wood carving on outside of bowls?

[Kenny]

I am not referring to simple decorative indents around the bowl instead I would like to do Relief carving around the entire outside. Has anyone done that to let me know of the pitfalls and failures or tricks to overcome carving a round surface... I have Lathe experiance and can make decent bowls I am just ready for a new direction. I want to get more "artistic". Any dialogue would be appreciated. I have not bought the chisels for carving yet but would like to buy a partial set for relief carving $900.00(Pfeill) I just would hate to invest so much money to find out that bowl carving is anything but enjoyable.

 

[Tony Reynolds]

The only carving I've done on bowls so far is mainly veining, but I have done a fair amount of carving on wood spirits and the like. I can't imagine needing a $900 set of Pfeil's to carve. I have Pfeil's myself. Very nice tools. I bought individual tools and have 8 tools that do about anything I can think of. My advice would be forget about the sets and buy only the tools you need as time and experience dictates. Have fun.

Tony

 

[PapaDoc]

I was inspired to try some carving by Trent Bosch. He has an excellent video on decorative carving on utility bowls. Don Duden of Cedar Key, Fla. is an amazing reservoir of ideas and does some tasty work using traditional chisels as well as high speed drill. I just bought an affordable Gesswein electric drill that has proven mighty promising. Bihn Pho turned me on to a really high speed pneumatic drill but it requires very thin walls to be effective. The recent AAW symposiums that I have attended have been "over-run" by artistic carving. You might check out upcoming gatherings. Note the Jacques Vesery of Maine is a master and sees his vessels as a canvas for his carving and painting. For me, I guess I identify with you words "looking for a new direction". I am trying to find voice and find lots of help in AAW.
Blessings,
David Galloway

 

[GeeSeaWhy]

I've done a very little carving on turnings, using the Proxxon power carver. It takes a while and generally requires more planning and marking out than turning does. That puts me off using the technique more often - I want results quickly and I don't usually spend a lot of time marking and measuring on a turning.

Graeme

 

[Steve Worcester]

You might want to start out with just a few of the gouges, or by a cheap reciprocating carver. There are a few out there for under $100.
I bought an add on for my Foredom that works pretty well, of course I then spent $200 on blades!

 

[Duane]

Carving

Hi Kenny.
Check out this months issue of Woodturner Magazine from England. It has an article in it about some couple who do a lot of carving on turned pieces.
I Have started carving some of my work or myabe I should say sculpting after it has been turned. I use any and all tools with or without a power cord to carve and sculpt with. Power carving I suggest you use the best you can aford. The Dremel tools or Wecheer type power carvers wont last long. They are made for very light work. I have gone through two of them. I don't know anything about the next size up ( $ 150 - $ 200 range ).The Fordom or Mastercarver type are built for heavier use but won't remove a lot of wood fast. The Arbortech type will take a lot of wood off in a hurry but very hard to control for fine work. A very dangerous tool . As for myself my next power carver will be air driven.
Carving in the round so to speek isn't like carving flat wood.The subject needs to be seen form all sides or repeated several times on each side.Or a continuing them that flowes around the piece. Each quarter turn of the piece the grain changes so this must be thought out in advance.
Carving, to do it well is even more dificult than turning. And a lot longer learning curve.
I hope I have been helpfull. Good luck.
Duane