Carving a Spoon (Novice)
- Thread starter THOaken
- Start date
Thanks. I apologise for turning this thread into a work in progress log when it's in fact titled "quick spoon blank question". Bit odd, but I didn't feel like making yet another thread. Hope that's okay.
It's fine by me, I like watching folk work at things to see how they approach them, always thought showing as well as telling, then doing was the best learning/teaching method. Keep it coming for me, it'll also help take any anxiety out of the process. All good.
It's a good thread. Even if things don't go to plan its lessons learnt for the next time.
Watching your progress with interest.
Watching your progress with interest.
Going good. I think it's always nicer seeing knots in wood, seems more, well natural. Plus after you've worked on on them you know what your avoiding or how many to include.
Your not just carving a spoon. Your woodworking, gaining experience, knowledge, technique. The next project you do will be a lot easier because you have done this.
Your not just carving a spoon. Your woodworking, gaining experience, knowledge, technique. The next project you do will be a lot easier because you have done this.
Getting there.
Is it going to be a serving or eating spoon? If it's an eating spoon then you've got a lot to remove yet so that defect in the wood shouldn't cause too much a problem.
One tip I was given when carving an eating spoon is put it in your mouth occasionally and when it feel comfortable you've got the right size and proportions
Is it going to be a serving or eating spoon? If it's an eating spoon then you've got a lot to remove yet so that defect in the wood shouldn't cause too much a problem.
One tip I was given when carving an eating spoon is put it in your mouth occasionally and when it feel comfortable you've got the right size and proportions
Thats looking good, definitely getting there
One mistake I made when I first started carving was to make the bowl too deep as I was somewhat afraid to take too much wood off..if thats going to be an eating spoon then you want the bowl to be really quite shallow. Coming along nicely though!
One mistake I made when I first started carving was to make the bowl too deep as I was somewhat afraid to take too much wood off..if thats going to be an eating spoon then you want the bowl to be really quite shallow. Coming along nicely though!
I'm not good at turning failures into positive experiences, but believe me I'm trying.
http://i.imgur.com/JbC3029.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/uyw86te.jpg
Sawed the end of the handle that split, but the wood on the back is too hard and the handle too thin to even place down on the carving stump. Hard to explain. It's too messy to be salvageable and the wood is very hard.
http://i.imgur.com/7URE03z.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/JbC3029.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/uyw86te.jpg
Sawed the end of the handle that split, but the wood on the back is too hard and the handle too thin to even place down on the carving stump. Hard to explain. It's too messy to be salvageable and the wood is very hard.
http://i.imgur.com/7URE03z.jpg
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I wouldn't say failure, have another go tomorrow with a different bit of wood and get more practice and then the products you produce will get better
.The handle is quite thin, remember it doesn't have to remain a spoon (after all it's a practice piece), you could make it into a short handled scoop, (for measuring quantities, like id making flap jacks or bannocks where it's two of this and three of that!). I'd carry on on the bowl end to get practice in that section. That way when your next spoon comes alone you'll be more experienced and less likely to get disheartened at yourself. So look on it like a "try-stick" where the object is not to create a spoon but to practice technique. And you'll maybe still get a scoop out of it!
I wouldn't say failure, have another go tomorrow with a different bit of wood and get more practice and then the products you produce will get better
I agree here. It is not a failure. You set out to learn a skill and in the first try you have already learned a lot. There is always another bit of wood to practice on!
As others have said that is not a failure; you have experienced what it feels like to work the wood and seen how it behaves when you try to cut it.
Next time you will apply that learning even if subconsciously and I bet you will produce something better.
The thing is that you're physically doing it; that is how you learn. Keep at it.
Next time you will apply that learning even if subconsciously and I bet you will produce something better.
The thing is that you're physically doing it; that is how you learn. Keep at it.
The other thing to try is to have the open bowl of the spoon so it is toward the outer (bark) side of the log.
Not only will it be less prone to splitting, but you'll end up with more 'figure' showing up in the bowl.
Not only will it be less prone to splitting, but you'll end up with more 'figure' showing up in the bowl.
Turn it into a scoop! I done a scopp from some elder I dropped a few years back, and I use it to shovel ferret feed!
Go for a tear drop shape and make it as deep as you can without weakeningthe bowl!
Go for a tear drop shape and make it as deep as you can without weakeningthe bowl!
Alas, the other blank I was going to work today has many cracks, one running right through the top. The logs were cut badly and just left there for a month or so, I think.
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Hi THOaken,
Have you read up on slowing the drying process to minimise cracking?
Might help you out.
ATB,
GB
I don't have any greenwood to actually do this process. I'm rather surprised that in my woods there was no sycamore and all the other non toxic wood trees such as birch were all out of reach in terms of their branch structures. I looked for about 2 hours.
Edit: I think I'll go have another look while the rain's off.
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