By Steve Russell To protect my workbench, I cover it with freezer paper. Just cut the paper to fit and use blue painter’s tape to secure it in place with the matte side of the paper down. The shiny plastic backing on the paper makes it fairly durable, and it […]
By Vernon DePauw I’ve tried gloves and padding for my hands, but my palms still hurt after using full size gouges. So, I decided to add ribbed rubber chair tips to my gouge handles, and not only has this helped ease the pain, it has also reduced my carpal tunnel […]
By John Allard The benefits of a custom handle are enormous! You can fit the tool to the exact size of your hand, creating a comfortable grip for a safe, enjoyable carving experience. You can also extend the life of a favorite blade if the handle has become worn or […]
Save your hands with this simple power sharpening hack By Dave Browne I find stropping carving tools rather time-consuming and uncomfortable thanks to a touch of arthritis, not to mention fiddly when I’m trying to get a precise angle. To remedy this, I created my own rotary strop, using odds […]
Attend the upcoming Pennsylvania event that attracts carvers from all over the country Photo by Mike Wine The Lancaster County Woodcarvers (LCWC) are gearing up for their 49th Annual Woodcarving & Wildlife Art Festival in Millersville, Pa. The festival is expected to have a record number of exhibitors (over 60), […]
Learn about uncommon tools, ideal woods, and a game-changing technique By Joseph A. Savarese If you’re just getting started with relief carving, there’s a lot to take in. My goal in this article is to introduce approaches to design, woods you can try other than common basswood, useful techniques, and […]
It all comes down to fit and steel quality By Lora S. Irish You will notice, as you search for a new carving knife, that there are enough choices on the market to make your head spin. So how do you sort through them all to find the tool that’s […]
How—and why—to attach a project to a carving arm By Laverne “Sid” Sidler Using a carving arm has real advantages. You will reduce the risk of cutting yourself; have both hands free to control the tool, resulting in higher-quality results; be able to position the work to make difficult areas […]
Shop-made holding fixture allows you to carve anything outdoors By Ralph Beam Illustrations by Paul Modlin I wanted to carve outside in nice weather but needed a way to secure the blanks in a unit light enough to move from the yard to the garage. I read an article about […]
Power Carving Manual, a special issue of Woodcarving Illustrated, includes a variety of projects, patterns, and features, as well as interesting techniques. This issue is not a part of the regular magazine subscription. It is available from your favorite retailer or from Fox Chapel Publishing, foxchapelpublishing.com or 1-800-457-9112. Scroll down for a sneak peek! Getting […]
