carving tool question

Rob Canady

Rob Canady

Member
im looking to buy one of those motorized carving tools, they look like a dremel but they run off a motor that hangs up and has a cylindrical shape. Ive seen many people carving decoy heads with them but i dont know what they are called. Im looking for a dependable brand but certainly not top of the line. Any info would be appreciated as well as where to find the best price on one.
 

Rob Foredom is hard to beat-- I've been using mine for ten years now and have added a smaller hand piece to the original set. Easy to change and trouble free.
 

Rob,

A couple of years ago I purchased a Weecher from Willy at the Duck Blind. I have run a ton of hours on it and let a lot of my students use it as well and it has yet to let me down.

Good luck,
Ballard
 
Rob Foredom is hard to beat-- I've been using mine for ten years now and have added a smaller hand piece to the original set. Easy to change and trouble free.
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I have close to that on mine. Great tool for hogging wood off or detail work and for sanding.

Eats through wood, shirts and skin like a hot knife through butter !!
 
When you buy one get two extra shafts. The third shaft will last years the first two may make it a month
 
When you buy one get two extra shafts. The third shaft will last years the first two may make it a month
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Leather apron helps extend life of shafts too, t-shirts do not.
Leather gloves are helpful too.
 
i ended up going with a weecher from theduckblind, have yet to try it out but it looks nice. Is there a good versitile starter kit of cutter heads to get? im just planning on making wooden heads for my herters for now.
 
When you buy one get two extra shafts. The third shaft will last years the first two may make it a month
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YES! Order at least one extra shaft. I ordered a Foredom from Willy and he asked me if I would like to save some shipping and order another shaft. I told him that I wouldn't need another shaft. I think I carved for like 30 minutes before I got it caught in my t-shirt and broke it. I called him and ordered another shaft while he was laughing about it. Been going on almost 10 years and I haven't broken another one yet.
 
iIs there a good versitile starter kit of cutter heads to get?
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The starter kits I have seen are not really what you want for decoys. I have 2 bits that I use 90% of the time, and a third that is the other 10%...the others just sit.

Heads: Christmas tree or cone shape, I prefer the medium (green) courseness. Some like the more agressive ones(orange), I have one but haven't got used to how quick it grabs, and have been happy how fast the green goes through material.

Bodies (and swan heads): I have a 3/4" diameter round nosed cylinder (kind of bullet shaped) again in green.

Occaisionally on bodies or the canvas frames I'll use a 1/2" diameter cylinder (with a flat end) again in green. I have a couple of yellow (fine grit) cutters, but they are a step sideways from course sandpaper.

I do have a padded sander that I do use alot. Saves a lot of hand sanding.

Chuck
 
Once again I'm with Chuck on the green cutters and his selection. I would only add
a 1/4'' cylinder with a ball nose for tight work under the neck-chin area. The
more aggressive cutters are hard on shafts. John
 
on heads I like my 1" cylinder teal colored with the burrs on the top. I use it on 90% of the head right up to using small stuff for the eye and bill.
 
When you buy one get two extra shafts. The third shaft will last years the first two may make it a month
Click to expand...

Leather apron helps extend life of shafts too, t-shirts do not.
Leather gloves are helpful too.
Click to expand...


I second the leather gloves , I am right handed and wear a heavy duty leather welders glove on my left hand.
make sure you get a heavy glove with leather all around the fingers and back of the hand.

the aggressive cutzall burrs will make swiss cheese out of your hand faster than your wife will complain about all the dust. In my house that is fast.
 
Sounds good, i appreciate the feedback. Now that the seasons over im gonna order a few and do some trial and error work. How long do the tips usually last before they get too dull to be able to be effective?
 
The tips DON'T wear out. If you get some sappy wood that clogs one you hold the tip with pliers and burn off the crud with a propane torch. You want the Saburr burrs or the Typhoon burrs. In the Typhoon color code you would use the RED burrs, and probably just go with a 1/4" shaft 9/16" smooth end cylinder, 13/16" Cone, and 3/8" Flame, at least to begin with. If you buy a Foredom kit that comes with a bunch of 1/8" shaft burrs just save some storage and toss them in the trash. The 1/2"x1/8" dremel sanding drum is handy too.

to hang your machine, what I did was get a 3/4" pipe clamp and install a 6" black pipe nipple on it, then I bought a 4ft piece of 1/2" black pipe and one elbow, cut 6" off one end of the pipe and assembled the 2 pieces with the elbow. This slides nicely into the clamp. I put some 1/8" holes in the lower end of the long piece and installed an eye bolt with a little hacked off the eye to hand the motor from. I use a nail in the 1/8" holes to adjust the height
 
Oh, other advice

SAFETY GLASSES that fit snug to your eye sockets at ALL TIMES

Know that when you fire it up, you will be needing a shower after your carving session, whether it is 5 minutes or 5 hours.

Hearing protection is not a bad idea or at least an Ipod with good tunes and sound eliminating headphones, just make sure that there is no way for the wires on the head set to get near your work

Dust mask at a minimum, the expensive disposable ones, even if you use dust collection.
 
sounds good, i think the apron, gloves, and safety goggles are all good advice! Well if the bits dont need sharpening then they are worth the $14-20. Now my other question would be type of wood. We have a waterfowl show coming up next weekend and theres always some blocks of tupelo available as well as a few others. What would you recommend for making some sea duck gunning decoy heads out of? I want something easy to work with but by all means it doesnt have to be top quality because it will get shot!
 
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