first go at chainsaw carving....

[zopi]

Guess I will go ahead amd pursue it...

[TreeWinder]

Looks very good to me,  let's see some more.

[Magicman]

If you had made it say "Knothole Sawmill" you could have mailed it to me.    ;D

BTW, that is a very nice sign, and neat work.   

[Patty]

Pretty good for a first try!  8)

[Buck]

Ok Zopi, give us a lil run-down of how ya did it and how the saw was equipped. I'm dying to try it.

[zopi]

You would knot like the postage bill...sucker weighs about seventy pounds...
I used two saws, both stihl (well, duh..) 290 and 180c nothing special about either one...and a four inch angle grinder and flapper wheel...just drew the design on the slab with a carpenters pencil and went to it...just have to be careful that the saw does not kick back.
Now that I know I can do something useful with it, I need to pick up a lancelot wheel and a carving bar for the saw.
Next project will be three dee....my daughter drew a fictional character the other day, a sand elemental that I am going to attempt in SYP.

[donny hochstetler]

I do a lot of carving mostly bears n eagles its a lot of fun but has actually become more than a hobby for me , I sold over 200 bears this summer alone,my wife does the sanding n finishing n we sell at a local tourist trap  I use mostly whitepine it wont bust open like the hardwood will. If your serious about carving bears get the book HOW TO CHAINSAW CARVE A BEAR  by jamie doreen, this book is great and literly made me thousands of dollars.i"ll have my wife post some pictures after a while good luck

[zopi]

Sweet! Thanks!

[zopi]

Whats a ballpark figure for a bear or eagle?

[Ernie]

Looks like you have a whole new career cut out for you, well done!

[T Welsh]

zopi,That,s awesome for the first time. keep at it . Tim

[zopi]

Heh...the neighbors were floored...their son got married today, and the entire wedding party trooped over to see it

[donny hochstetler]

 
a few of my carvings

[Dale Hatfield]

Zopi
Dont bother buying a  Chainsaw chain for an angle grinder. Junk. I know more New carvers that have been hurt  by the kick back from them things.  Further more if you use a  Dime or Quarter tip carving Bar You can do more than that 4 inch chain grinder mount thing. Their are better things to spend money on .
Price for a carving some people will tell you they get a 100 a foot.  Its so out of range its funny. It depends on your ability Ive  seen stuff that couldnt fetch a hundred a foot. I wont work that cheap.
Zopi send me a pm and ill give you my phone number and I can answer all ya questions about carving.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Zopi. I'm grinning....that's pretty good carving there my friend!

What kind of wood did you carve?

Now you're starting to get me interested.

If any of you guys have chain saw carvings, please post them and tell us how much you sell them for.

I LIKE THIS STUFF!

[SwampDonkey]

Both you guys are pretty clever with a saw. 

I like your sign Zopi. 

White cedar would be quite stable to. Just looking at some but cutoffs I've had in the basement for 20 years, there's not a check in them. They don't have to dry much from green. And if your carving is going to sit outside, it'll be a lot more rot resistant than pine.

[zopi]

Donny, those are awesome! Being a gardener, I love the mushrooms...
Will forget the chainsaw dealy... might go in for a good electric saw though...eventually.
lol I saw those four thousand dollar hydraulic chainsaw rigs...yikes..
Quarter amd dime bar setup is on the list...as is an electric die grinder...

Poston...that slab was one of the very first logs I cut on my wm several years ago..SYP.

And I agree, any other carvers out there, lets see them! Chainsaw or not...carving is carving..it is just more fun with power tools!

[zopi]

Swampdonkey...yeah..but if they rot those folks will be back in a few years..
lol

[SwampDonkey]

That's the ticket, think like a Chinaman. ;D

[Dale Hatfield]

Zopi
They really dont make a good electric saw if you are used to a gas saw. But if ya have to have one get a Makita . A Saburr tooth disk for the angle grinder is a great item. As well a 1/4 inch bits for die grinders.
But that depends on where you want to take this.Their are chainsaw only guys, and all tools guys. Myself im a power carver that uses very fast and high powered tools.
I think i might have a pic or 2 in my profile

[zopi]

Thanks Dale...I am not so much into limiting myself to particular tools...I have used electric chainsaws, and they are obviously not Ideal....am thinking down the road a bit, to when at midnight I have an urge...I have neighbors..lol
I will look at the saburr tooth stuff...I have read a bit about their bits..I have a nice collection of rotary rasps, just need an electric as opposed to pneumatic die grinder...

[zopi]

Second attempt...

[donny hochstetler]

good job there what I like about it is before youre even done you want to start the next one ,

[Lud]

I've been carving since I was a kid.   I do like the Lancelot disc but you best be careful as the chips really can sting and it can run on you if you don't lock and load! 


 

And Donk will remember my Owl, Raz


 

Hey, Merry Christmas to all!

[SwampDonkey]

Yeah the owl, that was a clever hoot. ;)

[zopi]

Third time....gonna have to score a carving bar soon...



Lud those are great...I dig that owl...gonna have to tackle that one too...

[Buck]

nice stuff guys, keep the pics coming. Hey, show some of the tools and bits your using.

[Dale Hatfield]

 

  

 
Here are a couple that I have done.I need to get more photos up loaded .

[SwampDonkey]

That's really nice work Dale.  8)

[Magicman]

Thanks for sharing Dale.  I look forward to seeing more of your work.   

[WDH]

That bear is amazing!  That was some chunk of wood  8).

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

Dale

Those carvings are awesome. Do you ever work the chainsaw carving festival in Leo Indiana in September?

Would love to see you carve and see if I could learn something from a true master.

Zopi - I think you are showing quite a talent for this. After only 3 tries, the bear with the heart looks great.

[zopi]

Aww...thanks...that log sucked though...had some rot in it...
Dale those are awesome...i really like the indian princess.

I will keep messing with it...it is fast and fun to do. Have located a couple of sites with some how to's and a little deeper info....saw a little quick bear on one yesterday that I will try...and a bear that hangs on a four by four post.....gonna try. Bear with a sailor's dixie cup.

Next year am planning to own the pumpkin carving contest...will carve the pumpkin out of wood then carve the jack o lantern out of the pumpkin...

Since I live in the ham capital, was thinking of carving a decent sized hog and having it mysteriously appear downtown one night....lol...the local newspaper owner/editor would eat that up...

[zopi]

 

Somebody said air guitar this morning....thought it would be a good warm up excercise..done in some white oak that was too iffy to put in the sticker stack...
Youngest daughter has demanded a violin done the same way. Those f holes are doing to suck...

[zopi]

 

Midget bear holding a heart...
Lined up tomorrow...punkins...I hear they sell phast....
And I am going to attempt a hummingbird in flight...

[Clam77]

A guitar, or violin, that can actually play.....  now THAT would bring in some money I'd think..    8)

[zopi]

Eh..maybe...the point of the excercise is to keep my attention deficit butt from getting..SQUIRREL!....Distracted...I like this becaise it is only as fiddly and detailed as the carver wants...

[Lud]

Dale,  You have an artist's eye.   Well done.

[Dale Hatfield]

Guys
When you want to put a carving bar on you saw. A quarter size bar will fit most saws. I however I like to run them with 3/8 low pro chain. They cut like a lazer. The downside to that is that sprocket chainand bar wear very fast. It so much faster that Im wiiling to pay the extra for the speed.
I block or ruff out shape with 372 husky and 20 inch bar or 395 with a 36 inch bar depending on size of carving.
Then I move on to the Qtr tip bars. I have them on Echo 360 400 ( I think)( 14/16inch bars I think)
Then to the dime tip bars for final detail. I really dont use them much as the qtr tip does about all I really nead. I would say less than 15 20 mins per carving.
A dime tip Bar will only fit some saws as the sprocket has to changed to 1/4 pitch . Because a dime tip bar can only run 1/4 pitch chain.
Check with Baileys to see if they have a sprocket to fit your saw. http://www.baileysonline.com/category.asp?catid=65
I like to wear a hardhat with forestry faceshield and muffs.  Keeps the pine crumbs from sticking in my stash.
Chaps and some tunes on the MP3 player

The above info should save you a bunch of trouble and time and money. Because if you check for sprokets first, then you wont find yourself holding a bar that wont work on your saw.
Dale

[zopi]

As soon as I am able I will likely add another ms 180 or 170 with a quarter bar...might try the 3/8 low pro when my control is a bit better. I am sure the first time I get into a big sculpture I will decide that the 3/8 is the way to go.
I may get up with someone who carves woth echos or huskys and try them out...stihl is local to me and they are what I am used to.

[zopi]

It is raining here today. went out and put the sawmill back in it's shed and it looks like that is about what I will get today...

[clww]

Great carvings all!
Wet here today, too...

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

You VA. boys ARE getting a bunch of rain. I looked on the weather map.....ya'll need to carve a boat! 

We got 2 inches of rain in S.C. this morning, now the wind is blowing 30 to 40 mph. They'll be NO sawdust left to clean off the LT40 in the morning!  :D

[SwampDonkey]

It's on it's way up here to. I here the old snow sliding off the roof, it's above freezing. No wind much here, yet. But suppose to be blowing in off the coast.

[redbeard]

I really enjoy this thread, I really enjoy watching the carvers at local events it is real popular around my area. I saw a  advertisement for a new reality TV show coming out called "Saw Dogs" about chainsaw carvers i googled it and saw some video of it. looks interesting. Anyone know any more about it.

[GF]

That is some great work  .  More pics.


GF

[zopi]

Shroom...

[zopi]

 
Wood spirit work in progress...

[WDH]

That is some awesome grain in the shroom.  What is it?  Elm?

[SwampDonkey]

Looking good zopi, keep at it. 

To darken the wood, air you using a butane torch to scorch it or something?

[Dale Hatfield]

Zopi
Shroom looks good .
Here is a burning tip ,2 actually, no 3  might be more when Im done.
Bigger torch is better. Dont be afraid to try a large metal cutting set up.
A  propane weed burner is nice. Soldering torch is slow and hard on wet wood .
A butane turbo burner is nice fo small detail.
I use a Plumbers accetalyne unit with quick exchange heads from large to small.
Here is how I burn. When I do. I use a lot of stain,dye and paint.
Burn it Black
Buy a couple brass brushes  One grill size and down to slightly larger than a Tooth brush. Use the brush to even out the burn. It will leave a nice  brown color.

[Dale Hatfield]

Oh another burning tip . Get a spray bottle filled with water. Squirt  the parts you dont want to burn.  Find an understudy to do all burning and brushing its dirty work .
Old saw dogs have what would be the female version of a dog to keep things fueled, chunks picked up , bark peeled, Carvings burned and the coffee hot.

[zopi]

The wood in the shroom and wood spirit is pecky old dry cypress. Cypress is fun to carve.
Yep the only torch I have right now is a little plumbers torch..have seen a couple recent ly that I will likely acquire...mid size weed burner...
I fixed the wood spirit post...apparently I did not paste in the link...oops.

[zopi]

I am playing some with a wire brush in an old power sander..different effects, like taking the hard part of the grain back to a light color amd leaving the darker soft stuff black..a torch works alot like an airbrush if you play with it a bit...
I got sick of brushing on oil really fast, so I took a twenty dollar horror fright hvlp spray gun and loaded it up with oil and thinner....can hose a whole carving in seconds...much better.

Picked up a horror fright electric die grinder yesterday to augment my angle grinders...that thing is a life saver....a rotary rasp will fix up those spots where you went a little too deep with the saw in nothing flat....
I did the shroom backasswards...I started carving from the top, should have carved the bottom and flipped it to do the top...makes them go faster....mushrooms and pumpkins and ten minute bears seem to be bread and butter carvings, according to what I have read...simple stuff that can be sold to average joe for not alot, and the occasional more expensive piece...I am planning to get a few simple things out that are not too close in tolerance, and get them placed, and work on harder stuff to develop a little skill...maybe get some commission pieces eventually.
I am still sort of amazed that I can do this at all....I have always been at the far end of the suck spectrum when it comes to three dee art.....I am decent with an airbrush, but could never develop theknack to bring a shape out of a solid.
Thanks Dale, keep the criticism and tips coming please...this seems a rare sort of art and craft...one has to really dig to learn anything.
Will hopefully knock out another little one this evening and get some more done to the wood spirit...

[zopi]

Took this guy as far as he went...realized some shortcomings took them on board and kept moving...
Could not resist the pompadour...just watched Walk the Line...

[jamesamd]

Just a little less black Zop... ;D

[zopi]

Lol...he is actually quite a bit lighter than the picture...it was taken right at sunset after I hose him with oil finish.

[SwampDonkey]

Yes, light makes a big difference when snapping pictures. ;D

[Stephen1]

hey guys, Love the work, zopi, coming along real good,
Dale  I really like your indian princess.
Do we have any more carvers out there?

[zopi]

That carved head brought a hundred seventy at auction...I donated it to a charity auction for the humane society held at a science fiction convention last weekend...and they made me auction it..that was kind of fun!