No matter how you strop, whether by hand or with power, the surface you are working is always face down and out of sight. This makes it difficult to see if you are holding the tool at the correct angle. I use a Sharpie® marker to draw a broad mark […]
By Roy Ellery People can’t resist picking up my log books and looking through them. Sometimes I’ll write a story to accompany the scenes, but often I’ll just let the images tell a unique story to each viewer. After purchasing a new scroll saw, I needed to create something to […]
When Doug Rowell isn’t strumming a guitar, he’s whittling one. In Woodcarving Illustrated Summer 2012 (Issue 59) Doug showed some of the more than 100 solid-body, customized electric guitars that he has carved for popular collectors and musicians, including Russ Giguerre of The Association, Mike Botts and James Griffin of […]
Summer is the season to get outdoors, whether you’re simply moving your carving bench from the basement to the back porch or packing your kit in the car for a camping trip. Similarly, walking sticks are simple projects for summer that can be useful in the neighborhood or in the […]
By Floyd Rhadigan A friend suggested I carve something on a wooden wine bottle. I’m not a wine drinker, so I made a sketch of a beer bottle and sent it to the guy who makes woodturned carving blanks for me. I carved a woman on a root beer bottle […]
Use inexpensive power tools to get a sharp edge fast By Mac Proffitt The goal in power sharpening is the same as hand sharpening—a sharp tool. But many people find power sharpening quicker and easier. Safety When you sharpen tools with power, you generate heat, sparks, and noise. Always wear […]
Do you have a great new carving you’d like to share with the world? We invite you to enter your original designs in the 2012 Best Carving Design Contest. You’ll compete for prizes, recognition, and the chance to become Woodcarving Illustrated’s newest contributor. Plus, everyone who participates has a chance […]
A self-help seminar inspired Phil and Vicki Bishop to quit their jobs and carve full time By Kathleen Ryan With distinctive down-home features, peculiarities of figure, and deliberately exaggerated faces, carvings by Phil and Vicki Bishop are designed to evoke smiles and keep us from taking life too seriously. Although […]
Mix your own dyes and stains By Robert Triplett and Bob Duncan It can be difficult to find the perfect dye or stain color for your project. Instead of searching the stores or settling for something other than what you envisioned, create the exact color you want. The Differences Between […]
In March, after the devastating earthquake and tsunami rocked Japan, members of the Woodcarving Illustrated, Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts, and Pyrography Online message boards banded together to help. Within a few months, members from around the world had contributed dozens of carved, scrolled, or woodburned 4″ by 4″ squares. […]
