Shop-Made Holding Devices

Shop-Made Holding Devices

Inexpensive methods for holding irregularly-shaped carvings By Roger Schroeder Carvers tend to be innovative—and with the odd shapes that carvings can take on, many commercial holding devices just won’t work. That is why carvers design, or adapt, their own holding devices. The variety of designs is endless, but most can […]

by February 1, 2010 Shop Tips
Fruit Pit Carvings

Fruit Pit Carvings

Amazing details in miniature carvings By Bob Shamey I love to carve virtually anything, but the palette for my work that I love the most is cherry pits. I love to eat cherries to get at the pit; I then continue to suck on the pits to get them completely […]

by February 1, 2010 Patterns & Projects