Wood selection query..

[UKHaiku]

I've had a go at carving a couple spoons in the past few weeks using some less than ideal wood - i.e. branches about 1 - 1.5inches thick.. While this has helped me get used to the tools - both in terms of working with the wood and avoiding cutting myself too badly (after one time going into work with 3 plasters on! ) - it hasn't really produced spoons that are any good. I just start to get a good (relatively speaking of course) size/shape on the spoon and I keep hitting 'pith' (I'm sure there's a technical name for it - but it's the soft bit that isn't the same consistency at the rest of the wood)..

So, I guess my question is... How can I find/buy suitable wood - and what are the properties that I'm looking for in terms of size/shape etc...?

Any and all advice gratefully received...

 

[Dave Budd]

find somebody who is cutting a tree down and get a log off 'em Try the blokes on the roadside clearing wood or a landscape gardner if you don't know any woodsmen. You could use seasoned wood from a shop, but it's a great deal harder to work!

 

[robin wood]

here are a few tips.

First for spoons you don't need huge wood 2" diameter will make a spoon. Cut your little branch to say 6" long and split it in half. Axe the split surface flat to remove the pith now you have a good stable piece of wood to carve. I find it works best to make the spoon with the bowl facing the bark and the back towards the centre, this is probably the opposite to the way most beginners would naturally do it. Start by axe or knife carving the bark and some wood away to make a flat parallel to the split surface when its wide enough draw the outline of your spoon on it and carve the shape out. You will probably at this stage be thinking its not very thick...maybe you will be only 1/2"-3/4" thick but spoons work better if you don't give them very deep bowls..think of the shape of a shovel that is the perfect eating spoon shape.

2" diameter wood is easy to come by, whenever you hear a chainsaw follow the noise and grab some wood before it disappears into the chipper. Or keep an eye out for neighbours pruning trees. Or visit or phone any council park, National trust garden or woodland etc and ask if you can have some wood...they are cutting it all the time.

edit, just realised where you are...try walking down the banks of the Ouse with a small saw...this time of year there will be masses of wood left along the banks from flooding a lot of it will be willow and alder which will be good for carving.

 

[litefoot]

There are a lot of great wood carvers on this site as you have probably noticed if you checked what gets put up,but here`s` my thoughts.Daves idea of getting some material from stuff thats been thinned out by tree surgeons is a good if you do not have acess to your own supply.
From what you have said about the size of the piece of wood before you started carving,I would say it seems a little small.With guidance from others on this site I have been able to make some really passable stuff that I have been pleased with and each time the piece of wood selected was a whole lot bigger than the finished article.In fact the wood was split down the middle to get at the part you really need instead of carving straight into the wood you have chosen.I suspect for most people it`s one of those things that makes sense once you see it done.Getting yourself to a meet would be of great help here and for general bushcraft knowledge.
Litefoot

 

[Globetrotter.uk]

I have just been the the health and the defenders were cutting silver birch down and they gave me a piece about 12" long, it's my wedding anniversary today and I think I should try to make something to mark the special day. Do I need to allow the wood to dry out? any suggestions what to make. Maybe a cup or pen holder.