Some odds and ends

[bb07]

Here are a few things I've recently finished, all birch in various stages of drying.

And a coffee spoon

I'm still relatively new at carving but with every completed project I learn a bit more about it.

 

[Imagedude]

Looks like you know what you are doing, is birch a stable wood?

 

[Everything Mac]

Very nice!

 

[bb07]

is birch a stable wood?

I dry it very slowly to minimize cracking and splitting, but any such problems may be because of the way I carve it. I think it may be possible to reduce cracking if the pieces are chosen according to grain and carved in a certain manner but that is a complete guess. I don't have any way of learning except by trial and error since carving courses don't exist here, so I hope someone more experienced than I can pass on some knowledge if there's a better way.
I've had good luck with birch for the most part so in my limited experience I would say that yes, it is a stable wood, although I don't know what other woods are like.

 

[Albus Culter]

Really good work there. Good lines and carved nice and thin. Top job.

I've only done a few spoons and am still learning.

Birch is a pretty good wood to carve. Small pieces carved thin dry quick and even so I've not had any real issues with splitting. You can get a little distortion but its all part of the character. Thicker pieces (or bigger) need to be dried a little slower to avoid splitting. Drying it in a paper bag can help. I've tried a kuksa before and the end grain is where is will split if not dried slow.

Keep up the good work

 

[crosslandkelly]

Lovely work there. The bowl looks great.

 

[Dreadhead]

great work ver nice finish on them

 

[Tor helge]

Looks very nice. A fine collection

 

[BILLy]

Lovely stuff there mate

 

[Shewie]

Very nice bb

 

[Hugo]

Nice work you have done there.

 

[Dave]

Very Nice.

 

[bb07]

Thanks for the kind words folks