Bowl carving and basic workshop advice needed

[Hammock Hamster]

Hi guys,

Now that I have moved house and have a garage I am setting up a simple workshop where I can get back into some carving etc... , a neighbour recently had a tree cut down and donated a 3ft wide by 3.5ft high section of trunk which has now become my workbench/carving block.

I will eventually get or make a proper bench but funds and time are tight at the moment and I was able to get some chunks of green birch from the local woodland which I am using to make a couple of bowls.
I want to do everything by hand with axe, adze, draw knife etc... and have so far managed to create the main bowl in a half log which I have thinned down with my axe (pictures to come later when I can get tapatalk working properly) but I am struggling to get the piece secure to thin down any more with my drawknife.

I have tried wedging the wood between two stops I have set in the block with an auger and an axe on the other end (a cheapy that wont hold and edge ) but the work just keeps slipping around. I cant wedge the sides as it interferes with the drawknife.

Anyway I was wondering if anyone else has ever had this issue before with using a stump as a carving block and work table and needed to secure a piece of work down. I have considered ratchet straps attached to something set into the sides of the stump which might work but wanted to see if I was missing a trick that some else has tried before or should be obvious.

Cheers, Hamster

 

[mrcharly]

I think you'll need 'dogs' (lumps of wood held in place by thick dowels that drop into holes in your stump), combined with a couple of shallow wedges.

Most people make a shave horse, as using a drawknife requires frequent repositioning of the wood.

Personally with such a substantial stump I'd not bother with the drawknife and just use an axe and an adze. I'm envious, I'd love a stump like that to work from.

 

[Hammock Hamster]

I think you'll need 'dogs' (lumps of wood held in place by thick dowels that drop into holes in your stump), combined with a couple of shallow wedges.

Most people make a shave horse, as using a drawknife requires frequent repositioning of the wood.

Personally with such a substantial stump I'd not bother with the drawknife and just use an axe and an adze. I'm envious, I'd love a stump like that to work from.

Hi Mrcharly,

a shave horse is on my list of thing to make this winter, as usual I have jumped in feet first without having everything I need.
This is my first "thin" bowl and I have taken it down with the axe about as far as I dare (which isn't that far) and want to start refining before letting the blank dry out before finishing.

I take your point about the frequent repositioning which is driving me crazy and I suppose what im looking for is a saw horse substitute that I can use to clamp my works down briefly before moving position, it will be a faff but infinitely better than what im doing now.

The stump itself is great and I was really lucky to be in the right place and right time to get it. That said now im using it if ever I needed another I think I would start phoning around local tree surgeons, even if I have to offer them a "drink" for one it would be well worth it.

Hamster

 

[nephilim]

Have you looked up about treadle wood lathes? Basically they're lathes made from wood and manually spun using your foot. They're good fun to use and get very very good results. Takes longer than a machine lathe, but there is more satisfaction using it

 

[mrcharly]

For some reason I thought you had an adze.

I'd recommend getting a hollowing adze. I've made some cooking spoon with one, taking the wood down to about 7mm thickness. When sharp, you can use them like a gouge, pushing them against the work rather than chopping.

 

[Fraxinus]

Sometimes wood against wood will slip easily so add in some glued on sandpaper to aid grip, use wedges from softer wood than that being worked can also help. Any pegs you fit to the top of your bench are better if they taper (fatter at the top) stops wedges or workpieces riding up. I have seen rope hold downs that require the user to press down on a wooden paddle to tighten the grip.
Not sure what way you prefer to work but some carvers shape the outside first so they can use a carvers screw to hold the wood, the screw hole/s are carved out later to form the hollow while the piece is in a box shaped cradle lined with carpet.
A pic of what you are doing might elicit more ideas to assist, will try to find some pics to illustrate what I've written but an earlier google came up dry.

Rob.

 

[Hammock Hamster]

This is my current set up, I do have an adze but am fairly new to it as a tool and am not confident I can get too thin with it without cracking, likewise with the axe as it is a new style of bowl I am trying.





The idea of a rope hold down of some description might be the way forward would be interested in some more detail if you have any, I am just after a temporary and hopefully simple solution until I can get round to making a bench and shave horse.
Will do a proper step by step once the bowl is done warps, checks, cracks and all!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Hammock Hamster]

This is about where I am up to, I know the whole thing is still a bit on the thick side but I'm trying to go slowly with it and don't want to go too mad with the axe or adze






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[wattsy]

you can use the adze to chop out the area under the handle, and it looks like you have a mora push knife there not a drawknife, try using dowels to attach a piece of wood as a stop on the far side of your block and then wedge the bowl between that and your body to use the push knife.

 

[Hammock Hamster]

you can use the adze to chop out the area under the handle, and it looks like you have a mora push knife there not a drawknife, try using dowels to attach a piece of wood as a stop on the far side of your block and then wedge the bowl between that and your body to use the push knife.

I saw a video of someone using an adze for the handle area the other day and will definitely be giving it a go, stupidly I hadn't considered using the mora in a pushing action though it does seem to help a bit - just need to try improvising a carvers screw or similar to help keep the damn thing still. Have tried wedges and stops but the blank is so uneven (due to my carving skills) it really does need holding down.