Favorite Decoy Carving Foredom Bits/Burs

Eric Patterson

Eric Patterson

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Thomas started working on some decoy heads and it is quite apparent I do not have a very good selection of rotary bits and burs. There seems to be a million offerings online but I don't know what he actually needs. Can you folks make some recommendations? I need specifics. Thanks.

Eric
 
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SABURR I prefer oranfe, which are aggresive in christmas tree or bullet nose shapes. They also come in green and yellow.
 
Eric,
If he is using a Foredom with a 1/4" chuck I like the Kutzall taper 3/4" or the Typhoon taper in coarse, both with 1/4" shank. It's pretty much the only burr I use in the Foredom, except a ball for hollowing. If he is using a micro motor or for finer work I use a carbide 1/8" shank flame bit. I hope this helps him out.
Pete
 
Pete's choices plus a cylinder head in both 1/4" and 1/8" shanks for feather edges, bills (1/8") and tapering wood tails (1/4" coarse) from base to outer edge. I use a t-8 flex handpiece with a diamond tip cylinder head with a 1/16th shank for detail on bills since I hand carve like the HULK would.
 
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Thanks for the input. Jeff Coats gave me info on Kutzall's very coarse 3/4" dia ball nose bur and I've ordered it. Looks like maybe a typhoon and cylinder shape could come in handy too. What head dia?

We are well equipped since I got all of Jeff's carving equipment which included 3 Foredom motors with foot pedal speed controls, a half dozen hand pieces, and a bunch of flex shafts. There was also some flex shaft carving tool that takes a chisel/gouge and pushes it in and out, as opposed to spinning. Plus I stumbled on a pair of Foredom Tx motors with heavy duty shafts at an auction really cheap and snagged them. In short he's well equipped for power carving needs.

The one area I'm short on is bits and burs and specialty hand tools like carving knives. I have a bunch of files and rasps, plus a bandsaw, pump sander, strip sander, etc., and think I have most everything needed for big ticket items, but know we need some small stuff and realize there is some trial and error ahead. We have started figuring out what actually works, and doesn't, and will probably have to go to school on what carving supplies are out there and what will help and what won't.

Stand by for more questions :)

Eric
 
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Eric,
I hesitate to offer suggestions as their are much more experienced and qualified carvers here on this site. These are what I use the most, not saying they are the best choice, but they seem to get the job done, along with some knife work.


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All are Saburrtooth brand Home (saburr-tooth.com)

(A) 2" carving cup SKU# CR270
(B) 1 3/4" carving cup SKU# CR13470
the above require an adapter shank SKU# CRAD3824 (for 1/4 shank)
(C) Roto saw 1 1/4" SKU#14RS125-90
(D)1/4" ball nose SKU#14BN14-70
(E) 3/4" Taper SKU# 14T34-70
(F + G) sanding drums w/sleeves 1/4 dia. and 1/2 dia.

I also use a hand made set of carving knives.

Pic of 3 knives from my set.



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Eric,

for starting out on knives having two: one that hogs wood off (i think they're called roughing knives) and a detail knife are both really good to start out on. I primarily use my roughing knife (not sure who the maker is because I bought from my wood carving club and we buy from someone who makes his own knives.....but even so it wasn't expensive) for pretty much everything (including some detail work) just because I am quite comfortable with it.

Flexcut makes decent knives.

I also use lots of gouges, v-tools and chisels for detail work. Though I don't have many, the folk at carving club are generous to share with me when I am at the club meetings.

For tips, a flame shaped burr is a good one. I would pretty much agree with everything everyone else has said so far. I would get a big sanding drum for the foredom in addition to the smaller sanding drums like Dave posted.
 
While not in the league with many carvers on here I will add that I do 95% of my decoy power carving with small sanding drums on a foredom. Note....I very seldom work with basswood which I hear fuzzes up with some power tools? I usually use two different grits ( very course ((40-60))and fine ((100)) to minimize hand sanding.

I do use draw knives, some chisels and rasps but for power carving it's usually sanding drums.


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Eric, the most important tool to have is A LEATHER APRON. Nothing worse than getting attacked by a bit on your shirt, which usually results in a snapped shaft. I had a problem with typhoons a while back so did not mention them. If working a LOT, it seemed that the shafts went out of true. Might have just been me, though!
 
All, keep the great info coming. My shopping list is becoming more refined which is what I'm after. I already have a good selection of sanding drums from other projects over the year, along with other stuff I got from Jeff. I might snap a picture of the tool kit he left me so you know my starting point.

George, I have a waxed canvas apron he wears for the very reason you mentioned. It is thick like leather.

Dani & Dave thanks for the rabbit hole trip looking at knives. Over lunch I ended up on youtube watching videos of guys making their own carving knives. Looks like fun but not something I have time for :) I think flex cut knives offer a very affordable entry point.

I will add one thing. I HATE Foredom's website. Jeez Louise they offer too many products that look alike yet are incompatible. Now I'm trying to cancel an order and get them to set me straight on what fits what. That info should be more apparent than what it is. A simple compatibility matrix would go a long way....

Appreciate the help. Thank you.

Eric
 
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This is my basic carving kit I take to carving club because NO power carving is allowed and no sanding is allowed at club (health reasons of my old farts but also it is the same room that oil painters use and they get touchy about sawdust on their paintings). This is a nice kit for traveling if you do a lot of traveling for work or school.

The flex cut is a good intro set...everything other than the three knives I got used from my carving club as people passed on or upgraded. Well the denture brush came from an old fart but he said it wasn't used.

The three knives are my roughing knife, detail knife and a chip knife. I found the handle style of the roughing knife and the detail knife to be more comfy than ones that have finger grooves carved in. So something to keep in mind when looking at knives.

Aquarium tubing makes a good sheath too for the knives and gouges. The glove is kevlar and the thumb guard a leather sleeve. Many folk use an apron in the club because it keeps the wood chips contained but after using Steves foredom the few times I got to, I would say a leather apron should be a must.

The little bitties are things that I have been working on. I often get to the point of needing to sand and move on. I don't like sanding much.



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The gouges are nice for fine detail work like on the pencil. Probably more or finer detail than would be needed or wanted for decoys but if you can't power carve for some reason, they are nice.


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Oh yeah and my two knives are made by Bud Murray. I paid $20 for each cuz the club buys sorta in bulk but if he is still making knives, I think they are $25 a piece
 
And a white crayon pencil along with some soft graphite pencils for layout. Symmetry while carving is aided by continuing to replace your reference marks and lines, particularly on heads and bills. Hide the pricey head stock for a while... Plus, Dad will aid his organization by setting-up a wood track with dowel protruding from it that are spaced apart adequately so he can swap handpieces without having to change bits I hang my standard Foredom S and my SR from an eyebolt in an overhead beam in staggered tandem after I zip tied the power cords together for the two units which enables just switching power pedals and grabbing the other handpiece and bit, saving time.
 
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