Wood properties for carving

[NickR]

I actually found a carving club in my area! Turns out they've been together for 25 years or so.

So last night I got to meet up with them and make some chips with the stuff I got from Rutgers.

As the BS was flying last night, and then this morning I was talking to a co-worker about some old cedar 6x6 he has, I started wondering a few things.

When they talk about a certain % moisture, is that something normal decoy carvers keep track of? If your block gets too dry, is there a feasible way to add moisture? If a guy cuts down a tree and slabs it into cants, how long before it's ready to carve? I would have access to basswood, pine, and cedar if I wanted to make some blocks.

Thanks,
NR

 

[george w]

the way i figure it is that it takes about a year from the time that i get some new stuff and put it in the garage until it is really good to carve---you certainly do not want sap running as you carve! it will gum up your grinding bits, for sure---most kiln dried lumber is between 10-15% moisture--problem is that rh in the area where you store it may be higher, and the wood might just absorb a bit more moisture--on an interesting note, i just picked up a nice pile of sugar pine--no knots, good grain--as soft as it is supposed to be, it seems as tight as cedar or bass to grind--sands really nice, too--i am guessing that as it ages, it may harden a bit?
You do not want to use hardwoods for dekes!!!! they may be sturdy, but may wear you and tools out in a hurry, especially if you hollow stuff!

 

[Wispete]

Nick, I will add a little bit others will add more. Moisture) two kinds, The first when you cut down a tree,
Sap moisture. The second moisture in the air.

When a tree is harvested there is a certain amount of sap moisture in the log depending where and when it is harvested. This moisture has to be removed for most uses of the wood. Now the wood is dried in basically two ways. Air dry or Kiln dried. Which method is used is determined by time. Faster is Kiln dried. Wood that is neither air or kiln dried is called green.

A note Kiln died is not all the same. This depends on the use of the lumber. Example furniture wood may down 3-5 percent. Building lumber 2 by 4s maybe 10 or 15 percent.

Now the other moisture. That's this same moisture that's in the air. That depends where you live and time of the year.
Example, Furniture wood dried to 3 percent and the moisture in the air where you live averages 10 percent that moisture will enter the wood until it is 10 percent. The opposite will also happen.

Now for duck calls you want all the sap moisture out. Decoys to a lesser extent, but more is better. Spend a lot of time and effort and the duck call cracks or the decoy splits down the middle." green wood"

I left out a lot of technical stuff and terms but that's neither here nor there.

Now for where you are, and anyone else. Experience will guide you. George gave you some of his.

 

[Brandon Yuchasz]

Nick,
I wasn't aware of a club in the area.

Being in the timber business you should be able to get good leads on someone that has a mill and can supply wood.

Air drying is fine for carving but if the wood is milled green then coating the ends with wax or even paint will help it to dry without spliting or checking.

General rule is a year for an inch of thickness. I think thats actually a bit longer then needed but its what I have been told.

I did carve some "wet" basswood and had some spliting problems after they were carved so dry wood is important.

I have stacks of basswood under my bed with the date I put them there written on them. Its an easy way to dry wood. Also have a smaller amount of cedar.

 

[Rutgers]

Glad to hear you're making some chips. The whole wood thing can get confusing real quick, but here is my take on carving wood.

Head stock should be around 2 to 2 1/4 thick and dry as can be. I use cedar and basswood, mostly air dried. Knot and crack free.

Bodies I use white cedar I get out of the Escanaba area. But section cut offs from a log home maker. It has the heart running down the center and I don't worry about it. I have to deal with some checks, but it's really not a big deal. It's been sitting out in the weather for about a year when I get it, and I'll let it sit another year and get to carving. I hollow out real thin and this helps reduce the stress in the wood too. I don't worry about any knot smaller than a dime if it's hard and solid. If it is soft, or bigger than a dime, It gets drilled and doweled

I cant imagine you would have a hard time finding cedar up there, so long as you're not too picky.

Good Luck!