Everett Ellenwood - The Complete Book of Woodcarving: Everything You Need to Know to Master the Craft

2008 by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc.
All rights reserved.
The Complete Book of Woodcarving is an original work, first published in 2008 by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher.

The patterns contained herein are copyrighted by the author. Copies of these patterns may be made for personal use; however, they may not be duplicated for resale or distribution under any circumstances. Any such copying is a violation of copyright law.

eISBN 978-1-60765-096-6

ISBN 978-1-56523-292-1

Interior Photography by Jeff Ellenwood and Greg Heisey.

Publishers Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Ellenwood, Everett.

The complete book of woodcarving / Everett Ellenwood. -- East
Petersburg, PA : Fox Chapel Publishing, c2008.

p. ; cm.
ISBN: 978-1-56523-292-1

1. Wood-carving--Handbooks, manuals, etc. 2. Wood-carving-
Technique. 3. Wood-carving--Patterns. I. Title.

TT199.7 .E45 2008
736/.4--dc22 0804

To learn more about the other great books from Fox Chapel Publishing, or to find a retailer near you, call toll free 800-457-9112 or visit us at www.FoxChapelPublishing.com.

Note to Authors: We are always looking for talented authors to write new books in our area of woodworking, design, and related crafts. Please send a brief letter describing your idea to Acquisition Editor, 1970 Broad Street, East Petersburg, PA 17520.

eBook version 1.0
First Printing: November 2007
Second Printing: September 2008

Because carving wood and other materials inherently includes the risk of injury and damage, this book cannot guarantee that performing the activities in this book is safe for everyone. For this reason, this book is sold without warranties or guarantees of any kind, expressed or implied, and the publisher and the author disclaim any liability for any injuries, losses, or damages caused in any way by the content of this book or the readers use of the tools needed to complete the projects presented here. The publisher and the author urge all carvers to thoroughly review each project and to understand the use of all tools before beginning any project.

A CKNOWLEDGMENTS

Trent Busch
Ron Bymers
Kent Duff
Walter Grittner
Wayne Hendrickson
Randy Kinnick
Garry Kolb
Slim Maroushek (owner of Slims Woodshed and Carving Museum)
Ron Morrow
Bob Nowicki
Myron and Laverne Schettl (Shady Haven Tree Farm)
Kathy Ward

For allowing me to photograph their carvings and providing me with various items which enhance my book

A SPECIAL THANK-YOU TO:

John Krantzretired Department of Natural Resources forester in Forest Products Utilizationfor his assistance with and input on Chapter 3, Wood for Carving

W. F. (Bill) Judtfor allowing me to reference his Four-Quadrant Carving

Dale Knoblockthe developer of Pentacryl and owner of Preservation Solutionsfor his contribution on curing woods for carving

Bob Montagnoplant manager at Norton Abrasives, Littleton, New Hampshirefor his review of and input to the information on sharpening stones

Stan Watsontechnical director for DMT (Diamond Machining Technology), Marlborough, Massachusettsfor his assistance with and contribution to the sharpening stones information

Robert B. Hannaprofessor and director at SUNY, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, New Yorkfor sharing his knowledge and providing me with micrographs of wood

Greg Heisey for his photographic expertise and fellowship while shooting the bird, flower, and snowman projects

Peg Couch, book acquisition editor for Fox Chapel Publishing, for her patience and assistance in making this book a reality

Gretchen Bacon, editor for Fox Chapel Publishing, for correcting my spelling and grammar errors, plus creating magic by condensing the 400 pages and hundreds of photographs I sent her into a book of 288 pages

Troy Thorne, creative director for Fox Chapel Publishing, for his creative layout to make my book aesthetically interesting

A ND A MAJOR THANK-YOU TO:

My son, Jeff, for the many hours he spent doing photography for the body of this book. It would have been next toimpossible to have completed this book without his assistance. Hes more of a perfectionist than I am.

My wife, Deloris, for her patience and understanding. Many Honey Dos were left undone during the two years I lived inside this book.

And to all my family, friends, and students who gave me support and encouragement as I made my dreams of writing this book a reality.

C ONTENTS

I NTRODUCTION

If youre searching for a hobby that will be with you for a lifetimenot just some fad thats here today and gone tomorrowwoodcarving puts you on the right track. Its not a stagnant hobby but one that is stimulating, yet relaxing. Woodcarving is done in many styles, from simple repetitive patterns to intricate sculptures, so its a hobby in which you will never run out of ideas for what you can create. It can become a very satisfying and fulfilling part of your life.

In this age of mass production, its gratifying to take a piece of wood and create your own piece of art, and because wood comes from a once-living tree, no two pieces will ever be the same. It grows and changes, even after its harvested. Each piece will have a beauty and character of its very own. This beauty of wood makes woodcarving a special art.

During the 30-plus years I have been carving, Ive held classes, written articles and books, and produced videos and DVDsall to help woodcarvers at different stages of their carving careers. Woodcarving cant be learned through books alone, but books are a great way to start your journey into woodcarving and a great resource to turn to when you need help on a specific topic.

With that in mind, Ive included material in this book to help you develop an understanding of woodcarving basics so you have a solid foundation on which to build. Experienced woodcarvers can expand their knowledge of this beautiful art form as well. I recommend you read this book in its entirety, and then refer back to specific chapters if you have questions on a particular topic. This book will take you through

• a history of woodcarving
• the various types of carving
• the anatomy of wood and how its characteristics affect how you carve it
• why some types of wood are better to carve than others
• what to look for when buying wood for carving
• why wood may crack or split and how to minimize it
• what to look for when buying carving tools
• the different types of sharpening stones and their characteristics
• how to sharpen your carving tools